document_title: Into the Woods

question_text: who is the mysterious man in into the woods

question_tokens: who is the mysterious man in into the woods

text: Into the Woods

text: Plot[edit]

text: This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (April 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Act I[edit]

text: Starting with the words "Once Upon a Time," the Narrator introduces four characters who each have a wish: Cinderella, the daughter of a wealthy man who has been reduced by her wicked stepmother and stepsisters into becoming their skivvy, wishes to attend the King's festival; Jack, a simple poor boy, wishes that his cow, Milky White, would give milk; and a Baker and his Wife wish they could have a child.

text: While Little Red Ridinghood[3] wishes for bread from the Baker to take to her grandmother's house, which they give while she steals a few sweets, Jack's weary mother, who wishes for gold, nags him into selling the cow, and Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters Florinda and Lucinda tease her about wanting to attend the King's festival.

text: The Baker's neighbor, an ugly old witch, reveals that the source of the couple's infertility is a curse she placed on the Baker's line after catching the Baker's father in her garden stealing vegetables, including six "magic" beans. In addition to the curse, the Witch took the Baker's father's newborn child Rapunzel. She explains the curse will be lifted if the Baker and his Wife can find the four ingredients that the Witch needs for a certain potion; "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," all before the chime of midnight in three days' time. All begin their journeys into the woods — Jack goes to the market to sell his beloved pet Milky White, Cinderella's family goes to the Festival while Cinderella goes to her mother's grave to ask for guidance, Little Red goes to her grandmother's house, and the Baker, refusing his wife's help, goes to find the ingredients ("Prologue").

text: Cinderella visits her mother's grave and receives a beautiful gown and golden slippers from her mother's spirit ("Cinderella at the Grave"). Jack encounters a Mysterious Man who mocks him for trying to sell his cow for more than a "sack of beans" and then vanishes. Little Red Ridinghood meets a hungry Wolf who convinces her to take a detour on her way to Granny's ("Hello, Little Girl"). The Baker sees Little Red Ridinghood in the woods, and when the Witch appears, screaming at him to get the red cape, he is so frightened that he forgets the ingredients he needs. Luckily his wife, who followed him into the forest, reminds him. They are squabbling over her presence when they come across Jack with Milky White. Not having the money necessary to buy the cow, they convince Jack that the beans the Baker has found in his father's old hunting jacket are magic beans and buy the cow for five of them. Jack bids a tearful goodbye to his cow ("I Guess This Is Goodbye"), and the Baker orders his wife to return to the village with the cow. He has qualms about being so dishonest, but his wife reasons that the chance to have a child justifies their trickery ("Maybe They're Magic").

text: The Witch has raised Rapunzel as her own daughter, keeping her locked away from the world in a tall tower in the middle of the woods, accessible only by climbing Rapunzel's long, golden hair ("Our Little World"). However, on this day a handsome prince spies the beautiful Rapunzel and resolves to climb the tower himself. In another part of the wood, the Baker has tracked down Little Red Ridinghood. Following the Witch's advice, he attempts to simply steal the red cape, but her ensuing temper tantrum guilts him into returning it. When Little Red Ridinghood arrives at her grandmother's house, she is swallowed by the Wolf. The Baker, in pursuit of the cape, slays the Wolf, pulling Little Red Ridinghood and her grandmother from the beast's innards. Little Red Riding hood rewards him with the red cape, reflecting on her new experiences ("I Know Things Now"). Meanwhile, Jack's mother angrily tosses the beans aside, which end up growing into an enormous stalk overnight, and sends her son to bed without supper. As Cinderella flees the Festival, pursued by another handsome prince and his steward, the Wife helps her hide and quizzes Cinderella about the ball. Cinderella explains that it was a nice ball ("A Very Nice Prince") but seems fairly ambivalent about the experience. As a giant beanstalk begins to sprout from the ground next to Jack's cottage, the Baker's Wife spots Cinderella's pure gold slippers. She tries to chase after Cinderella but inadvertently allows Milky White to run off, leaving the Baker's Wife without the slippers or the cow. The characters each state morals and credos as the first midnight chimes ("First Midnight") and they continue their journeys through the woods.

text: The next morning, Jack describes his thrilling adventure after he returns from climbing the beanstalk and finding a castle of two married giants, whom he robbed unnoticed ("Giants in the Sky"). He gives the Baker five gold pieces he stole from the giants to buy back his cow. When the Baker hesitates, Jack climbs back up the beanstalk to find more. The Mysterious Man emerges and taunts the Baker, stealing the money. The Baker's Wife confesses she has lost the cow, and she and the Baker split up to look for it. Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince, who are brothers, meet and compare the misery of their newfound and unobtainable loves ("Agony"). The Baker's Wife, who is eavesdropping, takes note when Rapunzel's prince mentions that he is in love with a girl in a tower with hair "as yellow as corn." The Baker's Wife fools Rapunzel into letting down her hair by telling her that she is her prince and pulls out a piece of it. Meanwhile, The Mysterious Man gives Milky White back to the Baker.

text: The Baker's Wife and Cinderella meet again, and the Baker's Wife makes a desperate grab for her shoes, almost succeeding before Cinderella flees. The Baker and his wife reunite, now with three of the four items. The Baker admits that they will have to work together to fulfill the quest ("It Takes Two"). Jack arrives with a hen that lays golden eggs and attempts to buy Milky White back, but the cow suddenly keels over dead as midnight chimes. Again, the characters exchange morals ("Second Midnight"). The Witch discovers that the Prince has been visiting Rapunzel and begs Rapunzel to stay with her so she can protect her from the outside world ("Stay with Me"). When Rapunzel refuses, the Witch angrily cuts off Rapunzel's hair and banishes her to a desert. The Mysterious Man gives the Baker the money to buy another cow. Jack encounters Little Red Ridinghood, who is now sporting a wolf skin cape and a knife for protection, and tries to impress her by telling her about the kingdom of the Giant. When she refuses to believe him, he is goaded into returning once again to the Giant's home to steal a magic harp.

text: Cinderella, returning from the last night of the festival, describes how the Prince had spread pitch on the stairs to prevent her from escaping. Caught between wanting to escape and wanting to stay, she eventually resolves to let the Prince decide, leaving him one of her slippers as a clue to her identity ("On the Steps of the Palace"). The Baker's Wife frantically tries to convince her to give up her other shoe, offering her the sixth magic bean in exchange for it. Cinderella throws the bean aside, but trades shoes with the Baker's Wife and flees, while unbeknownst to anyone a second beanstalk starts to grow. The Baker arrives with another cow; they now have all four items. The Prince's Steward grabs the slipper from the Baker's Wife, and they are fighting over it when a great crash is heard and Jack's mother runs in to report that a Giant seeking revenge from Jack for stealing his magic harp has fallen from the first beanstalk when Jack chopped it and is dead in her backyard. The Prince, more concerned with finding Cinderella, waves her off and departs with one of the slippers, giving the other to the Baker and his wife. Jack, to the relief of his mother, returns with the magic harp. The Witch discovers that the new cow is not pure white; it is covered with flour. However, the Witch is able to bring Milky White back to life and instructs the Baker and his Wife to feed the items to her. Jack tries to milk her, but no milk comes. The Baker's Wife admits that the hair is Rapunzel's, and the Witch furiously explains that the magic will not work because the Witch has already touched Rapunzel's hair, which is also why she had asked the Baker and his Wife to get the objects for her: she's not allowed to touch any of the objects. The Mysterious Man tells the Baker to feed the hair-like corn silk to the cow. Now Milky White gives milk which is the potion. The Witch reveals that the Mysterious Man is the Baker's father. The Witch drinks the potion, and suddenly the Mysterious Man falls dead, his reparation complete, the curse is broken, and the Witch is transformed into a beautiful young woman, reversing the effects of the curse of ugliness by which she was punished by her mother, because the Baker's father stole the beans from her, regaining her youth and beauty.

text: Cinderella's Prince searches for the girl whose foot fits the slipper; the stepsisters try but can only get it on by cutting off parts of their feet ("Careful My Toe"). Cinderella appears, her foot fits the slipper, and she becomes the Prince's bride. Rapunzel has borne twins in the desert where her Prince finds her. The Witch attempts to curse the couple, only to find that though she gained her youth and beauty, her powers have been lost. At Cinderella's wedding to the Prince, Florinda and Lucinda are blinded by birds as they try to win Cinderella's favor.The Bakers Wife, very pregnant,thanks Cinderella for the slipper. Everyone is at the wedding. Everyone but the Witch and the stepsisters congratulate themselves on being able to live happily "Ever After," though they fail to notice another beanstalk growing sky-high...

text: Act II[edit]

text: The Narrator introduces the action again: "Once Upon a Time...Later." All the characters seem happy but are still wishing: The Baker and his Wife have their precious baby boy, but wish for more room and bicker over the Baker's unwillingness to hold his child; Jack and his mother are rich and well-fed, but Jack misses his kingdom in the sky; Cinderella is living with her Prince Charming in the Palace, but is getting bored. ("So Happy").

text: Suddenly, everyone is knocked over by a loud crash, and enormous footprints from a Giant have destroyed the Witch's garden, sparing only a few beans. The Baker and his Wife decide that they must tell the Royal Family, and the Baker travels to the palace. His news is ignored by the Prince's Steward, and also by Jack's Mother when he stops at her house to ask for Jack's aid. When he returns home, Little Red Ridinghood arrives on her way to Granny's: her house has been destroyed and her mother is missing. The Baker and his Wife decide to escort her. Meanwhile, Jack decides that he must slay the Giant and Cinderella learns from her bird friends that her mother's grave was disturbed and decides to investigate, dressed in her old clothes. Once again, everyone heads Into the Woods, but this time the mood is somber and the birds have stopped singing ("Into the Woods" Reprise).

text: While everyone else is drawn back into the woods, Rapunzel has fled there in a hysterical fit, her treatment at the hands of the Witch having driven her into madness. Her Prince has followed her, but when he encounters his brother they each confess they have another reason for their presence in the woods. They have grown bored and frustrated with their marriages and now lust after two beautiful women asleep in the woods - Snow White and Sleeping Beauty ("Agony" Reprise).

