The Witch is a main character and an antagonist of the musical Into the Woods.
Background[]
The Witch comes from the concept of the Rapunzel fairy tale from the Brother Grimm's fairy tales. She is based off of Dame Gothel (otherwise known as Mother Gothel) and based on this logic (though it is never stated in the show) it can be assumed that is also her name.
The plot follows that of the original fairy tale - A man and his wife, in some versions struggling to have a child, living next to a witch and her garden. The wife says she must have the vegetables in that garden (namely Rampion) and the man proceeds to steal it. When caught by the witch, she says he may have it as much as he wanted; on the condition that she will have the child that comes into the world, and she will care for it as a mother. In some versions it is written that the mother died at the loss of her child to the witch, and that she puts Rapunzel in the tower at seven years old, other twelve years old. The witch treasures her and does not wish to share her with anyone. Rapunzel in the original versions of the story often refers to the Prince as "young and beautiful" and that is why she likes him, much over than "old mother Gothel." The way the witch finds out about the Prince varies from discovering Rapunzel is pregnant by her clothes, a passing comment by Rapunzel, or catching him leaving too late before she arrives. It is said that the witch lashes out, cuts off her hair, banishes her to a desert, etc. and attacks Rapunzel's prince, blinding him. She bears twins in some version, a boy and a girl, and eventually meets up with him again and her tears heal his vision. [1]
Sondheim attempts to incorporate all versions of the original fairy tale in Into The Woods, referring to the Rampion, the struggle to have a child, and all versions of Rapunzel's punishment. He also focuses on Rapunzel's feelings of how she dislikes how the witch looks in the demo versions of songs and drafts, however many of it ends up cut out. It is also worth mentioning that unlike the other characters, she does not have a name and is simply known as the witch - similar to the wolf where it can be implied there are multiple antagonists in each story, She despises liars, and each of the main cast has lied in some way to get to where they are. (See Boom, Crunch! for more.)
Vocal score range.
She is a fairly cynical character yet realistic, straight to the point. Her role is originally as an antagonist however forms into a "voice of reason" within the second act of the final show. This role is best suited for a mezzo-soprano (that can belt) with the highest note being F5 and lowest F3.
Appearance[]
Bernadette Peter's Broadway Act II outfit
The Witch's first appearance is as an elderly woman: long curly grey hair with a pink bow in it, a long crooked nose, warts, and sharp nails. She wears a long embellished black velvet cloak(hood) detailed with red roses and red patterned fabric on the underside, a dull tattered/layered lavender dress, a brown pouch and a red jewelled necklace along with other jewellery such as small gold hoop earrings. She carries with her a polished wooden stick as a cane. In some scenes the hood is pulled over her head. When her mother's curse is reversed, she becomes young and 'beautiful': dark reddish-brown curly hair, pinned up by a embellished white flower, purple eyeshadow and red lips. Now wearing a pearl-white fitted dress - a corset, jewelled halter neck straps connected to a chain that crosses over the corset, glittering ankle-length straight skirt detailed with vibrant lavender lace ruffles as a bustle and on off-the-shoulder straps and diamond tassel earrings paired with the previous jewellery. She loses her hunch, the nails, the face details and removes her cloak. Most actresses also tend to create a look that has more eyeliner or similar with eyeshadow.
Meryl Streep's outfit in the film adaptation.
The next time she is seen in Act II, she is wearing an ankle-length dark purple embellished glittering dress, puffy shoulder sleeves (reminiscent to that of a Juliette style) that go down to her wrists and middle fingers similar to gloves, sweet-heart neckline with corset-like patterning in a deep vibrant purple with a simple belt silver and black heeled boots. Her hair is pinned up now with a black glittering pin, the same patterning on the front of her dress where the neckline ends, with the same red gem necklace and silver chain. This is paired with a cape, crimson red on the outside and black and silver on the underside to create trees (in the woods) patterning. Later on she is seen with a brown pouch for the beans from her garden, then neither that nor the cape in the finale.
