Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by
Stephen Sondheim and book by
James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several
Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault
fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from "
Little Red Riding Hood", "
Jack and the Beanstalk", "
Rapunzel", and "
Cinderella", as well as several others. The musical is tied together by an original story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them, and their interaction with other storybook characters during their journey.