text: The Baker, his Wife, and Little Red Ridinghood get lost in the woods and find Cinderella's family and the Steward, who reveal that the castle was set upon by the Giant. The Witch arrives as well, bringing news that the Giant has destroyed the village and the Baker's house. Suddenly, thunderous footsteps are heard and the Giant appears. To the shock of all, this Giant is a woman who has come from the second beanstalk and is the widow of the Giant that Jack killed by chopping down the beanstalk. Her booming voice proclaims that she wants Jack's blood in revenge. To satisfy the Giantess, the group realizes they must give her someone, but are unable to decide on whom until they realize that the Narrator is still commenting on the actions from the sidelines. Everyone offers her the narrator as a sacrifice, but he convinces them how lost they would be without him. Nevertheless, the Witch throws him into the Giantess's arms and he is killed upon being dropped. Jack's mother finds the group and aggressively defends her son, angering the Giantess, and the Steward clubs Jack's mother to quiet her, inadvertently killing her. As the Giantess leaves to search for Jack, Rapunzel runs into her path and is trampled, to the horror of the Witch and her Prince ("Witch's Lament").

text: The Royal Family continue on their way, fleeing to a hidden Kingdom despite the Baker's pleas for them to stay and fight the Giant. The Witch declares she will find Jack and sacrifice him to the Giant, and the Baker and his Wife decide they must find him first and split up to search. The Baker's Wife meets Cinderella's Prince, and he easily seduces the Wife ("Any Moment"). Meanwhile, the Baker discovers Cinderella at her mother's destroyed grave and convinces her to join their group for safety. The Prince, satisfied, leaves the Baker's Wife with a few platitudes, and she realizes her error and decides to return to her happy life with the Baker and their son ("Moments in the Woods"). However, she has lost her way, stumbles into the path of the Giant, and is consequently killed by a falling tree.

text: The Baker, Little Red, and Cinderella await the return of the Baker's Wife when the Witch drags in Jack, whom she found weeping over the Baker's Wife's body. The Baker, grief-stricken when he learns of his wife's death, unwittingly agrees to give Jack to the Giantess, causing an argument. The characters first blame each other for their predicament, until finally they all decide to blame the Witch for growing the beans in the first place ("Your Fault"). Disgusted and fed up, the Witch curses and scolds them for their inability to accept their own individual responsibility and throws away the rest of her magic beans, reactivating her mother's curse and making her vanish ("Last Midnight").

text: The grieving Baker flees, but is visited by his father's spirit who convinces him to face his responsibilities ("No More"). The Baker returns and helps plan killing the Giantess, using Cinderella's bird friends to peck out the Giant's eyes at an area smeared with pitch, where Jack and the Baker can finally deliver a fatal blow. Cinderella stays behind to protect the Baker's child and when her Prince passes by, he nearly fails to recognize her. She confronts him, having learned of his infidelity from her birds and he explains his feelings of unfulfillment and his reasons for seducing another woman. She asks him to go, and he sorrowfully leaves.

text: Little Red returns with the news that her grandmother has been killed by the Giantess. Meanwhile, the Baker tells Jack that his mother is dead. Jack vows to kill the steward in revenge until the Baker convinces him that killing the steward will not benefit anyone. Cinderella comforts Little Red and tries to answer her qualms that killing the Giant makes them no better than she is, while the Baker explains to Jack that everyone is responsible for the choices they make, good or bad ("No One Is Alone").

text: The four remaining characters slay the Giant and the deceased characters now including the Royal Family (who have lost their way and starved to death in the woods) and the Princes (who have their new paramours, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, on their arms) return to share one last set of morals with the audience. The survivors resolve to band together and rebuild. The spirit of the Baker's Wife appears to comfort her mourning husband advising her husband to tell their child their story. The Baker begins to tell the story using the same words as the narrator did at the beginning of the play as the Witch appears with the final moral: "Careful the things you say, Children Will Listen." All join in on a last reprise of the title song, surmising that we all must venture into the Woods while remembering the choices we've made and learning from each endeavor we come across ("Finale"). As the characters conclude the song singing, "Into the woods, and out of the woods and happily ever after", Cinderella closes the show with one last "I wish..."

text: Productions[edit]

text: Pre-Broadway San Diego production[edit]

text: Into the Woods premiered at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, on December 4, 1986 and ran for 50 performances under the direction of James Lapine.[4] Many of the performers from that production appeared in the Broadway cast but John Cunningham, who played the Narrator, Wolf and Steward and George Coe, as the Mysterious Man and Cinderella's Father were replaced by Tom Aldredge, who played the Narrator and Mysterious Man. Kenneth Marshall as Cinderella's Prince was replaced by Robert Westenberg (who also played the Wolf), LuAnne Ponce, who played Little Red Ridinghood, was replaced by Danielle Ferland, Ellen Foley, the Witch, was replaced by Bernadette Peters. Kay McClelland, who played both Rapunzel and the Stepsister Florinda, stayed with the cast but only played Florinda, Rapunzel being played by Pamela Winslow.

text: The show underwent much evolution, but the most notable change was the addition of the song "No One Is Alone" in the middle of the run.

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text: Into The Woods opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on November 5, 1987, and closed on September 3, 1989 after 765 performances. It starred Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Kim Crosby, Ben Wright, Danielle Ferland, Chuck Wagner, Merle Louise, Tom Aldredge, and Robert Westenberg. The musical was directed by James Lapine, with musical staging by Lar Lubovitch, settings by Tony Straiges, lighting by Richard Nelson, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward (based on original concepts by Patricia Zipprodt and Ann Hould-Ward), and makeup by Jeff Raum. The original production won the 1988 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, and the original cast recording won a Grammy Award. The show was nominated for ten Tony Awards, and won three: Best Score (Stephen Sondheim), Best Book (James Lapine) and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason).

text: Peters left the show after almost five months due to a prior commitment to film the movie Slaves of New York.[5] The Witch was then played by: Betsy Joslyn (from March 30, 1988);[6]Phylicia Rashad (from April 14, 1988); Betsy Joslyn (from July 5, 1988); Nancy Dussault (from December 13, 1988);[7] and Ellen Foley (from August 1, 1989 until the closing).[8]

text: Other cast replacements included Dick Cavett as the Narrator (as of July 19, 1988) (for a temporary engagement after which Tom Aldredge returned), Edmund Lyndeck as the Mysterious Man, Patricia Ben Peterson as Cinderella, LuAnne Ponce returning to the role of Little Red Ridinghood, Jeff Blumenkrantz as Jack, Marin Mazzie as Rapunzel (as of March 7, 1989) and Kay McClelland, Lauren Mitchell, Cynthia Sikes and Mary Gordon Murray as the Baker's Wife.[8]

text: In 1989, from May 23 to May 25 the full original cast (with the exception of Cindy Robinson as Snow White instead of Jean Kelly) reunited for three performances to tape the musical in its entirety for the Season 10 premiere episode of PBS’s American Playhouse, which first aired on March 15, 1991. The show was filmed professionally with seven cameras on the set of the Martin Beck Theater in front of an audience with certain elements changed from its standard production only slightly for the recording in order to better fit the screen rather than the stage such as the lighting, minor costume differences, and others. There were also pick up shots not filmed in front of an audience for various purposes. This video has since been released on Tape and DVD and on occasion, remastered and re-released.[9]

text: Tenth Anniversary benefit performances were held on November 9, 1997 at The Broadway Theatre (New York), with most of original cast.[10] Original cast understudies Chuck Wagner and Jeff Blumenkrantz played Cinderella's Prince/Wolf and The Steward in place of Robert Westenburg and Philip Hoffmann and Jonathan Dokuchitz (who joined the broadway production as an understudy in 1989) played Rapunzel's Prince in place of Wagner. This concert featured the duet "Our Little World," written for the first London production of the show.

text: On November 9, 2014, most of the original cast reunited for two reunion concerts and discussion in Costa Mesa, California. Mo Rocca hosted the reunion and interviewed Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine as well as each cast member. Appearing were Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Danielle Ferland, Ben Wright and real life husband and wife, Robert Westenberg and Kim Crosby.[11] The same group presented this discussion/concert on June 21, 2015 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City.[12]

text: 1988 US tour production[edit]

text: A United States tour began on November 22, 1988 with Cleo Laine playing the Witch, replaced by Betsy Joslyn in May 1989. Rex Robbins played the Narrator and Mysterious Man, Charlotte Rae played Jack's Mother, and the Princes were played by Chuck Wagner and Douglas Sills. The set was almost completely reconstructed, and there were certain changes to the script, changing certain story elements. The 10-month tour[13] played cities around the country, such as Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.[14][15] The tour ran at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from June 1989 to July 16, 1989, with the reviewer for The Washington Post writing: "his lovely score -- poised between melody and dissonance -- is the perfect measure of our tenuous condition. The songs invariably follow the characters' thinking patterns, as they weigh their options and digest their experience. Needless to say, that doesn't make for traditional show-stoppers. But it does make for vivacity of another kind. And Sondheim's lyrics...are brilliant.... I think you'll find these cast members alert and engaging."[16]

text: Original London production[edit]

text: The original West End production opened on September 25, 1990 at the Phoenix Theatre and closed on February 23, 1991 after 197 performances. It was directed by Richard Jones, and produced by David Mirvish, with choreography by Anthony Van Laast, costumes by Sue Blane and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. The cast featured Julia McKenzie as the Witch, Ian Bartholomew as the Baker, Imelda Staunton as the Baker's Wife and Clive Carter as the Wolf/Cinderella's Prince. The show received seven Olivier Award nominations in 1991, winning for Best Actress in a Musical (Staunton) and Best Director of a Musical (Jones).

text: The song "Our Little World" was added.[17] This song was a duet sung between the Witch and Rapunzel giving further insight into the care the Witch has for her self-proclaimed daughter and the desire Rapunzel has to see the world outside of her tower. The overall feel of the show was a lot darker than that of the original Broadway production. Critic Michael Billington wrote "But the evening's triumph belongs also to director Richard Jones, set designer Richard Hudson and costume designer Sue Blane who evoke exactly the right mood of haunted theatricality. Old-fashioned footlights give the faces a sinister glow. The woods themselves are a semi-circular, black-and-silver screen punctuated with nine doors and a crazy clock: they achieve exactly the 'agreeable terror' of Gustave Dore's children's illustrations. And the effects are terrific: doors open to reveal the rotating magnified eyeball or the admonitory finger of the predatory giant.[18]

text: 1998 London revival production[edit]

text: A new intimate production of the show opened (billed as the first London revival) at the Donmar Warehouse on 16 November 1998, closing on 13 February 1999. This revival was directed by John Crowley and designed by his brother, Bob Crowley. The cast included Clare Burt as the Witch, Nick Holder as the Baker, Sophie Thompson as the Baker's Wife, Jenna Russell as Cinderella, Sheridan Smith as Little Red Ridinghood and Frank Middlemass as the Narrator/Mysterious Man.[19] Russell later appeared as the Baker's Wife in the 2010 Regent's Park production. Thompson won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance, while the production itself was nominated for Outstanding Musical Production.