For the 2014 Film Adaptation, she has deep blue colour scheme instead. Vibrant turquoise-blue hair with lighter-grayer strands (entirely grayed out for her elderly form), pinned up though shorter, and does not change outfit over the course of the film with minimal change to the neckline after her transformation. Her dress holds a similar design to that of the one in Act II of the Original Broadway Production, with an overall dark colour, puffed sleeves on the shoulders that even out into longer ones, and a long skirt that covers her shoes. It involves far more lace layering and intricate design to that of branches for the dress, using lighter and darker lines to achieve this, fraying out at the end of the wrists and skirt.
Biography[]
Act I[]
In Act I, the Witch first appears as a haggard and elderly woman, who approaches the Baker and his wife. She tells them that she has cursed his family to be barren due to his father's actions (stealing her beans), but she will be able to break the curse and grant their wish under these conditions: getting a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold; before the chime of midnight in three days' time, she will grant them a child. It is also explained that she took Rapunzel as a child from the couple next door as the Baker's father is the reason why she is cursed. ("Prologue")
The Witch with the Baker and his Wife during the Prologue.
After the Baker interacts with Little Red Riding Hood in the woods, the Witch appears demanding he gets the cape. He is unsure, so she tells him to simply snatch it from the girl, to which he feels guilty for and asks her why she can't. She goes to say she can't touch the objects, but as she hears Rapunzel's singing she pauses and melts with a happy sigh saying "My Rapunzel! Listen to her beautiful music!" and the Baker begins to dance with a confused smile that she snaps to 'get her what she needs' running offstage with a scream.
Rapunzel in her tower and the Witch.
"As for Rapunzel, the witch was careful not to lose this beauty to the outside world, and so shut her within a doorless tower within the forest." (Narrator.) When she wants to visit, she calls for Rapunzel, yelling her name at the bottom of the tower until she lets down her hair. In the Original Broadway Production, where there is no song, At first she doesn't respond and keeps singing until the witch bashes the tower with her stick. In future productions, they enter a duet where Rapunzel comments on her subtle resentment of being locked in a tower and the witch's looks, and the witch on how beautiful Rapunzel is and the need to protect (and love) children. ("Our Little World")
Each character enters the stage with their own little comment relating to their story, the witch's being "sometimes the things you most wish for are not to be touched." ("First Midnight")
As the couple loses the cow and bicker with each other, the witch appears again and interrupts them in the booths of the audience demanding that they get her back. They offer her the red cape and she refuses it for the second time. Rapunzel's singing interrupts her again and she makes another happy high-pitched sigh, turning to the audience member saying "my sweetness calls. she's over there..." pointing to the stage. She mocks the couple again and zaps them and the Baker's wife remarks "I don't like that woman."
The Mysterious Man returns Milky White to the Baker, and watching them go the witch comes up behind him, scaring him. She tells him to stay out of it and he protests that he's trying to help her. They both exit the stage.
The witch comes on stage marking the second midnight. ("Second Midnight")
As the witch was unaware that Rapunzel has been allowing a wandering prince to climb up to her as well, upon finding out she drags Rapunzel into the woods and scolds her, stating that "children should listen" and the pain that she betrayed her. She cuts Rapunzel's hair and they exit off stage. The Witch blinds the prince and banishes Rapunzel to a desert, where she bears twins. ("Stay With Me")
After the Witch drinks the potion that the Baker and his wife had gotten ingredients for, the curse that her mother laid on her is lifted. Her "youth and beauty" is restored, but she has lost her magical abilities. ("Such as the way in these stories" says the Narrator.) She finds Rapunzel in this form, who has reunited with her prince, surprised she doesn't recognise her and coming to bring her home. As Rapunzel refuses, she attempts to curse them and fails, the couple running off and her crying and breaking her cane.
