[Snow_White]

Okay so I posted this earlier in the Into the Woods survey but everyone, I think, was too busy surveying to really answer me so I thought it might make an interesting discussion to bring up elsewhere...

I noticed that in the Into the Woods survey a lot of people answered "Rapunzel" when asked "What Character could you do without?"

Now I hope my fellow Rapunzelites will have my back with this one (especially ConverseSneaker...I know you will read this!! lol)...

I am confused. There were so many people who said they could live without Rapunzel and I am really curious as to why. Not just because I am playing Rapunzel now, but since I first was in the show I always saw her as a pretty important character and her story is an essential part of the plot.

I mean, without Rapunzel the Witch would have never taken a child from the Baker's parents, which would have meant that the curse would not have been laid. Also the Witch would not be a mother and some of her actions would go completely unmotivated- and we, as fans, would never have heard some of the show's best songs including, "Our Little World", "Children Will Listen", "Stay With Me", "Lament"...do you get where I am going with this?

So, someone...please clear this up for me. With so many characters would don't contribute half as much to the story as Rapunzel does, how can you say you could do without her?

Merci buckets

[Sweeney Hyde]

I think a lot of this comes from not necissarily the character not being important, but that people just don't like her as much as the others or might even find her a tad on the annoying side.

Her character is important to the story, no doubt...but as a character...how appealing is she? Apparently not so much to many.

[Baker]

Sweeney Hyde summed it up. Some people just find her annoying.

I don't mind her, but I can see why people would feel that way.

[ConverseSneaker]

[Snow_White]

[ConverseSneaker]

[ErikProuvaire]

Rapunzel is just one of the most flat characters in the show (except the lesser ones, like the steward). She's not really that interesting and kind of annoying. It's not that she's pointless to the plot, because she so is not, it just that she isn't that likable.

[Not Dead Yet]

[music is my life!!!]

The biggest part is Rapunzel - the more realistic is the Steward

She sings, and has hair as yellow as corn

and the Steward is a bit of a coward...

(She's Rapunzel - DUH!)

[Apples2for10]

I don't hate Rapunzel; I just think her inclusion in the show was only for the sake of having another fairy tale character in the show. As someone already mentioned, she's important to the plot in the sense that when the Witch took her from the Baker's family, that was the impetus for the curse. Past that, however, I think that Rapunzel mainly serves as filler. Though, she does establish that the Witch has somewhat of a motherly way about her, and her death (while unnecessary, IMO) does make one feel for the Baker, as she was his sister. So, along with Mysterious Man abandoning him, then dying, then returning, then disapearing, and the death of Baker's Wife (which was also unecessary), he basically has no family to call his own through the course of the show.

The Steward, though, does deserve at least a little bit of credit. He kills a semi-major character, which is a key storypoint; plus, so much can be learned about his character from his line in "One Midnight Gone": "A servant is not just a dog to a prince". That establishes his lowly place in the hierarchy. While he was never in a position as a character to be developed more, I would have loved to hear him sing a Menken/Ashman style "I want..." song.

[Kragey]

To me, Rapunzel is mainly a springboard for the actions of other characters, like her Prince (who, if played well, is one of my favorite characters) or the Witch (who f---ing OWNS). I don't really dislike her, I just don't like her as much as other characters.

[Snow_White]

I definitely don't think Rapunzel was just thrown in as a way of incorporating more fairy tales...she definitely serves a bigger purpose then that.

Though I do agree that some actresses have probably made her seem really annoying, I think overall she has some really great moments in the show, that are fabulous if played by a good actress who does not go out of her way to make Rapunzel into nothing more than an annoying, crazed shut-in. The whole "Stay With Me" scene is wonderful between the Witch and Rapunzel, and "Our Little World" is complicated and wonderful if done right. Also the scene where the Witch and Rapunzel meet again in Act II and the Witch asks Rapunzel what the matter is and Rapunzel goes off on a rant is a very strong scene. I think it really makes you pity Rapunzel as a character, she has had no chance to live a real life, never known her real family, and has been driven mad by the actions of the woman who was supposed to be her Mother.

I have seen this show several times and more often then not, the Rapunzel was not great (the first time I did the show our Rapunzel was horribly annoying and definitely did not do the role justice) but I believe that if the right actress plays this part and understands the character and what she is going through fully, Rapunzel can be a really awesome and memorable character in the show. (I sort of have to hope that though, don't I? Since I am playing her in less then two months haha)

I think if Sondheim just wanted a filler to add to the whole fairy-tale thing he would have just added in a few more comeos...I think most of us can agree that Sondheim does not just include characters for the hell of it. Almost everyone of his characters has a purpose and a reason for being there (even Snow White and Sleeping Beauty...)

[Baker]

I've been thinking about this, and I think I would love to see Rapunzel played down to a calm, quiet child in the first act who is traumatized in the second. Less of a hysterical, scream-for-a-laugh type deal, and more of a really haunting, disturbed young woman.

[Snow_White]

I think that's what I really want to play around with actually...I think it would really add to the whole dark side of Into the Woods, plus really make Rapunzel into a more real character as oppose to an over-the-top, crazy just to get a few laughs sorta deal.

[Beagle On Stage]

[Snow_White]

I never saw that lol...but was that Sondheim's choice or was that the director?

I've heard of shows where other characters were added but that was the directors choice...usually to allow for a bigger cast.

[ConverseSneaker]

I believe the three little pigs plot was to be in the show orginally, but was taken out before the show came to New York.


Baker, that's how I think Rapunzel should be played!

[Beagle On Stage]

[Snow_White]

haha trrruee say.

[Gwen]

I think I can name two characters that I'd rather not see:
Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Though I don't know if they're in any stage versions outside of the movie...
"Yaawn 'scuse me" ... isn't much to go on. Though they're mentioned as the second set of girls the princes go after, do we really have to see them?

[Kiwi]

I think it works whether you leave them out or not. I agree it certainly wouldn't do any damage if they weren't actually seen, but it gives the princes some arm candy so they're not just kinda standing there for the finale, and it's kinda funny that the "pillar-of-perfection" prince has made such a quick recovery from Cinderella dumping his @$$

[blackbird_fly]

[EponineMNFF]

I agree with Gwen. The audience gets that it's Snow White and Sleeping Beauty by the reprise of Agony. It's funny anyway. We don't need to see them.

[Salome]

[emmy05]

Originally there was the wolfs mother and there was a whole three little pig theme when it played in La Jolla before coming to ny. I saw Joy Franz who played Cindy's step mom this weekend talk. She was also supposed to play the wolf's mother and had a sexy wolf mama costume. I'll post more about her talk later.

[ConverseSneaker]

^And did Red ask her if a wolf's murder was the same as a giant or human's murder?

[Pannic]

She's horribly under-written, and you generally just don't care about her, really.

Didn't help that the crappy youth production I saw over-mic'd everyone in a tiny high school theatre, and thus, when she screamed...