text: 2002 Broadway revival production[edit]

text: A revival opened at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, running from February 1, 2002 to March 24, 2002. This production was directed and choreographed, with the same principal cast, which later ran on Broadway.[20]

text: The 2002 Broadway revival, directed by James Lapine and choreographed by John Carrafa, began previews on April 13, 2002 and opened April 30, 2002 at the Broadhurst Theatre, closing on December 29 after a run of 18 previews and 279 regular performances. It starred Vanessa L. Williams as the Witch, John McMartin as the Narrator, Stephen DeRosa as the Baker, Kerry O'Malley as the Baker's Wife, Gregg Edelman as Cinderella's Prince/Wolf, Christopher Sieber as Rapunzel's Prince/Wolf, Molly Ephraim as Little Red Ridinghood, Adam Wylie as Jack and Laura Benanti as Cinderella. Judi Dench provided the pre-recorded voice of the Giant.

text: Lapine revised the script slightly for this production, with a cameo appearance of the Three Little Pigs restored from the earlier San Diego production.[21][22][23] Other changes, apart from numerous small dialogue changes, included the addition of the song "Our Little World," a duet for the Witch and Rapunzel written for the first London production, the addition of a second wolf in the song "Hello Little Girl" who competes for Little Red's attention with the first Wolf, the portrayal of Jack's cow by a live performer (Chad Kimball) in an intricate costume and new lyrics were written for "The Last Midnight," now sung by the Witch as a menacing lullaby to the Baker's baby.[23]

text: This production featured Scenic design by Douglas W. Schmidt, Costume design by Susan Hilferty, Lighting design by Brian MacDevitt, Sound design by Dan Moses Schreier and Projection design by Elaine J. McCarthy. The revival won the Tony Awards for the Best Revival of a Musical and Best Lighting Design.[24] This Broadway revival wardrobe is on display at the Costume World in South Florida.

text: London Royal Opera House, 2007[edit]

text: A revival at the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio in Covent Garden had a limited run from June 14 through June 30, 2007 followed by a short stint at The Lowry theatre, Salford Quays, Manchester between 4–7 July. The production mixed Opera singers, Musical Theatre actors as well as Film and television actors; including Anne Reid as Jack's Mother and Gary Waldhorn as the Narrator. The production itself, directed by Will Tuckett, was met with mixed reviews; although there were clear stand out performances.[25][26][27]

text: The production completely sold out three weeks before opening. As this was an 'Opera' production, the show and its performers were overlooked for the 'Musical' nominations in the 2008 Olivier Awards. This production featured Suzie Toase (Little Red), Peter Caulfield (Jack), Beverley Klein (Witch), Anna Francolini (Baker's Wife), Clive Rowe (Baker), Nicholas Garrett (wolf) and Lara Pulver (Lucinda). This was the second Sondheim musical to be staged by the Opera House, following 2003's Sweeney Todd.

text: Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production, 2010[edit]

text: The Olivier Award winning Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production, directed by Timothy Sheader and choreographed by Liam Steel, ran for a six-week limited season from 6 August to 11 September 2010. The cast included Hannah Waddingham as the Witch, Mark Hadfield as the Baker, Jenna Russell as the Baker’s wife, Helen Dallimore as Cinderella, and Judi Dench as the recorded voice of the Giant. Gareth Valentine was the Musical Director.[28][29] The musical was performed outdoors in a wooded area. Whilst the book remained mostly unchanged, the subtext of the plot was dramatically altered by casting the role of the Narrator as a young school boy lost in the woods following a family argument – a device used to further illustrate the musical’s themes of parenting and adolescence.

text: The production opened to wide critical acclaim, much of the press commenting on the effectiveness of the open air setting. The Telegraph reviewer, for example, wrote: "It is an inspired idea to stage this show in the magical, sylvan surroundings of Regent's Park, and designer Soutra Gilmour has come up with a marvellously rickety, adventure playground of a set, all ladders, stairs and elevated walkways, with Rapunzel discovered high up in a tree."[30] The New York Times reviewer commented: "The natural environment makes for something genuinely haunting and mysterious as night falls on the audience..."[31] Stephen Sondheim attended twice, reportedly extremely pleased with the production. The production also won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Michael Xavier, who played Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf, was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

text: The production was recorded in its entirety and released for public download through Digital Theatre, an online video production company.[32]

text: Central Park Delacorte Theater production, 2012[edit]

text: The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production transferred to the Public Theater's 2012 summer series of free performances Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, New York, with an American cast as well as new designers.[33] Sheader again was the director and Steel served as co-director and choreographer. Performances were originally to run from July 24 (delayed from July 23 due to the weather) to August 25, 2012, but the show was extended till September 1, 2012.[34] The cast included Amy Adams as The Baker's Wife, Donna Murphy as The Witch, Denis O'Hare as The Baker, Chip Zien as the Mysterious Man/Cinderella's Father, Jack Broderick as the young Narrator, Gideon Glick as Jack, Cooper Grodin as Rapunzel’s Prince, Ivan Hernandez as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Tina Johnson as Granny, Josh Lamon as the Steward, Jessie Mueller as Cinderella, Laura Shoop as Cinderella’s Mother, Tess Soltau as Rapunzel and Glenn Close as the Voice of the Giant. The set was a "collaboration between original Open Air Theatre designer Soutra Gilmour and...John Lee Beatty, [and] rises over 50 feet in the air, with a series of tree-covered catwalks and pathways."[35] The production was dedicated to Nora Ephron, who died earlier in 2012. In February 2012 and in May 2012, reports of a possible Broadway transfer surfaced with the production's principal actors in negotiations to reprise their roles.[36][37][38] In January 2013, it was announced that the production will not transfer to Broadway due to scheduling conflicts.[39]

text: Other productions[edit]

text: A production played in Sydney from 19 March 1993 to 5 June 1993 at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. It starred Judi Connelli, Geraldine Turner, Tony Sheldon, Philip Quast, , Pippa Grandison, and DJ Foster.[40] A Melbourne Theatre Company played from 17 January 1998 to 21 February 1998 at the Playhouse, Victorian Arts Centre. It starred Rhonda Burchmore, John McTernan, Gina Riley, Lisa McCune, Peter Carroll, Tamsin Carroll and Robert Grubb.[41][42]

text: The first professional Spanish language production, "Dentro del Bosque", was produced by University of Puerto Rico Repertory Theatre and premiered in San Juan at Teatro de la Universidad (University Theatre) on March 14, 2013 The cast included Víctor Santiago as Baker, Ana Isabelle as Baker's Wife and Lourdes Robles as the Witch[43]

text: The Roundabout Theatre production, directed by Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, began performances Off-Broadway on December 19, 2014 and officially opened on January 22, 2015, at the Laura Pels Theatre.[44] [45] Like the original Broadway production 28 years prior, this production had a try-out run at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California from July 12, 2014 – August 17, 2014 with the opening night taking place on July 17.[46] This new version is completely minimalistically reimagined by the Fiasco Theater Company, featuring only ten actors playing multiple parts, and one piano accompanist.[47]

text: The DreamCatcher Theatre production opened in January 2015 and played a sold out run at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida. Tituss Burgess starred as The Witch, the first male actor to do so.[48] The cast also included Arielle Jacobs as The Bakers Wife. The musical had a production at The Muny in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri running from July 21 through 28 2015. The cast included Heather Headley (Witch), Erin Dilly (Baker's Wife), Rob McClure (Baker), Ken Page (Narrator), Elena Shaddow (Cinderella).[49] The Hart House Theatre production in Toronto, Ontario from January 15, 2016 to January 30, 2016.[50] A production ran at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds in a collaboration with Opera North from 2 June 2016 to 25 June 2016.[51]

text: 2016 Tel Aviv production[edit]

text: The Israeli premiere, אל תוך היער (El Toch Ha-ya-ar), opened in Tel Aviv on August 2016 for a limited run produced by The Tramp Productions and Stuff Like That[52], starring Roi Dolev as The Witch, the second male actor to do so.[53]

text: Casting history[edit]

text: The principal original casts of notable stage productions of Into the Woods

text:
Role
Broadway
First National Tour
West End
Broadway Revival
West End Revival
DagollDagomCatalan Production
"Boscos endins"

Regent's Park Production[28]
Central Park Production[35]
Roundabout Theatre Production
Australian Production[54]

1987
1988
1990
2002
2007
2007
2010
2012
2014
2014

Narrator
Tom Aldredge
Rex Robbins
Nicholas Parsons
John McMartin
Gary Waldhorn
Jordi Estadella/ Ferran Frauca
Eddie Manning
Ethan Beer
Joshua Swinney
Jack Broderick
Ensemble
John Diedrich

Cinderella
Kim Crosby
Kathleen Rowe McAllen
Jacqui Dankworth
Laura Benanti
Gillian Kirkpatrick
Gisela
Helen Dallimore
Jessie Mueller
Claire Karpen
Lucy Maunder

Jack
Ben Wright
Robert Duncan McNeill
Richard Dempsey
Adam Wylie
Peter Caulfield
Marc Pujol
Ben Stott
Gideon Glick
Patrick Mulryan
Rowan Witt

Baker
Chip Zien
Ray Gill
Ian Bartholomew
Stephen DeRosa
Clive Rowe
Josep Mª Gimeno
Mark Hadfield
Denis O'Hare
Ben Steinfeld
David Harris

Baker's Wife
Joanna Gleason
Mary Gordon Murray
Imelda Staunton
Kerry O'Malley
Anna Francolini
Annabel Totusaus
Jenna Russell
Amy Adams
Jessie Austrian
Christina O'Neil

Stepmother
Joy Franz
Jo Ann Cunningham
Ann Howard
Pamela Myers
Elizabeth Brice
Clara del Ruste
Gaye Brown
Ellen Harvey
Liz Hayes
Antoinette Halloran

Florinda
Kay McClelland
Susan Gordon-Clark
Elizabeth Brice
Tracy Nicole Chapman
Louise Bowden
Anna Ventura
Amy Ellen Richardson
Bethany Moore
Andy Grotelueschen
Elise McCann