In the Finale for Act I, she has a part with Cinderella's stepsisters, Florinda and Lucinda, where she sings how unhappy she is losing her power and her 'daughter like a flower in a tower' becoming 'ordinary.' ("Ever After")
Act II[]
The start of Act II follows a similar prologue, interrupted by a crash. The witch enters once again into the Baker's home, and she helps them come to the conclusion that it was a giant's foot that destroyed their home and her garden. ("Prologue: So Happy")
Shortly after, she runs into Rapunzel in the woods, who is a screaming mess. She asks her faux-daughter what she is doing there, to which she replies "oh, nothing," and proceeds to vent about how the witch treated her, locking her in a tower with no company and then punishing her. The witch looks a bit sorry for it, tilting her head slightly and her lips parting, stating she was "only trying to be a good mother." Then she chases Rapunzel again, begging her to stay with her because there are giants about.
The Witch, along with the Baker and his wife, Little Red Ridinghood, and the Royal Family, soon find themselves in a clearing in the middle of the woods, deciding what to do about Jack and the Giant. The Witch suggests that they feed Jack to the Giant, but most of the group decides against that. Out of nowhere comes Rapunzel running up to the group,, as it is assumed that the Witch and her must of split at some point. During the conversation, the Giant asks if the screams was Jack, to which the Witch panics and says that it is not the boy, coming in front of Rapunzel who rushes to her. Rapunzel's Prince joins the group and asks her to 'come' with his hand out-stretched, and as the witch turns to take a step to him Rapunzel runs the other way right into the Giant's path. The Giant steps on her and kills her, the witch and her prince standing at the edge of the stage after chasing her screaming her name. The prince rushes off, leaving the Witch alone and in her grief she bitterly states that "children won't listen." ("Lament")
During Act II, start of "Your Fault"
She stands at the edge of the stage as the royal family decides what to do, hiding or running. She tells them off for this notion, quick to start lashing out at the people around her and calling them out for every little thing they say, such as when Little Red says she "hopes a giant steps on them all," the Baker's Wife responds that she shouldn't say that - the Witch is quick to add "you were thinking the same thing." She continues onto Little Red as she comes to terms of what has happened, making the point of skinning a wolf and "asking a wolf's mother." The Witch exits to find Jack and bring him to the Giant to quell her anger and hopefully save their home.
With Jack in her hands, the Witch brings him back to the same clearing, seeing the Baker, Little Red Ridinghood, and Cinderella. The Baker sees Jack and immediately blames him for all of the destruction, causing an uproar from Jack, who pushes the blame back on him. The group then argues and argues about whose blame the destruction really is, coming to the conclusion that it is the Witch's fault because she grew the beans that brought the Giant down. She turns it back on the Baker's father, as it his fault she was cursed in the first place, and he agrees. Despite the fact they reached a person to blame, there isn't anything to gain, so they begin again until it lands on the witch again by Cinderella. A frustrated Witch says it's the "last midnight", returning to her original three conditions, telling the group that she is leaving to be with her mother (death) and that their greatest weakness is being alone. The Witch throws the rest of the magic beans on the ground and vanishes in thin air, leaving the Baker, Jack, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding hood alone. ("Last Midnight")
The witch returns for the finale, either as a spirit of some sorts like many other characters or to complete the story as she ends it with "children will listen." ("Finale: Children Will Listen")
Relationships[]
Deceased Mother[]
The Witch's relationship with her mother is only briefly mentioned in her songs. It can be gathered that her mother was a somewhat cruel and strict woman with the Witch, most likely a witch herself, considering that despite the fact she wasn't the one to lose the beans and they were stolen from her, she still was cursed into being what is generally perceived as 'ugly' due to being old. When the Witch has enough of the main cast in Act 2, she refers to her mother again, implying that she dies as she states in the alternate version of 'Last Midnight' "Mother, Here I come." In the original version, she speaks to her mother (her curse) "Alright, mother, when? Lost the beans again! Punish me the way you did then – give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch..." As her mother is always perceived to have punished the Witch, it can be assumed that this is how she understands love and ties into "Stay With Me" and how she treats Rapunzel. The Witch is seen as loving to Rapunzel in all versions of which Sondheim worked on with the exception of when she lashes out after "Stay With Me" and attempts to possibly curse Rapunzel but more likely her Prince before the Act 1 Finale. She only lashes out in 'punishment,' in a form her Mother would have used with her.
Rapunzel[]
Rapunzel and the Witch photographed by Martha Swope.
