I think it might also be easier to sing (and stage) for high schools.
Also, I always felt that the end of Buffy:
Xander: We saved the world.....(dialogue omitted)
Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we going to do now?
(Buffy just smiles)
Parallells (or at least reminds me of) the end of Into the Woods
Then out of the woods--
And happy ever after!
Cinderella: I wish...
Damn, I love Miller's Crossing.
That is all.
Doing the first act of Into the Woods is a fairly common practice, from what I've seen. It turns it sort of into a kid-friendly version. Or maybe kid-safe.
This. Yes, it misses the point of Sondheim's original intent somewhat, makes it less cerebral and ironic and all, but it's still a bunch of really good music, a fun story, and provides lots of important but not-incredibly-difficult roles, which is good for a high school musical. Also, it's conveniently shorter. There aren't too many musicals where you can actually get a more reasonably long, entire story just by lopping off the second half.
And the wolf and "discovery" songs (Cinderella's, Jack's, Red's) still make the show much more of a thinker than most shows a high school cast could do, even with the happy ending left happy.
As to Footloose: I don't know about the "Daddy, I'm not a virgin" line specifically, but the song "The Girl Gets Around" pretty much makes the same point. When my high school did it, that song was left in, and I'm from Mississippi. I think most drama teachers know that kids are aware of the existence of sex. The fact that I missed this performance by a couple of years has always made me sad, because I would've taken drama that year just to try out for the preacher's role.
And the wolf and "discovery" songs (Cinderella's, Jack's, Red's) still make the show much more of a thinker than most shows a high school cast could do, even with the happy ending left happy.
My high school did the whole thing. Of course, the play the year before was Six Characters in Search of an Author, so my high school may not be the best sample.
Romeo and Juliet is swashbuckling adolescent derring-do if the leads don't snuff themselves in the end.
What's the rumpus?
You think that I'm some guinea, fresh off the boat, and you can kick me. But I'm too big for that now.
If I'd known we were gonna cast our feelings into words, I'd have memorized the Song of Solomon.
Are you giving me the high hat??!??!??
I open my mouth and the whole world turns smart.