Lucinda
Lauren Mitchell
Danette Cuming
Liza Sadovy
Amanda Naughton
Lara Pulver
Laura Ventura
Amy Griffiths
Jennifer Rias
Noah Brody
Angela Scundi

Jack's Mother
Barbara Bryne
Charlotte Rae
Patsy Rowlands
Marylouise Burke
Anne Reid
Teresa Vallicrosa
Marilyn Cutts
Kristine Zbornik
Liz Hayes
Melissa Langton

Little Red Ridinghood
Danielle Ferland
Tracy Katz
Tessa Burbridge
Molly Ephraim
Suzie Toase
Anna Moliner
Beverly Rudd
Sarah Stiles
Emily Young
Josie Lane

Witch
Bernadette Peters
Cleo Laine
Julia McKenzie
Vanessa Williams
Beverly Klein
Mone
Hannah Waddingham
Donna Murphy
Jennifer Mudge
Queenie van de Zandt

Cinderella's Father
Edmund Lyndeck
Don Crosby
John Rogan
Dennis Kelly
Martin Nelson
Sergi Albert
Chip Zien
N/A
David Rogers-Smith

Cinderella's Mother
Merle Louise
Nora Mae Lyng
Eunice Gayson[55]
Laura Benanti[56]
Gemma Wardle
Maria del Mar Maestu
Gemma Wardle
Laura Shoop
Ensemble
Noni McCallum

Mysterious Man/Baker's Father
Tom Aldredge
Rex Robbins
John Rogan
John McMartin
Martin Nelson
Ferran Castells
Billy Boyle
Chip Zien
Paul L. Coffey
John Diedrich

Big Bad Wolf
Robert Westenberg
Chuck Wagner
Clive Carter
Gregg Edelman
Christopher Sieber
Nicholas Garrett
Carlos Gramaje
Michael Xavier
Ivan Hernandez
Noah Brody
Matthew McFarlane

Rapunzel
Pamela Winslow
Marguerite Lowell
Mary Lincoln
Melissa Dye
Christina Haldane
Maria del Mar Maestu
Alice Fearn
Tess Soltau
Emily Young
Olivia Cranwell

Rapunzel's Prince
Chuck Wagner
Douglas Sills
Mark Tinkler
Christopher Sieber
Nic Greenshields
Sergi Albert
Simon Thomas
Cooper Grodin
Andy Groutelueschen
Jeremy Kleeman

Granny
Merle Louise
Nora Mae Lyng
Eunice Gayson
Pamela Myers
Linda Hibberd
Clara del Ruste
Valda Aviks
Tina Johnson
Claire Karpen
Noni McCallum

Cinderella's Prince
Robert Westenberg
Chuck Wagner
Clive Carter
Gregg Edelman
Nicholas Garrett
Carlos Gramaje
Michael Xavier
Ivan Hernandez
Noah Brody
Matthew McFarlane

Steward
Philip Hoffman
Marcus Olson
Peter Ledbury
Trent Armand Kendall
Byron Watson
Ferran Castells
Mark Goldthorp
Josh Lamon
Patrick Mulryan
David Rogers-Smith

Sleeping Beauty
Maureen Davis
N/A
Kate Arneil
N/A
N/A
Unknown
Alice Fearn
Tess Soltau
N/A
N/A

Snow White
Jean Kelly (Cindy Robinson in the video)
N/A
Megan Kelly
N/A
N/A
Unknown
Sophie Caton
Victoria Cook
N/A
N/A

Giant (voice)
Merle Louise
Nora Mae Lyng
Eunice Gayson
Judi Dench
(Pre-recorded)
Linda Hibberd
Unknown
Judi Dench
(Pre-recorded)[57]
Glenn Close
(Pre-recorded)[58]
Ensemble
Noni McCallum

text: Adaptations[edit]

text: Junior version[edit]

text: The musical has been adapted into a child-friendly version for use by schools and young companies, with the second act completely removed, as well as almost half the material from the first. The show is shortened from the original 2 and a half hours to fit in a 50-minute range, and the music transposed into keys that more easily fit young voices.[59]

text: Film[edit]

text: A theatrical film adaptation of the musical was produced by Walt Disney Pictures, directed by Rob Marshall, and starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huttlestone, MacKenzie Mauzy, Billy Magnussen, and Johnny Depp.[60][61] The film was released on December 25, 2014.[62] It was a critical and commercial hit, grossing over $213 million worldwide. Streep was nominated for many accolades for her performance as the Witch, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.[63]

text: Musical numbers[edit]

text:
Act I

"Act I Prologue: Into the Woods" – Narrator, Cinderella, Jack, Baker, Baker's Wife, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Jack's Mother, Little Red Ridinghood, Witch, Cinderella's Father
"Cinderella at the Grave" – Cinderella, Cinderella's Mother
"Hello, Little Girl" – Wolf and Little Red Ridinghood
"The Spell is on My House (Reprise)" – Baker and Baker's Wife
"I Guess This is Goodbye" – Jack
"Maybe They're Magic" – Baker's Wife, Baker
"Our Little World" – Rapunzel and Witch
"Maybe They're Magic (Reprise)" – Baker
"I Know Things Now" – Little Red Ridinghood
"A Very Nice Prince" – Cinderella and Baker's Wife
"First Midnight/Into the Woods (Reprise)" – Company
"Giants in the Sky" – Jack
"Agony" – Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince
"A Very Nice Prince (Reprise)" – Cinderella and Baker's Wife
"It Takes Two" – Baker and Baker's Wife
"Second Midnight" – Witch, Cinderella, Cinderella's Prince, Rapunzel's Prince, Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Granny
"Stay with Me" – Witch, Rapunzel
"On the Steps of the Palace" – Cinderella
"Careful, My Toe/The True Bride" - Cinderella’s Stepmother, Florinda, Lucinda, Cinderella's Mother
"Act I Finale: Ever After" – Narrator, Cinderella, Cinderella's Prince, Baker, Baker's Wife and Company

Act I Prologue parts:

Once Upon a Time / I Wish
Birds in the Sky
There Are Bugs on Her Dugs
Into the Woods (Little Red)
Fly Birds, Back to the Sky
Witch's Entrance / Witch's Rap
Jack, Jack, Jack, Head in a Sack / Into the Woods (Jack's Mother and Jack)
You Wish to Have the Curse Reversed?
Ladies, Our Carriage Awaits
The Spell is on My House
Into the Woods (Company)

Act I Finale parts:

So Happy - short version
Happy Ever After
Unhappy Ever After
Into the Woods (Reprise)

Act II

"Act II Prologue: So Happy" – Company
"Agony" (Reprise) – Cinderella's Prince and Rapunzel's Prince
"Witch's Lament" (Reprise of Stay with Me) – Witch
"Any Moment" – Cinderella's Prince and Baker's Wife
"Moments in the Woods" – Baker's Wife
"Your Fault" – Jack, Baker, Little Red Ridinghood, Witch and Cinderella
"Last Midnight" – Witch
"No More" – Baker and Mysterious Man
"No One is Alone" – Cinderella, Baker, Little Red Ridinghood and Jack
"Act II Finale: Children Will Listen" – Company

Act II Prologue parts:

Once Upon a Time - later / I Wish
So Happy
Witch's Rap (Reprise)
Into the Woods (Reprise)

Act II Finale:

Reprise of First and Second Midnight
Maybe I Just Wasn't Meant to Have Children?
No One is Alone (Reprise)
Children Will Listen (Reprise of Stay with Me and Witch's Lament)
Into the Woods (Finale Reprise)

text: Analysis of book and music[edit]

text: In most productions of Into the Woods, including the original Broadway production, several parts are doubled. Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf, who share the characteristic of being unable to control their appetites, are usually played by the same actor. Similarly, the Narrator and the Mysterious Man, who share the characteristic of commenting on the story while avoiding any personal involvement or responsibility. Granny and Cinderella's Mother, who are both matriarchal characters in the story, are also typically played by the same person, who also gives voice to the nurturing but later murderous Giant's Wife.

text: The show covers multiple themes: growing up, parents and children, accepting responsibility, morality, and finally, wish fulfillment and its consequences.[64] The Time Magazine reviewers wrote that the play's "basic insight ... is at heart, most fairy tales are about the loving yet embattled relationship between parents and children. Almost everything that goes wrong — which is to say, almost everything that can — arises from a failure of parental or filial duty, despite the best intentions."[65] Stephen Holden wrote that the themes of the show include parent-child relationships and the individual's responsibility to the community. The witch isn't just a scowling old hag, but a key symbol of moral ambivalence. James Lapine said that the most unpleasant person (the Witch) would have the truest things to say and the "nicer" people would be less honest.[66] In the Witch's words: "I'm not good; I'm not nice; I'm just right."

text: Given the show's debut during the 1980s, the height of the US AIDS crisis, the work has been interpreted to be a parable about AIDS.[67][68] In this interpretation, the Giant's Wife serves as a metaphor for HIV/AIDS, killing good and bad characters indiscriminately and forcing the survivors to band together to stop the threat and move on from the devastation, reflecting the devastation to many communities during the AIDS crisis.[68][69][70][71] When asked about the thematic connection, Sondheim acknowledged that initial audiences interpreted it as an AIDS metaphor, but stated that the work was not intended to be specific.[68]

text: The score is also notable in Sondheim's output, because of its intricate reworking and development of small musical motifs. In particular, the opening words, "I wish", are set to the interval of a rising major second and this small unit is both repeated and developed throughout the show, just as Lapine's book explores the consequences of self-interest and "wishing." The dialogue in the show is characterized by the heavy use of syncopated speech. In many instances, the characters' lines are delivered with a fixed beat that follows natural speech rhythms, but is also purposely composed in eighth, sixteenth, and quarter note rhythms as part of a spoken song. Like many Sondheim/Lapine productions, the songs contain thought-process narrative, where characters converse or think aloud.

text: Sondheim drew on parts of his troubled childhood when writing the show. In 1987, he told Time Magazine that the "father uncomfortable with babies [was] his father, and [the] mother who regrets having had children [was] his mother."[72]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1988
Tony Award
Best Musical
Nominated

Best Original Score
Stephen Sondheim
Won

Best Book of a Musical
James Lapine
Won

Best Direction of a Musical
Nominated

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Joanna Gleason
Won

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Robert Westenberg
Nominated

Best Choreography
Lar Lubovitch
Nominated

Best Scenic Design
Tony Straiges
Nominated

Best Costume Design
Ann Hould-Ward
Nominated

Best Lighting Design
Richard Nelson
Nominated

Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Musical
Won

Outstanding Music
Stephen Sondheim
Nominated

Outstanding Lyrics
Won

Outstanding Book of a Musical
James Lapine
Won

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Nominated

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Bernadette Peters
Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Robert Westenberg
Won

