As someone who spent their formative years as a band kid, one of my favorite aspects of musical theater is the music. Nothing brings me more joy than a recurring musical theme or motif, especially with variation (theme changing as the plot rolls out—slower, faster, darker, lighter—depending on the story’s emotional arc). I love looking for these musical “easter eggs.”
One of the most brilliant examples of a recurring musical motif in Into the Woods is the “bean motif.” Stephen Sondheim intentionally built a short, easily recognizable five-note musical phrase to represent the magic beans that Jack trades for the cow. These five notes appear again and again in different forms throughout the show. At first, the motif feels playful and full of possibility, echoing the excitement and naïveté of the characters’ early wishes. But as the consequences of those wishes unfold, the same little phrase begins to sound more ominous or ironic. The musical “beans” follow the characters long after the physical ones are gone, reminding the audience that even small choices can grow into something much larger—and far more complicated—than expected. Sondheim’s use of this bean motif shows how music in a show can be more than background; it can be an active part of the storytelling.
Here is what the bean Theme/Motif looks like in music notation:
In the video below, Sondheim explains how he built much of the musical material in Into the Woods around the five-note “bean motif.” He shows how music isn’t just decorative—it’s dramaturgical. It shapes how we understand character, emotion, and theme.
This next video further demonstrates the musical motif at the 3-minute mark. If you want to hear the inverted bean motif, navigate to minute 4:17.
Now that you know how important those five notes are, can you hear them in action in this video?
Now that you know what to look for, can you identify other musical motifs in the production?
Interested in learning more? You can view the complete video playlist or check out the book Sondheim on music: minor details and major decisions by M. E. Horowitz.
Don’t miss your chance to hear the music of Sondheim at The Stage Door’s Into the Woods, now through July 12, 2025.
The Stage Door presents Into the Woods, book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
The Electric Theater, 68 E Tabernacle St, St. George, UT 84770
June 19 – July 12, Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 pm, July 5th at 2 PM
Contact: 435-656-4407
Tickets: $15-24