A complete guide to the Into the Woods songs
Published on 18 December 2025
Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s multi award-winning musical weaves classic fairytales; Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, into a single narrative about desire, consequence and community. The musical’s songs are clever, expressive and essential to the storytelling. Find out more about them below.
Act 1
The first act of Into the Woods introduces us to the enchanted world where wishes drive every character’s journey.
Prologue: “Into the Woods”
This rousing opening number brings all our principal characters together, each with their deep wishes, from Cinderella’s longing to attend the king's festival to the Baker and his Wife’s hope for a child.
“Cinderella at the Grave”
Cinderella reflects on her life and her mother’s words at her grave. We’re introduced to her wistful longing and quiet courage.
“Hello, Little Girl”
Little Red Riding Hood meets the Wolf (often portrayed by the same actor who plays Cinderella’s prince later in the show) an encounter that mixes innocence with danger, and a touch of desire. Sure, Little Red Riding Hood knows she shouldn’t follow this mysterious stranger into the woods, but she is visibly thrilled by spending time with this sly and seductive rogue.
“I Guess This Is Goodbye” / “Maybe They’re Really Magic”
Jack trades his cow Milky-White for “magic” beans and says farewell to his friend, while the Baker and his Wife weigh the risks and rewards of their quest.
“I Know Things Now”
After emerging from the Wolf's belly, covered in blood and determined to get a new cape out of her encounter, Little Red Riding Hood reflects on what she’s learned, namely “Scary is exciting / [but] Nice is different than good.” The song sees her lose her childish innocence, and part ways with her famous red cape.
“A Very Nice Prince / First Midnight”
Cinderella crashes into the Bakers Wife while running away from the king’s festival. The ball wasn’t what she expected, but “How do you know what you want till you get what you want and you see if you like it?” The Bakers Wife pounces for Cinderella’s golden slippers whilst the soon-to-be princess has her exponential crisis, but fails. In “First Midnight” characters reconnect after the ball, each wrestling with their day’s discoveries, aware of the passage of time and the shifting stakes.
“Giants in the Sky”
Jack returns from the giant’s castle with tales of adventure, and an armfull of gold coins. It’s a showpiece for youthful bravado and recklessness, however we quickly realise that he’s still just a child when he cries and pleads with the Baker to give him his cow back. The Baker refuses and Jack climbs back up the stalk, determined to buy his friend back.
“Agony”
Cinderella’s Prince and Rapunzel’s Prince lament their loves in a comic duel of one-upmanship (or downmanship, as each swears he has it worse). It’s stupid and silly and so much fun.
“It Takes Two”
The Baker and his Wife find strength in partnership as their quest continues, a heartfelt duet about teamwork and perseverance.
“Stay With Me”
After finding out about her encounter with the Prince, the Witch warns her daughter, Rapunzel, about the “real-world” outside of her doorless tower. She begs her to “Stay a child while you can be a child”.
“On the Steps of the Palace”
Cinderella wrestles with her decision to stay or run, in this tongue twister of a song she tells the Bakers Wife how she was stuck on the palace stairs after the prince covered it in pitch. She escaped the stairs with one shoe, which she gives to the Bakers Wife, before sprinting through the forest and back to her home.
“Ever After”
Act 1 closes with the “good” characters enjoying their happy endings and the “bad” characters accepting their fate. The story looks like it's rounded off nicely, however, as a new beanstalk grows in the background, we know it’s not over yet - which is good, because we still have a whole act to go!
Act 2
Act 2 dives into the aftermath of wishes granted, and shows the fallout when fantasy meets reality. Sondheim’s score becomes more reflective and poignant as characters confront loss and responsibility.
Prologue: “So Happy”
The second act opens with a sense of accomplishment, but not all seem content. Just as the characters start to dream of something different, a giant comes crashing through the village and all hell breaks loose.
“Agony (Reprise)”
The pompous Princes have grown weary of matrimony and now set their sights on fresh romances: Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, both comatose and therefore exquisitely inaccessible. They are even more distant than the wives the princes once wooed, “What unbearable bliss!”
“Witch’s Lament”
The Witch mourns Rapunzel’s death. She has spent her whole life trying to protect her daughter, and now, the world she has locked her away from, has got her. It’s a song that explores the Witches tragic side, but she’s still just as fearsome.
“Any Moment” & “Moments in the Woods”
The Baker’s Wife gives into temptation when Cinderella’s Prince propositions her in the woods. After her affair, the Baker’s Wife attempts to return to ordinary life with her husband and child, carrying with her a changed perspective shaped by what she has just lived through. It stands as one of the musical’s most striking moments, perfectly capturing Sondheim’s blend of emotional insight and humane wit. Tragically, before she can reunite with her family, the Baker’s Wife is crushed by the Giant’s Wife, undone by the thunderous force of her steps.
“Your Fault” / “Last Midnight”
Following the Baker’s Wife’s death, the Baker, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and Cinderella blame each other for the tragedy. The Witch calls out their selfishness and their refusal to own the consequences of their choices. With a final, bitter gesture, she discards the remaining magic beans and disappears.
“No More”
The Baker is ready to abandon his child until the Mysterious Man/Narrator reappears and reveals himself as the Baker's father. The Baker knows that running away won’t solve anything, and vows not to repeat his father’s mistakes.
“No One Is Alone”
One of the show’s most beloved moments, this song encourages characters, and the audience, to accept that life’s paths are shared, even in the face of hardship.
Finale: “Children Will Listen”
In a final, bittersweet number, the Baker's Wife appears by her husband's side, urging him to raise their child on his own, taking on both parental roles, and to pass down the story of everything that occurred. While the Witch reminds us to consider the stories we tell the next generation, and how wishes shape lives.
People Also Asked
What is Into the Woods about?
A mash-up of familiar fairytales, Into the Woods explores how wishes can lead to unexpected consequences as characters learn that life is rarely as simple as “happily ever after.”
Where can I watch Into the Woods?
Into the Woods is playing at the Bridge Theatre in London until 30 May 2026.
Which Into the Woods songs are the most famous?
The Grammy Award-winning musical is full of bangers, but standouts include “Into the Woods,” “Last Midnight,” “It Takes Two,” “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen”
Is Into the Woods suitable for children?
The musical contains complex themes and a not-so-happy ending, so it’s generally recommended for ages 12 and up.