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Joanna Gleason
Won

Danielle Ferland
Nominated

Outstanding Set Design
Tony Straiges
Nominated

Outstanding Costume Design
Ann Hould-Ward
Nominated

Outstanding Lighting Design
Richard Nelson
Nominated

Outstanding Orchestrations
Jonathan Tunick
Nominated

text: Original London production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1991
Laurence Olivier Award
Best New Musical
Nominated

Best Director of a Musical
Richard Jones
Won

Best Actor in a Musical
Ian Bartholomew
Nominated

Best Actress in a Musical
Imelda Staunton
Won

Julia McKenzie
Nominated

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Clive Carter
Nominated

Best Costume Design
Sue Blane
Nominated

text: 1999 London revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1999
Laurence Olivier Award
Outstanding Musical Production
Nominated

Best Actress in a Musical
Sophie Thompson
Won

text: 2002 Broadway revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2002
Tony Award
Best Revival of a Musical
Won

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
John McMartin
Nominated

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Vanessa L. Williams
Nominated

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Gregg Edelman
Nominated

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti
Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical
James Lapine
Nominated

Best Choreography
John Carrafa
Nominated

Best Scenic Design
Douglas W. Schmidt
Nominated

Best Costume Design
Susan Hilferty
Nominated

Best Lighting Design
Brian MacDevitt
Won

Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Won

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Laura Benanti
Nominated

Vanessa L. Williams
Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Gregg Edelman
Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Kerry O'Malley
Nominated

Outstanding Director of a Musical
James Lapine
Nominated

Outstanding Set Design
Douglas W. Schmidt
Won

Outstanding Costume Design
Susan Hilferty
Nominated

Outstanding Sound Design
Dan Moses Schreier
Won

text: 2010 London revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2011
Laurence Olivier Award
Best Musical Revival
Won

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Michael Xavier
Nominated

text: 2012 New York revival[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2013
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Donna Murphy
Nominated

text: 2014 Australian production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2015
Helpmann Award
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Lucy Maunder
Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical
Stuart Maunder
Nominated

text: 2015 Off-Broadway production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

2015
Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Nominated

Drama League Award
Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
Nominated


document_title: The Fault in Our Stars

question_text: where do they go in fault in our stars

question_tokens: where do they go in fault in our stars

root

text: The Fault in Our Stars

text: Plot summary[edit]

text: Hazel Grace Lancaster—a 16-year-old with cancer that has spread to her lungs—attends a cancer patient support group at her mother's behest. At first she hesitates because she feels like it has done her nothing. She thinks attending the support group could be the worst part of her life, until a particular support meeting, Hazel meets a 17-year-old boy named Augustus Waters, whose osteosarcoma caused him to lose his right leg, which was replaced with a prosthetic. Augustus is at the meeting to support his friend, Isaac, whose only remaining eye is soon to be removed due to cancer. Hazel and Augustus strike a bond immediately and agree to read each other's favorite novels. Augustus gives Hazel The Price of Dawn, and Hazel recommends An Imperial Affliction, a novel written by Peter Van Houten, who lives in Amsterdam, about a cancer-stricken girl named Anna that parallels Hazel's own experience. After Augustus finishes reading her book, he is frustrated upon learning that the novel ends abruptly without a conclusion. Hazel explains the novel's author had retreated following the novel's publication and has not been heard from since.

tag: p

text: A week later, Augustus reveals to Hazel that he has tracked down Van Houten's assistant, Lidewij, and, through her, has managed to start an e-mail correspondence with Van Houten. The two write to Van Houten with questions regarding the novel's ending and the fate of the mother of Anna. Van Houten eventually replies, explaining that he can only answer Hazel's questions in person. At a picnic, Augustus surprises Hazel with tickets to Amsterdam to meet Van Houten.

text: While in Amsterdam, Augustus confesses his love for Hazel. Hazel and Augustus finally meet Van Houten but are shocked to find that he is a mean-spirited drunk. Horrified by Van Houten's behavior, Lidewij confesses to having arranged the meeting on his behalf, angering Van Houten, who proceeds to insult Hazel's cancer, starting an argument and causing Hazel and Augustus to flee from the drunken author's home.

text: Augustus confesses that his cancer has returned. The two affirm their love and support for each other. Upon their return to Indianapolis, Augustus's health worsens and he ends up in the ICU for a few days. Fearing his death, Augustus invites Isaac and Hazel to his pre-funeral, where they give eulogies. An extremely sick Augustus dies soon after. This leaves Hazel heartbroken and she doesn't know what to do with herself. After this traumatic event, Van Houten shows up at Augustus's funeral to apologize to Hazel.

text: Hazel learns that Augustus was writing a sequel to An Imperial Affliction. Hazel reads Augustus's words. He says getting hurt in this world is inevitable, but we do get to choose who we allow to hurt us, and that he is happy with his choice, and hopes she likes her choice too. The book closes with Hazel stating that she is happy with her choice.

text: Publication history[edit]

text: On December 21, 2011, Barnes & Noble accidentally shipped 1500 copies of The Fault in Our Stars before the release date to people who had pre-ordered the book. Green released a statement saying, "Mistakes happen. The people who made this error were not bad or incompetent people, and they were not acting maliciously. We all make mistakes, and it is not my wish to see Barnes and Noble or any of their employees vilified."[2] Many people who received the book pledged not to read it until its release date, January 10, 2012, or discuss it until the next day, January 11, as per a request of Green's not to spoil it for other readers. Most kept to this promise leaving the experience untarnished for those who got the book on the intended release date.[3]

text: The book rose to #84 on the Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists in June 2011 shortly after its title was announced.[4] Green promised that every pre-order would be hand-signed by him, requiring him to sign every copy of the first printing. He proposed that the general public vote on the color Sharpie he would use to sign the books, resulting in him signing the 150,000 books with a variety of Sharpie colors, each in proportion to the amount of votes received for that color.[5] However, some people who ordered from international booksellers received unsigned copies because those bookstores, including Amazon UK, underestimated how many books they needed and ordered more after the signing was complete, but Green agreed to fix this problem, telling people with unsigned pre-orders to email him so they could be sent a signed bookplate.[6] Many fans submitted their book cover designs to various outlets including Tumblr and Twitter, tagging Green in these posts so he could see them. The sizeable number of posts received has prompted Green's publisher Penguin to seek a fan-designed cover for a reprint of one of Green's other books, An Abundance of Katherines.[7] The Fault in Our Stars debuted at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Chapter Books[8] and remained in that spot for seven consecutive weeks.[9] A Hebrew edition of The Fault in Our Stars was published in Israel in August 2012 and more editions of the novel are forthcoming in Dutch, German, Spanish, French, Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, Chinese, and Portuguese. The Fault in Our Stars has also gained places on several bestseller lists. It was #1 on The Wall Street Journal bestseller list, #1 on the Indiebound bestseller list, and #9 on The Bookseller bestseller list. The novel was also The New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice.[10] As of January 2013, there are nearly 1 million copies of the novel in print.[11] In December 2012, it was announced that a special edition with a silver cover and an expanded Q&A, dubbed the 'Exclusive Collector's Edition', would be available from Barnes and Noble. All or at least most of the copies first available for purchase of this edition of the book contained a printing error wherein several pages of the first chapter were replaced with pages from the Q&A section at the back of the book.[12]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: The Fault in Our Stars received critical acclaim. Critics mostly praised the book for its humor, strong characters, language, themes and new perspective on cancer and romance. The New York Times' review of the book called it "a blend of melancholy, sweet, philosophical and funny" and said that it "stays the course of tragic realism", while noting that the book's unpleasant plot details "do nothing to diminish the romance; in Green's hands, they only make it more moving."[13] NPR's Rachel Syme noted that "[Green's] voice is so compulsively readable that it defies categorization," saying that the "elegantly plotted" book "may be his best." [14] Time called The Fault in Our Stars "damn near genius."[15] Entertainment Weekly wrote, "[Augustus and Hazel's] love story is as real as it is doomed, and the gut-busting laughs that come early in the novel make the luminous final pages all the more heartbreaking", and gave the novel an overall A− grade.[16] Amazon.com calls it "insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw" and Green's "most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet."[17] The Manila Bulletin says that the book is "a collection of maudlin scenes and trite observations about the fragility of life and the wisdom of dying. And while it does talk about those things and more, the treatment of it is far from being maudlin or trite."[18] The Manila Bulletin also added that "Just two paragraphs into the work, and he immediately wallops the readers with such an insightful observation delivered in such an unsentimental way that its hard not to shake your head in admiration."[18] The Manila Bulletin stated that The Fault in Our Stars was a triumph for John Green.[18] USA Today called it a "elegiac comedy."[19] They gave the book a rating of four out of four stars.[19]The School Library Journal stated that it was "a strong choice for Adult Collections."[20] The Fault in Our Stars received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, who described it as "a smartly crafted intellectual explosion of a romance."[21]

text: Several well-known authors have contributed their own positive reviews for the book. Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper, calls The Fault in Our Stars "an electric portrait of young people who learn to live life with one foot in the grave." She goes on to say that the novel is "filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy." Bestselling author of The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, describes it as "a novel of life and death and the people caught in between" and "John Green at his best". Pertaining to Green's writing throughout the book, E. Lockhart, author of The Boyfriend List, says "He makes me laugh and gasp at the beauty of a sentence or the twist of a tale. He is one of the best writers alive and I am seething with envy of his talent."[17] Time named The Fault in Our Stars as the #1 fiction book of 2012.[22] Kirkus Reviews listed it among the top 100 children's books of 2012.[23] It also made USA Today's list of the top 10 books of 2012.[24] In 2013, the Edmonton Journal named the book one of their "favourite books of the year."[25]

text: One notable unfavorable opinion appeared in the Daily Mail.[26] In the piece, the plot of The Fault in Our Stars was described as "mawkish at best, exploitative at worst" and the book was characterized as belonging to the "sick-lit" young adult genre, together with other young-adult novels such as Never Eighteen and Before I Die. This entire genre, as well as the genre of young-adult novels dealing with suicide and self-harm (the piece mentions Thirteen Reasons Why, By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead, The Lovely Bones, and Red Tears) was criticized as being "distasteful" and inappropriate for their target audience of teens.[27] The Guardian criticized the piece, pointing out in particular that The Fault in Our Stars was chosen by The Guardian as that month's "teen book club choice" because "it's a gripping read, featuring two compelling characters, that deals sensitively and even humorously with a difficult situation without descending into mawkishness." In general, The Guardian faulted the Daily Mail for suggesting that the issues of illness, depression, and sexuality are inappropriate precisely "in the one place where difficult subjects have traditionally been most sensitively explored for teens: fiction written specifically for them."[27] For his part, in an interview for The Guardian, John Green said: "The thing that bothered me about The Daily Mail piece was that it was a bit condescending to teenagers. I'm tired of adults telling teenagers that they aren't smart, that they can't read critically, that they aren't thoughtful, and I feel like that article made those arguments."[28]

text: Film adaptation[edit]

text: In January 2012, Fox 2000, a division of 20th Century Fox, optioned the rights to adapt the novel into a feature film.[1] Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber wrote the adapted screenplay. Josh Boone signed on to direct a year later, in February 2013.[29] Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen produced the film.[30] Shailene Woodley stars as Hazel, while Ansel Elgort plays Augustus.[31][32] Nat Wolff was cast as Isaac, the friend that introduces them, and Laura Dern stars as Hazel's mother.[33] Sam Trammell was cast as Mr. Lancaster, Hazel's father.[34] On August 29, 2013, John Green announced that Mike Birbiglia would be playing Patrick, and on September 6, 2013, Green announced that Willem Dafoe would portray Peter Van Houten.

