Into the Woods joins a number of well-known fairy tales into one story. Characters such as Little Red Ridinghood and her Granny, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Cinderella all live in the same kingdom and each have their own desperate “wishes”. In the first act, each of these characters must go into the woods to get what they want (to lift the spell, to go to the festival, to visit Granny, etc). They, of course, cross paths with each other and most decide to cheat, steal and do whatever is necessary to get what they want from those they meet.
They live happily ever after at the end of the first act, but their kingdom is visited by a giant in the second act forcing them to accept the consequences of their previous actions. After a long blame game, the characters learn that only by coming together and leaving selfish desires behind, can they save themselves from destruction. Into the Woods deals with many deep issues including selfishness, good versus evil, and the idea of how children grow through listening and learning.