The Witch has a fairly straightforward relationship with Rapunzel that is mostly loving and somewhat strained. It is believed that the Witch perceives Rapunzel as pure in a sense and she will always love her. It is unknown if the Witch is aware of how Rapunzel feels about her that is mostly negative and confusing. Notably, Rapunzel symbolises female seduction, physical attraction - desire and premature sexuality that mostly comments on the idea of beauty. The beans and garden on top of this are to be protected and closely linked with her theme, representing love, passion and life. In the theme of Into The Woods their relationship is to show a loving (step)mother and child, an added contrast to Cinderella's Stepmother.
Rapunzel is first referenced in "Prologue: Into The Woods" part 4, when the Witch is first introduced. She is describing the story of how the beans were stolen from her and the deal she made with the Baker's Father, later revealed the Mysterious Man, that in exchange for her vegetables that she would have the baby his wife will bear. The Narrator states that "The Witch refused to tell him anymore about his sister – not even that her name was Rapunzel" tying in closely to her mysterious/secretive nature and how far she will go to shield Rapunzel. Rapunzel is introduced later in her tower with an alternate song to go with the scene, titled "Our Little World". There is also an alternate ending to this.
Rapunzel and the Witch during "Stay With Me"
In "Our Little World" it is implied that as much as the Witch is Rapunzel's world, Rapunzel is also her entire world. The Witch has no direct relationship with anyone other than the Mysterious Man who she hadn't seen in years regardless and has negative connotations for, and is very prickly to everyone else in the cast. Rapunzel is the Witch's only relationship, the only person she has let into her life and cares for.
It is unknown how the Witch comes to know about Rapunzel's prince in the original show. It is presumed to follow the original fairy tale in all of it's versions, where Rapunzel either mentions the prince, The Witch realises she is pregnant or catches the Prince leaving her tower. As the show follows all versions of the fairy tale, it can be assumed that it might be a mix of all types as well. The result of this realisation is shown in "Stay With Me." During this number, the bean motif is repeated and symbolising that this is the Witch's wish. It can also be a reference to how intricately the beans are intertwined with their relationship and the Witch's view on her family.
During Act 2, the next time we see Rapunzel she has become unstable and 'hysterical' in the woods (as stated by her Prince) and is constantly emotional and screaming each time we see her. When they run into each other again, Rapunzel blames the Witch for everything; of which the Witch looks away somewhat regretfully and then replies, "I was only trying to be a good mother." She continues to chase Rapunzel, asking her to "stay with me" again as the previous song. Despite the fact that Rapunzel has rejected her multiple times, this is the Witch's wish.
Rapunzel, her prince and the witch during Act I, after she has returned to her beautiful state.
The next time Rapunzel is seen is during the conversation with the giant where they are arguing about the Giant wanting Jack to kill in return for her husband's death. Rapunzel stumbles upon the group is during this and sees the giant, promptly screaming again, and of which the Giant says "Is that him?" The witch rushes to Rapunzel, defensively moving in front of her and yelling "No, no, this is not the boy!" and surprisingly, Rapunzel runs to her to keep her safe. At first when Rapunzel's Prince comes to them and asks her to "come," the Witch turns to him and appears to be moving towards him however Rapunzel runs off in her fear off stage (into the giant's path) and is promptly killed. The witch screams her name and stands at the edge of the stage staring at where she died for a few minutes while the other characters talk, then is cued for "Lament," where she blinks back tears and bitterly states "children won't listen." This relationship and change over the course of the musical is the drive for the plot and main message.
It can also be noted that shortly after this the Witch promptly kills herself (or similar). It is also distinct that she sees Rapunzel as separate to the Baker's family, yet in "Stay With Me" it is hinted for a moment she sees them in a similar aspect. She refers to the Baker and his father (then son) as liars during "alternate: Last Midnight" and then rejects the child despite originally comforting him and using him to cope with the loss of Rapunzel and being a mother, stating that his son is a lost cause and they will all end up the same way. She holds Rapunzel on a pedestal of sorts, believing that she is above this (such as how the family curse does not apply to her despite them being related.)