text: Principal photography began on August 26, 2013, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which doubled for the novel's setting of Indianapolis, Indiana, with a few days in Amsterdam, before concluding October 16, 2013.[35][36] The film was released on June 6, 2014, in the United States.[37] It was positively received by critics, with praise going to Woodley's performance as well as the entire film. The film also proved to be commercially successful, retaining the No. 1 spot at the box-office during its opening weekend, and grossed over $307 million worldwide against its budget of $12 million.[38][39][40] It was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 16, 2014.


document_title: 2016 FA Cup Final

question_text: who scored the winning goal in last years emirates final

text: 2016 FA Cup Final

text: Background[edit]

text: Manchester United went into the final with a record of 11 wins from 18 FA Cup finals, one win and appearance behind Arsenal in FA Cup wins and FA Cup Final appearances respectively.[2] United last played a final in 2007, the first at the new Wembley, where they lost 1–0 after extra time to Chelsea. Their last victory in the competition was in 2004, a 3–0 win against Millwall at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.[2][6] Crystal Palace's only previous FA Cup final was the aforementioned 1990 final, which they lost to Manchester United after a replay.[6]

text: Route to the final[edit]

text: Crystal Palace[edit]

text:
Round
Opposition
Score

3rd
Southampton (A)
1–2

4th
Stoke City (H)
1–0

5th
Tottenham Hotspur (A)
0–1

6th
Reading (A)
0–2

SF
Watford (N)
2–1

Key: (H) = Home venue; (A) = Away venue; (N) = Neutral venue.

tag: table

text: As a Premier League team, Crystal Palace started in the third round. They were drawn away at fellow Premier League team Southampton. At St Mary's Stadium on 9 January, Crystal Palace won 2–1 with goals from Joel Ward and Wilfried Zaha either side of Oriol Romeu's equaliser.[7]

text: In the fourth round, they hosted another top-flight team in the shape of Stoke City at Selhurst Park, and Zaha scored the only goal.[8] For the third consecutive round they had Premier League opposition in the shape of Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round on 21 February. At White Hart Lane, Crystal Palace won with Martin Kelly scoring the only goal at the end of the first half to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1995.[9]

text: There, they had their first game against a lower-division team, facing Championship side Reading at the Madejski Stadium. A 2–0 win through Yohan Cabaye and Fraizer Campbell put them into the last four, again for the first time in 21 years.[10] On 24 April at Wembley, Palace faced Watford in a repeat of the 2013 Football League Championship play-off Final. They took the lead through Yannick Bolasie, and Watford equalised when Troy Deeney headed in a corner from José Manuel Jurado. In the 61st minute, Palace found their winning goal as Connor Wickham headed from a Pape Souaré cross.[11]

text: Manchester United[edit]

text:
Round
Opposition
Score

3rd
Sheffield United (H)
1–0

4th
Derby County (A)
1–3

5th
Shrewsbury Town (A)
0–3

6th
Replay
West Ham United (H)
West Ham United (A)
1–1
1–2

SF
Everton (n)
1–2

Key: (h) = Home venue; (a) = Away venue; (n) = Neutral venue.

text: As a Premier League team, Manchester United entered in the third round, hosting Sheffield United of League One at Old Trafford on 9 January 2016. They got their first shot on target through substitute Memphis Depay, who was fouled in second half stoppage time by Dean Hammond for a penalty kick, from which Wayne Rooney scored the only goal with United's only other shot on target. Manager Louis van Gaal was under pressure for Manchester United's poor form prior to the match, and the victory was compared to one in the same competition in 1990, in which a goal by Mark Robins reportedly saved the career of Alex Ferguson.[12]

text: Twenty days later in the next round, United travelled to Pride Park to play Derby County, situated in the play-off places in the Championship. Rooney scored the first goal from outside the penalty area, but George Thorne soon equalised. In the second half, further United goals by Daley Blind and Juan Mata relieved Van Gaal of further pressure; it was the first time in 15 games that the team won by a margin of more than one goal.[13]

text: On 22 February, United played the fifth round away at League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town. Chris Smalling opened the scoring, and Mata doubled the advantage in first-half added time. Jesse Lingard confirmed a 3–0 win with about half an hour left to play; in the closing stages United had to play with only 10 men when Will Keane was injured and no substitutes remained.[14]

text: United hosted their sixth-round match against top-flight opponents West Ham United on 13 March. The visitors took the lead via a free-kick from Dimitri Payet, and only seven minutes remained when the hosts equalised with Anthony Martial's close-range finish.[15] A month later, the game went to a replay, the final FA Cup match at the Boleyn Ground. A curled effort from Marcus Rashford gave Manchester United a lead in the second half, and the lead was doubled by Marouane Fellaini. West Ham halved the deficit late on after James Tomkins' header passed into David de Gea's net, and they threatened an equaliser but could not achieve it.[16]

text: On 23 April, Manchester United travelled to Wembley to play Everton in the semi-finals. Martial assisted Fellaini to open the scoring against his former team, giving a half-time lead. After the break, a penalty was given when Timothy Fosu-Mensah fouled Ross Barkley, but De Gea saved the spot-kick after Romelu Lukaku took it. Everton brought on Gerard Deulofeu whose cross was put into United's net via a Chris Smalling own goal to level the scores. In added time, Ander Herrera set up Martial for the winner.[17]

text: A bomb scare at Old Trafford on the final day of the Premier League meant that Manchester United's game with Bournemouth had to be called off, eventually being rearranged for the following Tuesday, 17 May. The incident meant that United had four days to prepare for the final, two days less than Crystal Palace.[18]

text: Ticket allocation[edit]

text: Each club received an allocation of 28,780 tickets. This was an increase on previous seasons from 71% of available seats for supporters of the two opposing teams to 80%. All tickets prices were also reduced by £5 each.[19]

text: Pre-match[edit]

text: An inaugural tournament was held on 7 May in which a fan of each of the 64 teams who reached the third round competed in a knock-out football video game tournament in rooms around Wembley Stadium. The prize was tickets to the actual final.[20]

text: Match[edit]

text: Summary[edit]

text: Crystal Palace took the lead in the 78th minute when Jason Puncheon brought the ball down from a ball played into the penalty box by Joel Ward and cut in on the left before firing past David de Gea at his near post with his left foot. Manager Alan Pardew celebrated this goal by doing a dance on the touchline[21] It was 1–1 in the 81st minute when Juan Mata scored from ten yards out with a low shot from the left after a chest down from Marouane Fellaini after a cross from Wayne Rooney on the right, with the ball taking a slight deflection and going through the legs of Joel Ward on the goal line.[22] The match went to extra-time and just before the end of the first period, Chris Smalling was sent-off for a tackle on Yannick Bolasie near the halfway line. With 10 minutes to go Jesse Lingard scored the winner for Man Utd with a right foot volley from inside the penalty area which flew past Wayne Hennessey before he could move.[23]

text: Details[edit]

text: Crystal Palace v Manchester United

text:
21 May 2016 (2016-05-21)
17:30 BST

text:
Crystal Palace
1–2 (a.e.t.)
Manchester United

Puncheon  78'
Report
Mata  81'
Lingard  110'

text:
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 88,619
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)

text:
Crystal Palace

Manchester United

text:
GK
13
 Wayne Hennessey

RB
2
 Joel Ward

CB
6
 Scott Dann
 47'
 90+4'

CB
27
 Damien Delaney
 62'

LB
23
 Pape Souaré

CM
15
 Mile Jedinak (c)

CM
18
 James McArthur
 108'

RW
11
 Wilfried Zaha

AM
7
 Yohan Cabaye

 72'

LW
10
 Yannick Bolasie

CF
21
 Connor Wickham

 86'

Substitutes:

GK
1
 Julián Speroni

DF
3
 Adrian Mariappa

 90+4'

DF
34
 Martin Kelly

MF
26
 Bakary Sako

MF
42
 Jason Puncheon

 72'

FW
16
 Dwight Gayle

 86'

FW
25
 Emmanuel Adebayor

Manager:

 Alan Pardew

GK
1
 David de Gea

RB
25
 Antonio Valencia

CB
12
 Chris Smalling
 18', 105'

CB
17
 Daley Blind

LB
5
 Marcos Rojo
 40'
 66'

CM
16
 Michael Carrick

CM
10
 Wayne Rooney (c)
 87'

RW
8
 Juan Mata
 45'
 90'

AM
27
 Marouane Fellaini
 101'

LW
9
 Anthony Martial

CF
39
 Marcus Rashford

 72'

Substitutes:

GK
20
 Sergio Romero

DF
4
 Phil Jones

DF
36
 Matteo Darmian

 66'

MF
18
 Ashley Young

 72'

MF
21
 Ander Herrera

MF
28
 Morgan Schneiderlin

MF
35
 Jesse Lingard
 111'
 90'

Manager:

