STAGE REVIEWS : ‘Into the Woods’: A Fairy Tale for the ‘90s : Buena Park Civic Theatre meets the challenge of mixing whimsy and bite in Sondheim’s sophisticated musical.

So what happened to Rapunzel after she let down her hair? And did Cinderella really live happily ever after in the castle with her prince? And what about Jack and that beanstalk? Didn’t the giant have a wife, and wasn’t she pretty miffed after Jack did him in?

Answers to these questions and others can be found in “Into the Woods,” Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s loopy musical currently being given a playful staging by the Buena Park Civic Theatre.

The ambling plot features a celebrity list of fairy-tale stars, all mixed together in a new fable involving a baker, his wife and a really tough witch. It’s not all fun and games though. The good times have a way of turning bad when reality kicks in. You want fairy tales for the confused and confusing ‘90s? Try these.

How about Rapunzel raising a couple of kids on her own, then being banished to the desert where she loses her mind? As for Cinderella, she’s stuck with a damsel-chasing Prince who only shrugs and reminds her, “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.”

Combining whimsy and bite is the challenge of “Into the Woods,” one that director Gary Krinke and his actors (many with professional experience) face directly. Some performances are better than others, but the good outweigh the bad.

Christy Cook as the baker’s wife and Aimee Boice as Cinderella stand out for the way they navigate Sondheim’s sophisticated and frequently difficult musical score, especially the lovely “No One Is Alone” and “Children Will Listen.” And William H. Morse III’s flat cutout sets and Carol Young’s bright costumes also deserve special mention.

‘Into the Woods’

A Buena Park Civic Theatre production of the play by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book), directed by Gary Krinke. With Bob May, Aimee Boice, Ryan Holihan, Therese Lee, Sean Hilferty, Christy Cook, Sylvia Nelson, Katie Zerga, Holly Lynne Shirley, Erin M. McNally, Brooke Wilkes, Jodi Rosenbaum, Lex M. Medlin, Robert Townsend, Sal Bonnello, Mercedes Martinez, Elizabeth Wydra and Ann Russell. Musical direction by Robert Hogins. Choreography by John Vaughan. Sets by William H. Morse III. Costumes by Carol Young. Lighting by Jim Book. Sound by Jensen Crawford. Continues Thursdays (except Aug. 20) through Saturdays at 8 p.m. through Sept. 5 at 8150 Knott Ave., Buena Park. Tickets: $5 to $8. (714) 562-3844.