In the demo song "Second Midnight" one of the recordings the Witch states "I always wanted a girl" indicating as to why she made the request to have Rapunzel as her daughter. In many drafts of the show, after Rapunzel's death the Witch is less stable as in the final - often theorised to have triggered her into a breakdown or manic episode as seen in "Boom, Crunch!" Her prompt exit of suicide also is possibly due to the fact Rapunzel died as her mental state fails to cope with this. It is implied that her 'wish' was for Rapunzel to stay with her, as shown in "Stay With Me." The Witch is never given a 'I Wish' song the others do, yet her actions along with the writing of this song implies that, through the use of a second interval musically and the pleading she has. [2]
Rapunzel and The Witch in the 2014 Film Adaptation.
In the 2014 film adaptation, still worked on with the help of Stephen Sondheim. When The Witch rushes to the destroyed tower in her true form and finds Rapunzel, crying. She is delighted to see her, "You're safe! Oh, thank goodness," to which Rapunzel responds "who are you?" and steps back. She is surprised, stating, "surely you remember? Oh! Of course, you don't recognise me," with a smile and dismissive wave of her hand, and Rapunzel replies "mother?" with an almost dismayed look. The witch spins around with a laugh and says that "this is who I truly am, my dear, now you don't have to be embarrassed by me." This line may indicate that the Witch only wanted her beauty to be loved by Rapunzel, as the themes throughout the original fairy tale and used in the creation of the show consistently refer to Rapunzel not viewing her as beautiful (refer back to "Stay With Me" where she says Rapunzel would rather her be handsome like a Prince) and above all values Rapunzel's affection.
In the cut song "She'll Be Back" written for the film's reworked plot, the Witch attempts to convince herself that the girl will come back to her. Coping with the rejection. The most notable line for their relationship and the Witch's character being "I don't care what she thinks about me – just as long as she thinks about me!" revealing the way she clings to Rapunzel as her purpose in life.
Rapunzel's Prince[]
The Witch has very little direct interaction with Rapunzel's Prince, yet it is clear that she despises him. She blinds him for being with Rapunzel, causing him to dive head first into thorns she grows with her magic. In the end of Act I, she requests Rapunzel to go with her and he holds onto her. In Act I, during the confrontation of the Giant, Rapunzel rushes to the Witch in her fear and the Witch immediately goes to her. He appears, asking Rapunzel to come to him, and as the witch turns to possibly fight him. As Rapunzel rushes off stage, she doesn't end up doing anything.
In the film, when the Witch comes to get Rapunzel he appears and he realises that she is the one that blinded him. He goes to possibly attack her, but Rapunzel puts her hand on his chest to stop him.
Baker & Baker's Wife[]
The Baker and his wife with the witch during "Prologue: Into The Woods"
The Baker is rather indifferent towards the Witch if not afraid, whereas The Baker's wife seems to show dislike towards her - at least the way she acts. She is demanding and blunt with them. It can be argued that the Baker himself is simply afraid of most things and not of the witch specifically, since he doesn't seem to be willing to move and the Baker's Wife only decides to move regardless due to being disgusted by something the Witch does. They both say quite a few times that they wouldn't prefer to live beside a witch, the Baker commenting that he "does not like that woman" and the Wife with "we are moving" even though the Baker says they will not be.
They are closely related, being neighbours and the whole plot revolving around her, his father, the couple's relationship and the beans. However, this is also where the contempt from the Witch arises which leads to the Baker being treated "less than" by her, making their relationship rocky. The Witch would possibly be able to get along more with the Wife as they share more interests, such as being mothers and have personalities that go together well. The same could be said for the Baker however, if she were to let go of her grudge surrounding him and his father, which comes up again to his son during "Alternate: Last Midnight".
Mysterious Man[]
The Witch with the Mysterious Man.
Notably a spirit - Rapunzel's Father who stole the beans in the first place. After "Agony" and the Baker finds Milky White again, given to him by the Mysterious Man, he is approached and scared by the Witch. He falls in shock and she asks "What are you doing?" to which he replies "I'm here to make amends." She tells him she wants him to stay out of it, he retorts that he is here to see her get her wish, and at this she accusingly points a finger at him and says "you have caused enough trouble! You keep out of my path," and promptly zaps him where they rush off.
