1987: Into the Woods at the Martin Beck Theatre

Once upon a time, composer Stephen Sondheim and director/writer James Lapine had the notion of bringing a collection of fairy tales to the Broadway stage. That idea turned into the successful musical, "Into the Woods." The original 1987 production took root at Broadway's Martin Beck Theatre starring Bernadette Peters in the role of the Witch, and Joanna Gleason as The Baker's Wife (right). The original production ran for nearly two years.  The show was a favorite with Tony voters, who bestowed awards on Sondheim for his music and lyrics, Lapine for writing the story, and Joanna Gleason as Best Actress in a Musical.

Since then, "Into the Woods" received a major Broadway revival that was as fresh and inventive as the original. The 2002 version featured Vanessa Williams as the captivating Witch, and Greg Edelman as the fearsome Wolf. Both were nominated for their performances but came up short on Tony night. The revival, however, took home the prize as Best Musical Revival.

The story line is both simple and profound. Familiar tales of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Repunzel and Little Red Riding Hood are woven into a morality tale that teaches about ambition and the human ability to overcome life's intermittent obstacles, be they giants, wolves or evil step-sisters. A baker and his wife are the character elements whose presence ties each of the individual tales together. And of course, there's a loathsome witch who sings "Children Will Listen" in the finale. It's at that point in the story when we realize the Witch is actually the play's moral compass.

Careful the tales you tell . . .

Barbra Streisand selected "Children Will Listen," one of the more poignant numbers from Stephen Sondheim's landmark musical, "Into the Woods" and turned it into a heartfelt anthem. Barbra delivers a message each time she performs the number, reminding adults to be mindful of what they say and do in front of children.

One of Barbra's earliest public performances of "Children Will Listen" occurred at the 1993 inaugural concert for Bill Clinton. Since that time, Barbra has taken to performing the number again and again, most recently during her 2006 and 2007 concert tours of North America and Europe. A visually stunning version of her 2006 performance in South Florida has been captured on the recently released DVD and Blu-Ray editions of "Streisand Live in 2006."

In 2005, Barbra attended a Hollywood Bowl event (as a non performer) to honor Stephen Sondheim on his 75th birthday (right). The evening was also a benefit for the newly formed Children Will Listen foundation.

The Children Will Listen foundation honors Stephen Sondheim and is a community outreach program. It operates within the auspices of ASCAP and its president, Marilyn Bergman. The foundation is designed to bring the experience of live musical theatre young students across the country who might not otherwise have the opportunity. The foundation's initial contributions came from those wishing to pay tribute to Stephen Sondheim on his 75th birthday.