Characters
How do all of the characters change from European fairy tales to American?
Did you know that the Baker and his Wife originate from the story of Rapunzel and the Witch?
The Baker
Portrayed by Jake Collins
The Baker's Wife
Portrayed by Beatrice Steuer
Rapunzel
Portrayed by Ella Shaw
The Witch
Portrayed by Zoey Schorsch
Origins
In the Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Into the Woods version of Rapunzel, the beginning plays into the Baker and his wife’s plot, as well as Rapunzel and the Witch’s plot. As punishment for stealing from her garden, an enchantress seizes a couple's newborn baby daughter, Rapunzel, and raises her as her own. Another key difference from the story we know is that the Prince is blinded by the Witch and Rapunzel is put out into a desert. She gives birth to twins, finds the prince and her tears give him back his eyesight. In Into the Woods, Rapunzel’s American story is trying to find her place in a world that she is kept away from by the Witch. The Baker and his wife’s American story is the definition of the American Dream, they want to start a family.
Different from the Cinderella we know, in the Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Into the Woods version, Cinderella visits her mother’s grave and is gifted not by a fairy godmother, but by a tree. Her stepsisters cut apart their feet in order to try to have Cinderella’s shoe fit and get their eyes pecked out by birds. Definitely different from the Disney version. Cinderella’s wish is to go from rags to riches. Instead of fighting to survive, as most European fairy tales go, she is looking for her identity. Halfway through Into the Woods, she thinks she has found herself when she marries the prince, but only truly finds herself when she leaves him.
Cinderella
Portrayed by Olivia Bodley
The main difference of this story from the known story is the Hunter who kills the wolf is also the Baker in Into the Woods. Little Red Riding Hood’s American journey is simple. She was supposed to put one foot in front of the other on the path to get to her goal (think the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz) but strayed from the path. By doing this, she messed up the road in life she was supposed to follow and bad things happened to her and the ones she loves. In the second half of Into the Woods, she “knows better now” and has matured like an adult. She becomes self-reliant, having gone from needing someone to save her to saving herself.
Little Red
Portrayed by Amanda Vazquez
Jack
Portrayed by Dennis Dizon
Jack’s story does not change much until the second act of Into the Woods, in which his actions have consciences and his mother is killed. He had the American Dream of being rich and helping his family, but got consumed by greed. Isn’t that the most American irony you’ve ever heard. He matures and defeats the evil he caused.
Other Characters/Cast
Cinderella's Prince/Wolf
Portrayed by Anthony Lafornara
Rapunzel's Prince
Portrayed by Cedrick Ekra
Narrator/Mysterious Man
Portrayed by Anania Williams
Steward
Portrayed by Brendan Massar
Cinderella's Father/Ensemble/Baker US
Portrayed by Emerson Hart
Cinderella's Stepmother
Portrayed by Isabel Ginsberg
Sister Lucinda
Portrayed by Morgan McMillin
Sister Florinda
Portrayed by Naja Brown
Jack's Mother
Portrayed by Roberta Alaman
Cinderella's Mother/Grandmother/Witch US
Portrayed by Hawa Kamara
Giant VO/Cinderella's Mother, Grandmother, Cinderella's Stepmother (SWING)
Portrayed by Elliana Karris
Snow White/Ensemble/Baker's Wife US
Portrayed by Karley Krickmier
Sleeping Beauty/Ensemble/Cinderella, Jack's Mother (SWING)
Portrayed by Zehava Younger
Swings
Rapunzel, Little Red
Portrayed by Emily Kilbourne
Lucinda, Florinda
Portrayed by Isabelle Wisdom
Rapunzel's Prince, Cinderella's Prince/Wolf
Portrayed by Jonah Barricklo