They meet again when the Baker, Baker's Wife and the Mysterious Man are on stage with the items and Jack's Mother has just appeared to say that there is a dead giant in her backyard. The witch appears, and she brings Milky White back to life with Jack coming to join the group. When it fails due to it being Rapunzel's hair, the Mysterious Man chimes in that they should use the hair from the corn, and the Witch tells him that it better work or his son will be the last of his flesh and blood. The Baker replies "son?!" and the Mysterious Man goes "please, not now." The witch ignores him and says "yes, meet your father," pointing at him and walking away. As the Mysterious Man dies (again?), they do not interact any further.
Narrator[]
Narrator and the Witch in Act II.
The narrator does not directly interact with any of the characters until Act II, during the scene where they turn on him to hand him to the giant. In fanon at least, it is often believed that he has a banter-filled relationship with the witch, where she says "some of us don't like the way you've been telling it" regarding his narration and sticks her tongue out at him. Due to the nature of the plot and that they both likely die, we never see them interact again - and in the movie plot he is removed entirely.
Quotes[]
"Of course you have no bread!"
"It's not what I wish. It's what you wish." [Pointing to Baker's Wife belly.] "Nothing cooking in there now, is there?"
"She took one look at my beautiful garden, and told your father, that what she wanted, more than anything in the world, was..."
"Greens, Greens, and nothing but greens:" [Conversational] "Parsley, peppers, cabbages and cel'ry, asparagus and watercress and fiddle ferns and lettuce!" [Falling into "Rap" style] "He said, "all right," but it wasn't quite..."
"Ripping up the rampion (My champion! My favourite!)"
"I should have laid a spell on him right there! Could have turned him into stone, or a dog or a chair or a sn..." [Trances, causing the Baker and his wife to panic or simply giggles after chair.]
""Fair is fair. You can let me have the baby that your wife will bear. And we'll call it square.""
"No! But you had a sister." [Giggles]
"I was watching him crawl back over the wall, and then bang! Crash! And the lightning flashed! And— well that's another story, never mind, anyway!"
"At last the big day came and I made my claim, "oh, don't take away the baby," they shrieked and screeched, but I did, and I hid her where she'll never be reached. And your father cried, and your mother died - when for extra measure (I admit it was a pleasure) I said, "Sorry, I'm still not mollified." And I laid a little spell on them! You too, son," [Points to Baker's groin to which he gasps in pain] "that your family tree would always be a barren one." [Cackles] "So!"
"And my garden thrives, you should see my nectarines! But I'm telling you the same I tell kings and queens: Don't ever never ever mess around with my greens! Especially the beans."
"You wish to have the curse reversed? I'll need a certain potion first. Go to the wood and bring me back: one, the cow as white as milk; two, the cape as red as blood; three, the hair as yellow as corn; four, the slipper as pure as gold."
"Go to the wood!" [Zaps and then disappears out the door.] - To the Baker and his Wife.
"Who cares?"
"The things you most wish for... are not to be touched." (First and Second Midnight)
"It's the last midnight." (Last Midnight)
Musical Numbers[]
Act I[]
Act II[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Bernadette Peters, the original actress for The Witch, was actually called in to work on the production by Stephen Sondheim as a favour. She was not planned to stay in the role for long, nor become the signature actress for it as the original Broadway actress. This role by her also got nominated for "Outstanding Actress in a Musical" in the 1988 Drama Desk Awards.
- Donna Murphy, Mother Gothel's voice actor in the 2010 Disney film "Tangled" auditioned for the role originally as she also extensively worked with Sondheim. She did not get the role at the time, however in 2012 joined the Public Theatre production.
- She also used "Children Will Listen" to audition for the role with Disney.
