The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales , exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from " Little Red Riding Hood " spelled "Ridinghood" in the published vocal score , " Jack and the Beanstalk ", " Rapunzel ", " Cinderella ", and several others. The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family the original beginning of the Grimm Brothers' "Rapunzel" , their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them, and encounters with other storybook characters during their journey.
The musical has since been produced many times, with a U. A Disney film adaptation , directed by Rob Marshall , was released in The Narrator introduces five characters: Cinderella , who wishes to attend the King's festival; Jack wishes his cow, Milky White, would give milk; a Baker and his wife wish to have a child; Little Red Riding Hood wishes for bread to bring her Grandmother.
The Witch took the Baker's father's child Rapunzel. She explains the curse will be lifted if she is brought four ingredients โ "the cow as white as milk, the cape as red as blood, the hair as yellow as corn, and the slipper as pure as gold" โ in three days' time.
All begin the journey into the woods: Jack to sell his beloved cow; Cinderella to her Mother's grave; Little Red to her Grandmother's house; and the Baker, refusing his wife's help, to find the ingredients "Prologue". Cinderella receives a gown and golden slippers from her Mother's spirit "Cinderella at the Grave". A Mysterious Man mocks Jack for valuing his cow more than a "sack of beans". The Baker, followed by his wife, meets Jack.
The Baker has qualms about their deceit, but his wife reassures him "Maybe They're Magic". Jack's Mother tosses his beans aside, which grow into an enormous stalk.
