As a person who writes fairy tale retellings and listens to musical cast records all of the time, what’s one of the most “on-brand” things I can do? Go see a musical that’s a bunch of fairy tale retellings.
Into the Woods has been on of my all time favorite musicals ever since I was a kid and far too young to understand or appreciate it outside of seeing fairy tale characters running around on stage. (Particularly to be seeing the Wolf’s costume. I mean… how did my mom allow me to watch this?)
But, I came away from the musical not noticing that particular costume and it’s anatomy until I was older (praise Jesus), and usually skipping over most of Act 2 because it was “too depressing.”
Which is fair. It gets pretty dark and if you want to only imagine your favorite fairy tale characters having happy endings then you might want to skip this particular show.
I hope you don’t though. Because the older I got and the more I watched this musical, the more I understood and appreciated the darkness of act 2. I love the exploration of how these characters have to navigate a dangerous world and having your wishes come true may not have the consequences you think they will. There’s one particular song I remember always skipping as a kid because it was “so boring.”
Which is another fair point. In his darkest moment The Baker signs a song called “No More” and out of all of the songs to come from Broadway… this isn’t the most exciting one. It’s quiet and long. Most people would likely say that for the more serious and emotional songs of this musical, there are others which are superior. But yet, as I sat in the Nederlander Theatre in Chicago watching Into the Woods, it was this song that stuck out to me and touched me.
“No more giants / waging war! / Can't we just pursue our lives, with our children and our wives, /' Til that happy day arrives, how do you ignore / All the witches, all the curses, / All the wolves, all the lies, the false hopes, the good-bye's, / The reverses, / All the wondering what even worse is still in store! / All the children. / All the giants.. /No more.”
This musical came out in 1987, and here in 2023 the words still ring true. I think for a lot of us, especially since 2020, can relate. I can’t count the number of times when I’ve wondered “Can’t I just write?” or “I just want to live my life!” There was a time when I thought I could change the world. But now, more often than not I’m just tired. The news can be on for five minutes and I’m ready to shut it off because I’m exhausted of hearing about wars and injustice and violence and tragedy.
When I first started blogging again back at the end of March, I was already dragging myself out of a writing slump. I’d lost my dog who was 15 years old in February, and even before then I’d been in a slump. Then, with the release of The Forest’s Keeper, I was getting excited for my author career again.
Then, April 1, my dad passed.
It was both expected and entirely sudden, making April the longest and shortest month of my life.
When I watched Into the Woods for the millionth time this past Sunday and seeing the characters experience loss and death and hardship, I felt a kinship to the Baker I hadn’t before. I understood his desire to just say “no more.” Oddly, it was comforting to remember that people have always experienced these things and these emotions where it’s all too much.
It’s one of the reasons I love fairy tales so much. Reading the old and original versions of some of these tales, the problematic elements and plot holes are so big they almost slap you in the face. But yet, there’s something about them that still speak to our world now. Overcoming impossible odds and facing lifes challenges in the hope that we’ll all get a “happily ever after” in the end, whatever that might look like for each person.
““Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.””
I’ve always loved that quote. Fairy tales don’t only teach children that dragon can be killed, but they teach us adults too. Sometimes we need to remember that while yes there are terrible things in life, those terrible things can also be overcome.
So, here I go again. Trying to slay those dragons and keep writing. It’s slow and not as often as I’d hope. But, the words will come.