- Catherine Zeta-jones, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Donna Murphy, Idina Menzel, Miranda Richardson, Kate Winslet and Nicole Kidman were also considered for the role of the witch in the 2014 film adaptation. [3]
- Also understudied by Joy Franz, Cinderella's Stepmother and Marin Mazzie who replaced Rapunzel for the original Broadway cast.
- In Playbill: "Lapine and Sondheim said they wrote the Witch as a "perpetual outsider" who tells the truth — no matter how hard it may hit. Lapine said that sometimes the people you don't like speak the truth, and Sondheim claims that outsiders such as the Witch are ones who can change the world. The trio also revealed how Peters completed her transformation nightly on Broadway. A body double (who lip-synced to a recording of Peters' voice) was hired to enter as Peters took an elevator underneath the stage to change. Dressers began the beautification process, as Peters simply applied lipstick." [4] This reveal came after many years, as being asked it before usually got a (coy) response that they "can't tell you." [5]
- Sondheim on Our Little World: "This song was added for the London production. Having seen the show in its final form a number of times, I realised that we never observe the Witch having a happy maternal moment with her daughter, which makes the Witch unrelentingly possessive and Rapunzel's mixed feelings about her inexplicable..." [6]
- In the 2014 film, the song "She'll Be Back" was written for the Witch, Meryl Streep, as a lot of the plot had either been cut out entirely or failed to make sense, as Rapunzel doesn't die in the film this song replaces the cut part of "Lament". "Sondheim summoned Streep, Marshall, and the play’s book writer James Lapine to his townhouse to perform “She’ll Be Back.” Afterwards, Streep asked Sondheim to autograph the sheet music of the song she’d been tasked to perform. “I’d be pleased to,” Sondheim reportedly said. And inscribed on the pages, “Don’t fuck it up.”" [7]
- Meryl Streep was also a struggle to get on board originally, as she had a rule to 'not play witches' however broke this for a Sondheim role. "“When I turned 40, I got three witch offers in one year,” explains Streep, 65. “And no other offers. Three offers to play a witch, but no love-interest things, no woman-scientist-adventurists, no ‘I’m out saving the world,’ no nothing. Just witches. I thought, ‘God, there’s got to be another way.’ ” Still, the Sondheim material proved too enticing to resist, and Streep ultimately broke her own rule and signed on." [7]
- In the original versions of the Into The Wood's script, the Witch instead of dying turned into a puff of smoke and into a black rabbit, jumping off stage. It's assumed this was removed due to the cost and time it would take to train a rabbit. These symbolise new beginnings, and in folklore tricksters that can bring luck and good fortune if treated with respect. [8]
- Ironically, as the Witch hopes to protect Rapunzel from this exact sentiment, she is often associated with Cinderella's Prince as he is connected to the Wolf (as often shared by an actor) and their similarities. Bernadette Peters, the "original" Witch, sings his songs in her concert and how she connects them (such as "Hello, Little Girl") with the Witch. [9] In official photography (such as Martha Swope's) they are often paired together [10] and in the finale for the Original Broadway Production, they link arms as the company dances. They never interact during the production. This could also be argued due to the fact that these are often the "main" four cast members, the Baker and his Wife being the other two and automatically being paired as they are a couple.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/rapunzel
- ↑ https://www.fromscoretostage.com/post/2017/05/16/character-study-the-witch
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwSqs_DaIOA
- ↑ https://playbill.com/article/learn-how-into-the-woods-began-who-got-married-the-line-sondheim-stole-and-how-the-witch-transformed-com-351830
- ↑ http://www.sondheim.com/features/bernadette_peters_2.html
- ↑ "Look I made a hat: collected lyrics (1981 - 2011) with attendant comments, amplifications, dogmas, harangues, digressions, anecdotes and miscellany" by Stephen Sondheim, book published 2011
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/perverted-wolves-cheating-wives-a-755359/
- ↑ "Look I made a hat: collected lyrics (1981 - 2011) with attendant comments, amplifications, dogmas, harangues, digressions, anecdotes and miscellany" by Stephen Sondheim, book published 2011
- ↑ http://www.sondheim.com/features/bernadette_peters_2.html
- ↑ https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/b31f5d33-7d27-17da-e040-e00a18062482