Stephen Sondheim
Act II Prologue: So Happy
[NARRATOR, spoken]
Once upon a time—later—
[CINDERELLA]
I wish…
[NARRATOR, spoken]
—in that same far-off kingdom—
[CINDERELLA]
More than anything…
[NARRATOR, spoken]
—lived a young princess—
[CINDERELLA]
More than life…
[NARRATOR, spoken]
—the lad, Jack—
[CINDERELLA]
More than footmen…
[JACK]
I wish…
[NARRATOR, spoken]
—and the baker with his family—
[BABY, spoken]
Waaah!
[JACK]
No, I miss…
[CINDERELLA & BAKER]
I wish…
[BABY, spoken]
Waaah!
[JACK]
More than anything…
[CINDERELLA, BAKER & JACK]
More than the moon…
[BAKER'S WIFE, spoken, to BABY]
There, there…
[CINDERELLA]
I wish to sponsor a Festival...
[BABY, spoken]
Waaah!
[BAKER]
More than life…
[JACK]
I miss…
[CINDERELLA]
The time has come for a Festival…
[BABY, spoken]
Waaah!
[BAKER]
More than riches…
[CINDERELLA]
And a ball…
[JACK]
I miss my kingdom up in the sky
[CINDERELLA & BAKER]
More than anything…
[BAKER'S WIFE]
I wish we had more room…
[JACK]
Play, harp…
[BAKER]
Another room…
[BABY, spoken]
Waaah!
[NARRATOR, spoken]
But despite some minor inconveniences, they were all quite content.
[CINDERELLA]
I never thought I'd wed a prince…
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
I never thought I'd find perfection…
[CINDERELLA & CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
I never thought I could be so happy!
[CINDERELLA]
Not an unhappy moment since…
[JACK & JACK'S MOTHER]
I didn't think we'd be this rich…
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Not a conceivable objection…
[BAKER & BAKER'S WIFE]
I never thought we'd have a baby…
[CINDERELLA, CINDERELLA'S PRINCE, JACK & JACK'S MOTHER]
I didn't know I could be so happy!
[BAKER & BAKER'S WIFE]
I'm so happy!
[STEPMOTHER]
Happy now
Happy hence
Happy ever after—
[STEPMOTHER, FLORINDA & LUCINDA]
We're so happy you're so happy!
Just as long as you stay happy
We'll stay happy!
[CINDERELLA & CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Not one row…
[JACK'S MOTHER]
Pots of pence…
[JACK]
With my cow…
[BAKER & BAKER'S WIFE]
Little gurgles…
[CINDERELLA'S PRINCE]
Darling, I must go now…
[JACK'S MOTHER]
We should really sell it
[BAKER]
Where's the cheesecloth?
[COMPANY]
Wishes may bring problems
Such that you regret them
Better that, though
Than to never get them…
[CINDERELLA]
I'm going to be a perfect wife!
[JACK]
I'm going to be the perfect son!
[BAKER'S WIFE & JACK'S MOTHER]
I'm going to be a perfect mother!
[BAKER]
I'm going to be a perfect father!
I'm so happy!
[CINDERELLA, BAKER'S WIFE, JACK & JACK'S MOTHER]
I'm going to see that he (she)
Is so happy!
[COMPANY]
I never thought I'd love my life!
I would have settled for another!
[CINDERELLA]
Then to become a wife…
[JACK & JACK'S MOTHER]
Then to be set for life…
[BAKER & BAKER'S WIFE]
Then to beget a child…
[COMPANY]
That fortune smiled…
I'm so hap—
[Suddenly a loud rumbling noise followed by an enormous crash. All the structures are damaged.]
[BAKER, spoken]
Have you done this to our house?
[WITCH, spoken]
Always thinking of yourself. Look at my garden.
[BAKER, spoken]
Destroyed!
[BAKER'S WIFE, spoken]
Who could do such a thing?
[BAKER, spoken]
Do you think it was a bear?
[WITCH]
A bear? Bears are sweet
Besides, you ever see a bear with forty-foot feet?
[BAKER'S WIFE]
Dragon?
[WITCH]
No scorch marks—usually they're linked
[BAKER]
Manticore?
[WITCH]
Imaginary
[BAKER & BAKER'S WIFE]
Griffin?
[WITCH]
Extinct
[BAKER]
Giant?
[WITCH, spoken]
Possible
Very, very possible…
[NARRATOR, spoken]
More than possible. Their fears would prove to be very well-founded.
[BAKER]
Into the woods
It's always when
You think at last
You're through, and then
Into the woods you go again
To take another journey
[BAKER'S WIFE]
Into the woods
The weather's clear
We've been before
We've naught to fear…
Into the woods, away from here—
[JACK]
Into the woods, to find a giant!
[LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD]
Into the woods to Grandmother's house…
[BAKER]
Into the woods
The path is straight
No reason, then
To hesitate—
[BAKER'S WIFE]
Into the woods
It's not so late
It's just another journey…
[CINDERELLA]
Into the woods
But not too long:
The skies are strange
The winds are strong
Into the woods to see what's wrong…
[JACK]
Into the woods
To slay the giant!
[BAKER'S WIFE]
Into the woods
To shield the child…
[LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD]
To flee the winds…
[BAKER]
To find a future…
[BAKER'S WIFE]
To shield…
[JACK]
To slay…
[LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD]
To flee…
[BAKER]
To find…
[CINDERELLA]
To fix…
[BAKER'S WIFE]
To hide…
[LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD]
To move…
[JACK]
To battle…
[CINDERELLA]
To see what the trouble is…
[RAPUNZEL, spoken]
Aaarrrggghhh!!!