When Robert Westenberg stepped onto the Old Globe Theatre stage in 1986—and later the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway in '87—he wasn't just wearing a suit. He was wearing a nightmare. Or, depending on who you ask, a very provocative piece of taxidermy. The original Into the Woods wolf costume is one of those rare moments in theater history where design didn't just support the character; it practically defined the show’s psychological grit.
It was hairy. It was anatomical. It was deeply weird.
Most modern productions play it safe. They go for "Disney-fied" furs or maybe a steampunk leather jacket. But the OG version? That was the work of Ann Hould-Ward, who won a Tony for her efforts, though she shared it with Patricia Zipprodt. They weren't trying to make a mascot. Honestly, they were trying to visualize the predatory subtext of the Brothers Grimm. If you look at the archival photos, you'll notice things that would never fly in a high school production today.
What Made the 1987 Design So Controversial?
Let's be real: the costume had prosthetic genitals.
It's the elephant in the room—or the wolf in the woods. Ann Hould-Ward designed the Wolf to be a hyper-sexualized predator. This wasn't a mistake. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine wrote the Wolf’s song, "Hello, Little Girl," as a thinly veiled metaphor for a different kind of appetite. To match that, the original Into the Woods wolf costume featured a very prominent, anatomical codpiece and tufts of hair in places that made 1980s audiences shift in their seats.
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The mask wasn't a full headpiece either. It was a partial prosthetic. Westenberg’s own face was visible, blending human expressions with lupine features. This "uncanny valley" effect made the character feel like a man who had transformed into a beast—or a beast who was trying to look like a man. It’s a distinction that matters. When you see a giant fur-suit, it’s a cartoon. When you see a hairy, muscular man with a snout and gold-toed boots, it’s a threat.
Materiality and the "Hould-Ward" Aesthetic
Hould-Ward didn't just buy some faux fur from a craft store. The textures were a chaotic mix. She used different lengths of pile, varying shades of grey and brown, and even added bits of what looked like debris. It looked dirty. Like he’d actually been sleeping in the dirt.
- The Chest Piece: It was sculpted to look like a muscular human torso but covered in coarse, patchy fur.
- The Footwear: This is a detail people often miss. He wore boots with elongated, pointed toes, almost like claws, but finished in a way that felt strangely elegant.
- The Tail: It wasn't a fluffy tail. It was heavy, matted, and swung with a weight that felt biological.
The costume had to be incredibly mobile. Westenberg had to prowl. He spent a lot of time observing wolves, but also dancers. The suit was built on a spandex-heavy base to allow for that predatory crouching. If the suit was too stiff, the "Hello, Little Girl" number would have looked like a guy in a mascot suit trying to do aerobics. Instead, it looked like a liquid shadow.
The Transformation to Grandma
The genius of the original Into the Woods wolf costume was how it interacted with the "Grandma" disguise. In the 1987 Broadway production, the transition wasn't a full costume change. It was a layering. Putting on the nightgown and the cap over that hyper-masculine, hairy frame created a visual dissonance. It was funny, sure, but it was also deeply unsettling. You could still see the wolf’s "equipment" through the thin fabric of the gown.
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That’s a level of detail modern revivals usually scrub away. They want the Wolf to be a fun villain. Hould-Ward wanted him to be a dangerous one.
Why We Don't See This Version Anymore
Disney bought the rights for the 2014 film, and naturally, things changed. Johnny Depp’s version was more "zoot suit" than "predatory animal." It was an homage to the Tex Avery cartoons. While it looked cool, it lacked the visceral, raw discomfort of the 1987 stage version.
Even the 2022 Broadway revival took a different path. It was more minimalist. Why? Partly because the original design is incredibly expensive to maintain. Real theatrical fur and custom prosthetics require a dedicated wardrobe team just to keep them from smelling like a locker room after three shows. But also, cultural sensibilities have shifted. The blatant sexual imagery of the 1987 Wolf is a tough sell for family-friendly matinees in the 2020s.
How to Analyze the Design Yourself
If you’re a costume student or just a Sondheim nerd, you’ve got to look at the sketches. Hould-Ward’s original drawings are archived in places like the Library of Congress and various theater museums.
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- Look at the color palette: It's not just "grey." There are hints of red and deep purple in the fur to catch the stage lights.
- Observe the silhouette: The 1987 Wolf has an inverted triangle shape—huge shoulders, narrow waist. It’s the silhouette of a bodybuilder.
- Check the face: Notice how the makeup blends the prosthetic snout into the actor’s cheekbones. This required a heavy application of spirit gum and hours in the chair every night.
The original Into the Woods wolf costume remains a masterclass in "character-first" design. It didn't care about being pretty. It cared about being true to the dark, twisted roots of the source material. It was a costume that told you exactly who the character was before he even opened his mouth to sing.
Taking Action: Applying These Lessons
If you’re looking to recreate or draw inspiration from this specific era of Broadway design, don't start with the fur. Start with the anatomy.
First, study the 1987 "American Playhouse" recording. It’s the best document we have. Pay attention to how the light hits the different textures of the fur during the Wolf's first encounter with Little Red. Second, if you are a designer, prioritize the "man-beast" hybrid over a literal animal. The horror comes from the human elements peeking through the fur. Finally, remember that the best costumes tell a story about the character's desires. The 1987 Wolf wasn't just hungry for food; he was hungry for power, and his costume screamed it.
To truly understand theatrical impact, compare the 1987 Wolf to the 2002 revival's Wolf (played by Gregg Edelman). You'll see two completely different philosophies on stage. One is a nightmare; the other is a storybook illustration. Knowing which one you prefer will tell you everything you need to know about your own creative "Into the Woods" journey.