 Louis van Gaal


document_title: Flash vs. Arrow

question_text: what episode of arrow does the flash start

text: Flash vs. Arrow

text: Plot[edit]

text: Roy Bivolo, a metahuman with the power to send people into an uncontrollable rage, uses his powers to rob the Central City bank. Police detective Eddie Thawne proposes to capture the Flash because he was at the crime scene, but is rejected by the captain. The police track Bivolo to a warehouse, where he uses his powers on a cop to facilitate his escape. Barry Allen arrives to save Joe West, but is almost injured himself before Oliver Queen, as the "Arrow" vigilante, arrives to stop the cop. Later, Oliver informs Barry that he and his team are in Central City tracking down intel on a killer who uses lethal steel boomerangs. Barry and his friends suggests that they team-up to catch each other's targets and Oliver reluctantly agrees. Oliver tries to teach Barry to be more mindful of his surroundings, but Barry decides to go after Bivolo by himself. Bivolo uses his ability on Barry's mind; but because of Barry's speed, its effects last longer.

text: Eddie continues to persuade his superiors to form a task force unit to capture the Flash, expressing his zero tolerance for vigilantes. When an enraged Barry, as the Flash, attacks Eddie, Oliver tries to stop Barry, and the two engage in a fight. Oliver manages to wrangle Barry long enough for Harrison Wells and Joe to use strobe light to reset Barry's emotional state. Afterward, Barry and Oliver capture Bivolo and place him in the pipeline prison at S.T.A.R. Labs. Due to the incident, Eddie forms a task unit to arrest the Flash. Barry confirms Oliver's belief that the former has still a lot to learn. Oliver advises him to stay away from Iris West, with whom Barry is in love, for a while, because men with secret identities as vigilantes never get the girl. Oliver asks Team Flash to keep his alter ego as the Arrow, a secret. A new mysterious metahuman able to manipulate fire appears in Central City.

text: In a flashback set in Hong Kong, Oliver learns how to torture suspects to gain information. In the present, Oliver and Roy Harper locate Digger Harkness, the boomerang-wielding killer, where they find A.R.G.U.S. operatives looking for him as well. Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon arrive in Starling City to help Felicity Smoak investigate Sara Lance's homicidal murderer. Digger attempts to kill Lyla Michaels, Roy, and Oliver, but Barry instantly arrives and stops him. Later, Lyla reveals that Digger was part of the Suicide Squad. When Oliver uses his extreme interrogation methods on a Russian mob member in order to locate Digger, Barry questions how emotionally stable Oliver is with his past tragedies to torture people. Digger locates Oliver's base and wounds Lyla before escaping immediately. In order to leave town, Digger plants five bombs around the city. While Oliver captures Digger, Barry uses both of their teams to defuse the bombs simultaneously. Digger is incarcerated on Lian Yu with Slade Wilson. Before Barry and his team's departure to Central City, Cisco and Caitlin gives Oliver his suit improvements and utilities, him and Oliver learned both of their lessons and decide to have a friendly duel.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Actor

Character

Episode

The Flash

Arrow

Grant Gustin[2]

Barry Allen / Flash

Main

Guest

Candice Patton[3]

Iris West

Main

Does not appear

Danielle Panabaker[2]

Caitlin Snow

Main

Guest

Rick Cosnett[3]

Eddie Thawne

Main

Does not appear

Carlos Valdes[2]

Cisco Ramon

Main

Guest

Tom Cavanagh[3]

Harrison Wells

Main

Does not appear

Jesse L. Martin[3]

Joe West

Main

Does not appear

Stephen Amell[2]

Oliver Queen / Arrow

Guest

Main

David Ramsey[2]

John Diggle

Guest

Main

Emily Bett Rickards[2]

Felicity Smoak

Guest

Main

Katie Cassidy[4]

Laurel Lance

Does not appear

Main

Willa Holland[4]

Thea Queen

Does not appear

Main

Colton Haynes[4]

Roy Harper / Arsenal

Does not appear

Main

John Barrowman[4]

Malcolm Merlyn

Does not appear

Main

Paul Blackthorne[4]

Quentin Lance

Does not appear

Main

text: Guest[edit]

text: The Flash[edit]

text:
Paul Anthony as Roy Bivolo / Rainbow Raider[5]
Anna Hopkins as Samantha Clayton[6]
Patrick Sabongui as David Singh[3]
Robbie Amell as Ronnie Raymond / Firestorm[7]

tag: ul

text: Arrow[edit]

text:
Audrey Marie Anderson as Lyla Michaels[4]
Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Amanda Waller[4]
Nick E. Tarabay as Digger Harkness / Captain Boomerang[8]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: The first indication of potential crossover events in the Arrowverse occurred on The CW during the 2013–14 television season, when Barry Allen was introduced in the eighth episode of Arrow's second season ahead of the debut of The Flash.[1] In July 2014, it was announced that the eighth episodes of the third season of Arrow and the first season of The Flash would be a two-hour crossover event.[9] The crossover was originally planned as the seventh episodes of each series, but was pushed back due to the large amount of work needed to accomplish it.[10] In particular, the schedule coordination of trying to "jam another episode into the 23-episode schedule for each of [the] shows."[11] Marc Guggenheim, creator and executive producer on Arrow, explained that there was "no financially responsible" way of executing the crossover, with budgets being blown, long hours and the actors having to film scenes from both series on the same day.[11]

text: Andrew Kreisberg, creator and executive producer on both series, said, "It's really going to be an adventure with the Arrow and Flash on both episodes. Watching the two teams come together and fight alongside each other, it's one of the most fun parts, ... we just don’t believe in waiting. We really believe in accelerated storytelling."[12] Kreisberg explained that since they are all comic book fans themselves, they have all debated the age-old question of which superhero would win in a fight; "So, the idea that [the Flash and Arrow] would fight each other in one of these episodes was one of our earliest ideas, and that the cast members would have that Comic-Con argument on camera was one of our earliest ideas."[10] Greg Berlanti, creator and executive producer on both series, explained that "crossovers are part of [the characters'] DNA, ... and if we waited ..., then we would be depriving the audience of something we all wanted to see".[11]

text: In October 2014, Kreisberg described the episodes as very important to both Barry and Oliver and what they are going thorough, while also promising "one of the biggest surprises for Arrow of all time in The Flash episode".[13] Guggenheim added, "It's like the bomb underneath the table, and I think part of the fun is waiting to see when Oliver is going to learn what the audience learns on Flash."[14] It was later announced that another secret would be revealed in the final moments of The Flash episode that will help "introduce the next phase of The Flash in a big way".[15] In the episode, Oliver runs into an ex-girlfriend, last seen pregnant with his child in season two of Arrow and had been told by Oliver's mother Moira to tell him that she'd lost the baby and disappear. It is revealed to the viewers that she has a child and it's presumed to be Oliver's. After the airing of the episode, Guggenheim confirmed that indeed it was Oliver's child.[16] At the end of the episode, Robbie Amell, who played Ronnie Raymond—Caitlin's former fiancée presumed dead after the particle accelerator explosion—appears as Firestorm using his powers.[7]

text: Writing[edit]

text: The scripts for the "Flash vs. Arrow" crossover were written in mid-September 2014, with Berlanti and Kreisberg creating the story for the two episodes.[17][18] Berlanti drew inspiration from science fiction action television series The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman for the story, while Kreisberg took his cues from the final episode of the fourth series of Doctor Who, titled "Journey's End", a crossover featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.[15] The teleplay for The Flash was written by Ben Sokolowski and Brooke Eikmeier,[17] with Arrow's written by executive producers Guggenheim and Grainne Godfree.[18]

text: In late September 2014, Guggenheim revealed that the Arrow episode would be titled "The Brave and The Bold", a reference to a title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics which feature super-hero team-ups, including the Flash and Green Arrow.[19] Guggenheim said:

text: I've never had so much fun writing a script before[.] ... It was such a blast to work on... I keep telling everyone that we should try for Avengers. It's these two heroes together with a big production value. ... There's the opportunity for inside jokes, and seeing all of the characters together. What happens when Cisco gets his eyes on Thea? There are moments like that, that you just can’t do in a normal episode....It's just so much fun.[20]

text: In October 2014, the title of The Flash episode was announced as "Flash vs. Arrow".[13] Kreisberg revealed that the writers' rooms for both shows were merged while working on the scripts for the episodes, similar to "throwing two casts together".[10]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Filming of the two episodes occurred from September 24, 2014, until October 8, 2014.[18][21] The Flash's episode was directed by Glen Winter,[17] and Arrow's by Jesse Warn.[18] The fight scene between the Flash and Arrow in The Flash episode was shot over three nights. Because this was the first time Stephen Amell's character fought someone with superpowers, he had to change the way he performed stunts to accommodate the special effects.[10] Comparing the filming of both series, Grant Gustin described The Flash shooting as "really tedious," working with "a lot of plate shots that are empty shots of the area we are going to be in" and later added in post-production, as opposed to Arrow where "they shoot it from the perfect angles and what you see is what you get". Gustin also recalled at times it got confusing on set because they were shooting both episodes at the same time.[22]

text: Music[edit]

text:
The Flash vs. Arrow (Music Selections from the Epic 2-Night Event)Soundtrack album by Blake NeelyReleased
December 18, 2014 (2014-12-18)Recorded
2014Genre
SoundtrackLength
49:57Label
WaterTower MusicProducer
Blake NeelyArrowverse soundtrack chronology

Arrow:Season 2(2014)

The Flash vs. Arrow (Music Selections from the Epic 2-Night Event)(2014)

