'Into the Woods' Hits The Big Screen, But Never Left The Stage

Starting Christmas day, audiences can see a new version of Stephen Sondheim’s nearly 30-year-old musical fairy-tale mash-up, “Into the Woods” — this time, on the big screen.

And as the production moves from stage to screen, the high-budget Hollywood version comes with the requisite star power, including Johnny Depp as the iconic big bad wolf, Emily Blunt as a baker’s wife and Meryl Streep as the wicked witch who sets the whole plot in motion.

The movie is directed by Rob Marshall who made the stage musical “Chicago” into a movie classic in 2002.

But despite the hype it’s hard to make the case that the new release will create an “Into the Woods comeback” because the truth is, the stage version has never left us.

This fall’s southern California theatre season alone featured at least a dozen stagings, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival mounted “Into the Woods” last summer and the show is a staple at high schools and children’s theatres.

In fact, it’s currently the 3rd most popular high school show in the country.

Washington, DC’s Georgetown Day School will mount a production of “Into the Woods” in the spring, under the direction of Laura Rosberg, chair of the school’s performing arts department. She joins Jeremy Hobson to discuss the show and its challenges.

• Laura Rosberg, directs theatre at Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.

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