Into the Woods (1991)

A collection of fairy tale characters head into the woods, and soon learn that fairy tales don't end at 'happily ever after.' This rendition of Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical was recorded on the stage with an all-star Broadway cast.

The filming features the original Broadway production which was taped in 1989 right before closing on Broadway. Bernadette Peters, which have left the production by the time agreements were reached to film it, specifically returned to the show for the filming days.

The show originally aired on PBS as part of their American Playhouse series in March 1991 and became one of the best introductions to theater for millions of Americans in the 1980's. The film was later released on home media in 1997 and then re-released on DVD & Blu-Ray in 2014 following the Disney remake of the same name.

Frank Rich, in his review for The New York Times, mentioned Into The Woods might become the first Sondheim musical 'whose dark thematic underside is as accessible as its jolly storytelling surface. This may be just the tempting, unthreatening show to lead new audiences to an artist who usually lures theatergoers far deeper, and far more dangerously, into the woods.'

Directing:

• James Lapine

Writing:

• James Lapine
• Stephen Sondheim

Stars:

• Bernadette Peters
• Chip Zien
• Joanna Gleason

Release Date: 1991-03-15

7.8/10

• Runtime: 153