Went to see the Playhouse on the Square production of Into the Woods on Saturday night in Memphis. Have you seen it? Very interesting storyline -- several fairy tales (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood) woven together with aspects of other tales thrown in. All the characters are thrown into the woods to achieve their (sometimes vague) goals. By the end of the first act, there are happy endings for all the "good" characters. But then comes act II...it seems they didn't live happily ever after after all --a giantess terrorizes all of them, and each of them goes through heartaches as well. In the end, many have died, and the remaining few decide to carry on together as best they can.
Games are played with the moral lessons of each of the tales, and new "morals" are given along the way, especially the moral that parents should be careful what they tell their children as they are setting them up to be hurt when they find out how the world really works. It runs until June 7 -- have a look and then let's discuss it here.