"Children Will See and Learn..."

I was surprised and disappointed this afternoon when I read an article in Playbill titled "Into the Woods Will Offer First-Act Only Family Matinee Performance Aug. 22," by Adam Hetrick. The point is to offer a 75 minute "family friendly" version of Sondheim and Lapine's musical Into the Woods.

Now, I understand that in this fairytale-themed musical there are many moments which could be deemed "adult-themed." Also, the show runs between 2 1/2-3 hours, and the end of Act II is less than "happily ever after." But... that's the point. Life isn't tied up with happily ever after ribbons at the speed of a sitcom.
As the much-loved song from Act II states, "Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn..." What are we teaching children by only allowing them to see Act I?


First, I think it teaches them that a short attention span is just fine. They should expect quick and tidy resolutions and that art and entertainment shouldn't last more than 80-90 minutes max. (Did you notice that this cutting is approximately the length of a feature film for young audiences?) Then, when these young patrons become adults and groan when a play or musical lasts more than 2 hrs, we practitioners of theatre will shake our bewildered heads at the shortened attention spans of the younger generation. (I'm sure we've all begun to experience this phenomenon already. I know I have.) But, a theatrical production helped shape these expectations in the first place, so we're being self-defeating.

Second, in Act I, there are many actions taken by those seeking their happily ever afters which are questionable, and some are just downright wrong. By cutting Act II, there are no consequences for the actions the characters have taken. The Baker and his Wife have lied and stolen. Jack has stolen and killed. Little Red Riding Hood has been a naive glutton. The Witch has been cruel and vain. A similar description can be given for all of the characters. And they all live happily ever after... until Act II.

The only positive lessons we take out of Act I are "Nice is Different than Good," and that we should be kinder to those around us, in the case of Cinderella's family. The Witch also trades power for beauty and loses her beloved Rapunzel, but these ideas aren't really fleshed out until Act II. If I had children, although I know Act II is a bit scary and heavy-handed, I'd want them to see that for all the actions we take in life there are consequences, and that we must stop to consider what we do before we do it and learn from our mistakes. I would also want them to find satisfaction in stories that don't resolve so quickly.

I asked a few friends who are currently working on a production of the show their thoughts, and these were a few of the responses:

"On the one hand, I suppose, they are being exposed to a classic and fabulous masterpiece of a show. On the other, the purpose of it is fulfilled in the second act- like Sondheim wrote it specifically to explore what comes after the "Happily Ever After." I dunno.... not my cup of tea. (I'm glad we aren't doing it, too- although it would have been significantly easier to produce!!)" ('Rapunzel' actor)

"Letting kids watch only Act I sends the wrong message. My high school kids don't like the show until they have seen Act II and then they are awe struck and shocked and I love how they gain a whole new understanding of the power for better or worse that each choice they make can have. It makes for wonderful class discussions." ('Jack's Mother' actor and high school theatre teacher)

"You know, at first Act II didn't do anything for me. But "Last Midnight" says it all. We face consequences." (Director) 

I'm sure this performance will be a smashing success, but I wonder what it will really accomplish. Even the description from the Public Theater's Into the Woods page asks "Will they succeed? And what happens after "happily ever after?"" In the Act I abridgement, we'll never know. But, "children will see and learn."


Until Next Time...
Ro Huizinga