"On the Steps of the Palace" from "Into the Woods"

He's a very smart prince
He's a prince who prepares
Knowing this time I'd run from him
He spread pitch on the stairs
I was caught unawares
Well it means that he cares
This is more than just malice
Better stop and take stock
While you're standing here stuck
On the steps of the palace

You think what do you want?
You think make a decision
Why not stay and be caught?
You think well it's a thought
What would be his response?
And then what if he knew who you were
And you know that you're not what
He thinks that he wants?

And then what if you are
What a prince would envision?
Although how can you know
Who you are till you know
What you want, which you don't
So then which do you pick?
Where you're safe, out of sight
And yourself but where everything's wrong
Or where everything's right but you know
That you'll never belong

And whichever you pick do it quick
'Cause you're starting to stick
To the steps of the palace
It's your first big decision
The choice isn't easy to make
To arrive at a ball is exciting and all
Once you're there, though, it's scary
And it's fun to deceive
When you know you can leave
But you have to be wary.

There's a lot that's at stake
But you've stalled long enough
'Cause you're still standing stuck
In the stuff on the steps
Better run along home
And avoid the collision
Even though they don't care
You'd be better off there
Where there's nothing to choose
So there's nothing to lose.

So you pry up your shoes
Then from out of the blue
And without any guide
I know what my decision is
Which is not to decide
I'll just leave him a clue
For example, a shoe
And then see what he'll do
Now it's he and not you
Who is stuck with a shoe
In a stew in the goo
And you've learned something too
Something you never knew
On the steps of the palace

"I Know Things Now" from "Into the Woods"

Mother said, "straight ahead,
"Not to delay or be mislead"
I should've heeded her advice,
But he seemed so nice.

And he showed me things,
Many beautiful things
That I hadn't thought to explore.
They were off my path
So I never had dared.
I had been so careful,
I never had cared.
And he hade me feel excited-
Well, excited and scared.

When he said, "come in"
With that sickening grin,
How could I know what was in store?
Once his teeth were bared,
Though, I really got scared.
Well, excited and scared.

But he drew me close,
And he swallowed me down,
Down a dark slimy path
Where lie secrets that I never want to know.
And when everything familiar
Seemed to disappear forever,
At the end of the path,
was granny one again.
So we wait in the dark
Until someone sets us free,
And we're brought into the light,
And we're back at the start.

And I know things now,
Many valuable things
That I hadn't known before.
Do not put your faith
In a cape and a hood.
They will not protect you
The way that thy should.
And take extra care with strangers,
Even flowers have their dangers.
And though scary is exciting,
Nice is different than good.

Now I know: don't be scared.
Granny is right, just be prepared.
Isn't it nice to know a lot?
And a little bit not.

"Being Alive" from "Company"

ROBERT
Someone to hold you too close
Someone to hurt you too deep
Someone to sit in your chair
To ruin your sleep

PAUL
That's true, but there's more to it than that.

SARAH
Is that all you think there is to it?

HARRY
You've got so many reasons for not being with some, but Robert, you haven't got one good reason for being alone.

LARRY
Come on, you're on to something, Bobby, you're on to something.

ROBERT
Someone to need you too much
Someone to know you too well
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell

DAVID
You see what you look for, you know.

JOANNE
You're not a kid anymore, Robby. I don't think you'll ever be a kid again, kiddo.

PETER
Hey, buddy, don't be afraid it won't be perfect. The only thing to be afraid of really is that it won't be.

JENNY
Don't stop now. Keep going.

ROBERT
Someone you have to let in
Someone whose feelings you spare
Someone who, like it or not
Will want you to share
A little, a lot

SUSAN
And what does all that mean?

LARRY
Robert, how do you know so much about it when you've never been there?

HARRY
It's much better living it than looking at it, Robert.

PETER
Add 'em up, Bobby. Add 'em up.

ROBERT
Someone to crowd you with love
Someone to force you to care
Someone to make you come through
Who'll always be there
As frightened as you
Of being alive
Being alive
Being alive
Being alive

AMY
Blow out the candles, Robert, and make a wish. Want something. Want something.

ROBERT
Somebody, hold me too close
Somebody, hurt me too deep
Somebody, sit in my chair
And ruin my sleep
And make me aware
Of being alive
Being alive

Somebody, need me too much
Somebody, know me too well
Somebody, pull me up short
And put me through hell
And give me support
For being alive
Make me alive

Make me confused
Mock me with praise
Let me be used
Vary my days
But alone is alone, not alive

Somebody, crowd me with love
Somebody, force me to care
Somebody, make me come through
I'll always be there
As frightened as you
To help us survive
Being alive
Being alive
Being alive!