The Flash: Season 1(2014)

text: Professional ratingsReview scoresSourceRatingSoundtrack Geek[23]

text: On December 18, 2014, WaterTower Music released a selection of music from The Flash/Arrow crossover episodes, as well as two bonus tracks from their respective 2014 mid-season finales.[24] Discussing the challenge of merging the themes of both shows into a cohesive score, composer Blake Neely noted that "It wasn’t difficult because I originally designed the two shows to have styles and sounds that could merge and live together when necessary, but also hopefully stand alone as two distinct music worlds." [25]

text: The two bonus tracks were included on the album because "they proved very popular with the fans of the special event". Neely said, "As we were coming to completion and [the album] was about to go, I got all these tweets about these two pieces that people were loving, [and] I just had this idea, let's throw them on as bonus tracks... The fans asked for it and they got it."[26]

text: All music composed by Blake Neely.[27]

text: Track listingNo.TitleLength1."Rainbow Raider Strikes"2:242."Don't Get Involved"0:413."Team Arrow in Central City"2:304."Training Barry"1:555."What's Up, Doc"2:216."Barry Gets Whammied"3:057."The Flash vs. Arrow"5:068."S.T.A.R. Labs Thanks Oliver"1:519."Firestorm Appears"0:5210."Looking for Boomerang"2:3611."Like a Kid in a Candy Store"1:2612."Boomerang in A.R.G.U.S."4:0013."Teaming Up"1:5014."Torture Tactics"2:1615."Hope for Saving People Like Us"1:4416."Light Inside You"2:2817."Disarming the Bombs"3:5418."Gift Exchange"1:3019."The Brave and the Bold"1:4420."The Man in the Yellow Suit" (Bonus Track)2:1521."The Climb" (Bonus Track)3:29Total length:49:57

text: Release[edit]

text: Broadcast[edit]

text: The "Flash vs. Arrow" crossover episodes were shown at an exclusive fan screening at the Crest Theatre in Westwood, Los Angeles on November 22, 2014.[28] Afterwards, Amell, Gustin, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Danielle Panabaker and Carlos Valdes were joined by executive producers Berlanti, Kreisberg and Guggenheim for a Q&A panel.[29]

text: The first part of the crossover, The Flash, was broadcast on December 2, 2014, followed by part two on Arrow on December 3, both on The CW.[30] The crossover was simulcast with the US broadcast in Canada on CTV.[31] It first aired in the United Kingdom on Channel 5 on December 16 and December 18, 2014.[32] In Australia, the episodes aired back-to-back on January 28, 2015, on Fox8, after Nine Network, which broadcasts Arrow, allowed Fox8 to air the Arrow episode of the crossover.[33]

text: Home media[edit]

text: The episodes, along with the rest of The Flash's first season and Arrow's third season, were released separately on Blu-ray and DVD on September 22, 2015. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel.[34][35] The episodes became available for streaming on Netflix on October 6 and October 7, 2015, respectively.[36][37]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Ratings[edit]

text:
Series

Episode

Air date

Rating/share(18–49)

Viewers(millions)

DVR(18–49)

DVR viewers(millions)

Total(18–49)

Total viewers(millions)

The Flash

"Flash vs. Arrow"

December 2, 2014

1.6/5

4.34[38]

1.0

2.31

2.6

6.65[39]

Arrow

"The Brave and the Bold"

December 3, 2014

1.4/4

3.92[40]

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

text: The Flash episode had the second-highest number of viewers following the series premiere on October 7, 2014,[41] and the highest 18-49 rating since the second episode. Viewership rose 22% and the 18-49 rating by 14%, over the previous episode, "Power Outage".[42] The Arrow episode was the most viewed of season three, and had the show's largest audience since the series' premiere on October 10, 2012, and a series high 18–49 rating. Its viewership grew by 46% and its 18-49 rating by 56% over the previous episode, "Draw Back Your Bow",[43] and helped contribute to the most watched Wednesday on The CW in more than two years.[44]

text: The Canadian broadcast of The Flash was watched by 2.45 million viewers, earning the highest viewership for the week. The Arrow broadcast had 2.22 million viewers, the second highest for that day, and the fourth highest for the week.[45] In the United Kingdom, the episodes had 1.5 million viewers and 980,000 viewers, respectively. The time shifted versions attracted a total of 1.63 million and 1.26 million viewers, respectively.[32]

text: After the crossover aired, both shows saw increases to their ratings compared to their respective episodes before the crossover. The Flash "surprising[ly]" dipped a mere 6% in the 18–49 rating and rose 4% in total viewers, from the crossover episode, on "a heavily competitive night" for its most watched episode since its series premiere.[46][47] The following Arrow episode dropped by 29% in the 18–49 rating, from the crossover episode.[48] However, compared to its episode before the crossover, Arrow rose in the 18–49 rating, tying its second best rating of the season, behind only the crossover episode with The Flash.[49]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: After the first Arrow/Flash crossover, Brian Lowry of Variety applauded the producers for replicating the success of Arrow, but with "a lighter tone," and "a hero with genuine super powers" in The Flash. He noted while the crossover "does a nifty job of bringing the two series together" it was unlikely "to boost the shared audience between them much more than already exists".[50] Meredith Borders of Birth.Movies.Death called the crossover episodes "fun," noting that..."plenty of show-specific plot stuff was advanced without spelling it out for newbies. New viewers to either show could follow along and have a good time, but veteran viewers were rewarded with major storyline motion."[51]

text: Chancellor Agard, of Entertainment Weekly felt "the 'Flarrow'" crossover event was an overall success. Both episodes "put Team Flash in new situations and it was thrilling to watch how they reacted". Agard felt that while Arrow had "some great and comedic character moments for Team Arrow" none of its stories were advanced so that the episodes "felt like pause buttons" in its action.[52]

text: The Flash[edit]

text: Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave The Flash episode a 7.8 out of 10. He said the "Flash vs. Arrow" episode was "fun" with its focus "on the sheer entertainment value in seeing these two heroes and their allies cross paths"... and "to see the relationship between Barry and Ollie continue to evolve". As "a largely standalone episode" its scope was limited resulting "in yet another underdeveloped villain."[53] Scott Von Doviak writing for The A.V. Club awarded the episode an "A-", calling it "a satisfying showdown" that "actually stands on its own as a mostly self-contained hour of The Flash". Von Doviak complimented writers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, and director Glen Winter, for tackling the "clashing tones of the two shows" and the different personalities of their main characters, and "weaving...[them]... into the fabric of the episode". He also highlighted the fight scene between the Flash and Arrow, saying "It's a well-choreographed battle, with each hero appearing to have the upper hand at various points and clever bits of one-upmanship."[54]

text: Collider's Dave Trumbore gave The Flash episode an "A-", saying, it was "fun" seeing the characters together. He noted that the episode pointed out the many challenges Barry Allen "faces as a young up-and-coming crimefighter". He felt that Arrow's "knocks" made the point that "Barry's superpowers are an amazing gift ... he must hone and perfect to become a truly heroic character." Trumbore also "loved how Arrow's attention to detail and commitment to bettering himself through training clashed with Flash's carefree style and almost lazy attitude when it came to beating up baddies".[55] Agard's expectations for the episode were "not disappointed". He felt it delivered "on both the action front" with its impeccable, "epic" fight scene, and "on the character front". While the viewer can enjoy the interaction between the teams everything that happens in the episode pushes "this The Flash's stories forward".[56]

text: Eric Walters of Paste awarded The Flash episode a 9.0 out of 10, stating, ""Flash vs. Arrow" was everything a fan could have wanted from a crossover event," noting it was "tight, well-paced, superbly written and, most importantly, fun...".[57] Caroline Preece of Den of Geek also praised the episode, saying that it "was pretty much everything fans wanted and more". She noted this episode demonstrated how comic book ideas "can translate to the small screen if done with this much care, joy and enthusiasm". Given the "hype" she admired, and was "surprised" by the fact that even "with a little added Oliver, Felicity and Diggle thrown in," the crossover was not the focus of the whole episode.[58]

text: Arrow[edit]

text: Giving the episode a 9.2 out of 10, Schedeen stated it was a "blast to watch" and was "a more cohesive and satisfying episode than the first". Noting that the crossover "wasted some of its potential by delivering two mostly standalone episodes," the Arrow episode was "more consistently entertaining and satisfying than the first". He enjoyed Captain Boomerang suggesting he could be the "most memorable villain to debut this season". Schedeen enjoyed the teams continuing to cross paths, the drama between Barry and Ollie, and "the balance between light and dark [the crossover] needed".[59] Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A-", saying it "..can just cut loose and have some ['effortless'] fun for an hour," noting that Barry "is one of the only characters able to call Oliver out on his more mopey strains of bullshit". He felt it was "fitting" the episode "shared the name—"The Brave And The Bold"—with DC Comics' long-running team-up comic". The Flash is "the brave one", who "inspires with his courage" though his "simplistic sense of right and wrong" can lead him to overlook "the darker side of what they do". Oliver is "the bold one", "willing to do whatever it takes to see justice served".[60]

text: Trumbore felt the episode of Arrow closed out the crossover "in spectacular fashion" and gave it an "A". He noted that "both heroes channel their respective cities into their character".  Barry Allen's approach to crimefighting is effervescent and "carefree" reflecting "Central City's cutting-edge technology" and "squeaky-clean streets".  "Queen's Starling City" with its "ruthless underworld" is "much like the personality of the masked crimefighter himself".  He felt the writing was clever in that it allowed the characters to "clash at times, but also ... allow[ed] them to come together in pursuit of a common goal".[61] However, Agard felt Arrow "was a decent enough episode", but not "as good as the first". "'The Brave and the Bold'... felt... like a crossover episode ... servic[ing] Oliver's identity issues and character development." Agrad felt that "Cisco fanboying all over the place" is "fun" and Captain Boomerang is a "most formidable and compelling opponent" because he uses strategy and plans multiple steps ahead".[52]

text: Mark Rozeman at Paste, gave the Arrow episode a 9.3 out of 10, saying, the episode "not only equals its brother episode but, in some ways, manages to surpass it". He saw it as season's "strongest" Arrow episode, and "a great conclusion to the very successful Arrow/The Flash crossover" where in an "emotionally charged hour...all the elements come together with remarkable dexterity". He felt the shows' creative teams should be "applauded" for avoiding a "half-assed bid for ratings" instead turning the crossover "into something that brought out the best of each show". Rozeman argued that if "Flash vs. Arrow" proves that The Flash can stand on its own, then "The Brave and the Bold" is "a great demonstration that Arrow has some fire in it yet."[62] Den of Geek's Mike Cecchini said the episode is "a remarkably self-contained adventure". Noting that both episodes worked well as standalones, "Flash vs. Arrow" was "very clearly an episode" of The Flash and "The Brave and The Bold" is "absolutely an Arrow episode ...  handily the best installment of Arrow season three so far". He felt the cinematic scoring was "great" giving the episode 4.5 stars out of 5.[63]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: TVLine named the "Flash vs. Arrow" crossover the 9th biggest television moment of 2014 saying, "There are crossovers. And there are superhero shows. But never in recent TV memory have two live-action costumed crimefighters clashed in super fashion (albeit under extenuating circumstances). The Flash's smooth moves versus Arrow's strength and stratagem made for a thrilling tango that lived up to the hype."[64] IGN ranked the showdown between the Flash and Arrow in The Flash episode as one of the best television fight scenes of 2014.[65] ScreenRant named both "Flash vs. Arrow" and "The Brave and the Bold" as one of the best television episodes of 2014.[66] Blastr and Zap2it also named The Flash episode "Flash vs. Arrow" one of the best television episodes of 2014.[67][68]