The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. Gandalf returned, miraculously, and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman.

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Into the Woods brings well-known fairytale characters to musical life, interwoven with the story of a baker and his wife, whose longing for a child is thwarted by a mischievous witch. Stephen Sondheim's songs, seamlessly melded to James Lapine's text, are perfect expressions of the complications of living in modern society and the difficult choices we encounter on the paths of our lives. Into the Woods premiered on Broadway in 1987, winning three...