"Another Hundred People" from "Company"

Another hundred people just got off of the train
And came up through the ground,
While another hundred people just got off of the bus
And are looking around at
Another hundred people who got off of the plane
And are looking at us,
Who got off of the train
And the plane and the bus may be yesterday.
It's a city of strangers,
Some come to work, some to play,
A city of strangers,
Some come to stare, some to stay
And everyday,
The ones who stay
Can find each other in the crowded streets
And the guarded parks,
By the rusty fountains
And the dusty trees
With the battered barks;
And they walk together past the postered walls
With the crude remarks,
And they meet at parties through the friends of friends
Who they never know;
Will you pick me up,
Or do I meet you there,
Or shall we let it go?
Did you get my message,
'Cause I looked in vain?
Can we see each other Tuesday,
If it doesn't rain?
Look, I'll you in the morning,
Or my service will explain.
And another hundred people just got off of the train.
It's a city of strangers.
And another hundred people . . .

"By the Sea" from "Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street"

MRS. LOVETT
(she kisses Todd)
Ooh, Mr. Todd! (kiss)
I'm so happy! (kiss)
I could (kiss)
Eat you up, I really could!
You know what I'd like to do, Mr. Todd? (kiss)
What I dream (kiss)
If the business stays as good?
Where I'd really like to go,
In a year or so?
Don't you want to know?

TODD
(spoken) Yes, yes, of course.

LOVETT
Do you really want to know?

TODD
(spoken) Yes, I do, I do.

LOVETT
(spoken) I've always had this dream...
Ever since I was a skinny little slip of a thing and my rich Aunt
Nettie used to take me down to the seaside August Bank Holiday...
The pier... Makin' little castles in the sand...
Ooh, I can still feel me toes wigglin' around in the briney!

By the sea, Mr. Todd, that's the life I covet,
By the sea, Mr. Todd, ooh, I know you'd love it!
You and me, Mr. T, we could be alone
In a house wot we'd almost own,
Down by the sea!
Wouldn't that be smashing?

TODD
Anything you say...

LOVETT
With the sea at our gate, we'll have kippered herring
Wot have swum to us straight from the Straits of Bering!
Ev'ry night, in the kip, when we're through our kippers,
I'll be there slippin' off your slippers!
By the sea,
With the fishies splashing!
By the sea!
Wouldn't that be smashing?

TODD
Anything you say, anything you say...

LOVETT
I can hear us wakin,'
The breakers breakin,'
The seagulls squawkin,'
'Hoo, hoo!'
I do me bakin,'
Then I go walkin'
With you-hoo!
Yoo-hoo!
I'll warm me bones on the esplanade,
Have tea and scones with me gay young blade,
Then I'll knit a sweater
While you write a letter
Unless we've got better to do-hoo!

TODD
Anything you say...

LOVETT
Think how snug it'll be underneath our flannel
When it's just you and me and the English Channel!
In our cozy retreat kept all neat and tidy,
We'll have chums over ev'ry Friday!
By the sea!
Don'tcha love the weather?
By the sea!
We'll grow old together!
By the seaside,
Hoo, hoo!
By the beautiful sea!

(spoken)
Oh, I can see us now, in our bathing dresses!
You in a nice, rich navy, and me... stripes, perhaps.

It'll be so quiet,
That who'll come by it,
Except a seagull
Hoo, hoo!
We shouldn't try it,
Though, 'til it's legal for two-hoo!
But a seaside wedding could be devised,
Me rumpled bedding legitimized!
Me eyelids'll flutter,
I'll turn into butter,
The moment I mutter I do-hoo!

By the sea, in our nest, we could share our kippers
With the odd payin' guest from the weekend trippers,
Have a nice sunny suite for the guest to rest in,
Now and then, you could do the guest in!
By the sea,
Married nice and proper!
By the sea,
Bring along your chopper!
To the seaside,
Hoo, hoo!
By the beautiful sea!

April from "Company" by Stephen Sondheim

Right after I got to college, a friend of mine who has a garden apartment gave me a cocoon for my dorm room. He collects things like that . . . caterpillars, insects, and stuff . . . It was attached to a twig, and he told me that one morning I'd wake up to a beautiful butterfly flying around my room when it hatched. He said that when they first come out, they're soaking wet and there's even a tiny little speck of blood in there - isn't THAT  fascinating - but within an hour they dry off and begin to fly. Well, I told him I had a cat. I had a cat then. But he just said, "Put it somewhere where the cat can't get it!" which is impossible, but what can you do? So, I put it up on a ledge where the cat never went, and the next morning it was still there, at least so it seemed safe to leave it. Anyway, about a week later, very, very early this one morning, the guy calls me and says, "April, do you have a butterfly this morning?" So I put down the phone and managed to get up and look, and sure enough I saw a little wet spot, and a tiny speck of blood, and . . . no butterfly. And I thought, "Oh, dear God in heaven, the cat got it." I picked up the phone to tell the guy, and just then, suddenly, I spotted it underneath the dressing table. It was moving one wing. The cat had gotten it, but it was still alive. So i told the guy, and he got so upset and he said, "Oh, God, April, don't you see that that's a life? A living thing?" So I got dressed and took it to the park, and I put it on a rose. It was summer then, and it looked like it was going to be alright; I thought so, anyway. But that man . . . I felt so damaged by him - awful - that was just cruel. So I got home and called him back and said, "Listen, I'm a living thing too, you shithead!" I never saw him again.