JC Penney Debuts Cinderella Ad During Oscars

This glass slipper is made of ice... has anyone told THAT story yet?

I told you it would be hard to escape! JC Penney has joined forces with Disney to bring (yet another) line of Cinderella fashion and merchandise and debuted their ad during the Oscar coverage last night.

Not the most creative of ads but it was sweet nonetheless.

Here 'tis:

Fairy tale bonus of the day:

JC Penney also held design contest for ten fashion school graduates to design a gown for that #CinderellaMoment, something which must have felt like spinning magic out of paper and pencils for those designers (complete with the sweat and hard work) and a royal-like party to celebrate the effort:

(Ten) talented graduate students in the Fashion School of Kent State University (had) under two hours to conjure up a glam outfit-inspired by this wondrous Cinderella ballgown-that was straight off the live-action film's set (eta March 2015)---in homage of the store's collaboration with this modern day take on the timeless tale.

You can see photos from the event and the designs HERE.

Fairy Tale & Folklore Oscar Watch 2015 (Summary)

The three biggies this year were all in the Best Animated Feature category:

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya - the oldest recorded Japanese fairy tale

Song of the Sea - selkie tale based on Celtic folklore

The Boxtrolls - Jungle Book related tale of a boy raised by 'monsters' finding his way (based on Here Be Monsters)

These three were up against industry giants Big Hero 6 (Disney) and How To Train Your Dragon 2 (Dreamworks).

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BIG HERO 6 won for Best Animated Feature

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Nominated in other categories:

Into The Woods - Best Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep lost to Patricia Arquette for Boyhood)
                           - Best Production Design (lost to The Grand Budapest Hotel)
                           - Best Costume Design (lost to The Grand Budapest Hotel)

Maleficent          - Best Costume Design (lost to The Grand Budapest Hotel)

The Lego Movie - Best Song "Everything Is Awesome" (lost to Selma's "Glory")

It should also be noted, mythic storyteller and master animator Hayao Miyazaki, known for My Neighbor Totoro, The Tale Of Princess Mononoke and the Oscar winning Spirited Away, was also awarded an Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award (finally!).

I'm completely tickled that the audience were hanging onto their Lego Oscar statues as a tribute to The Lego Movie which deserved to be nominated but wasn't. (That's the Jack-like story, complete with giants of many kinds, that I think is more fairy tale than most people realize.)

Ask Baba Yaga: What Do People See In My Boredom?

by Alice Dieudonne

Hm. Being bored is one of the problems I don't usually have... unless I'm being forced to sit in a place I don't want to be for a long time, so maybe I can find a useful nugget in this one too.

Today's timely question and answer (via poet and oracle Taisia Kitaiskaia* of The Hairpin):

(Originally posted at The Hairpin HERE)

Oof. Well that's a wake-up call. I'm going to give that some serious consideration next time I stuck in a chair at some meeting or other. I do not like the idea of stagnating, brain-rot, zombie-fication... not even a little bit!

I'm also beginning to think my 'random illustration choice' for the day isn't so random. I put it in the post before I read the letter... 

What do you think of Baba Yaga's advice?

Want to ask Baba Yaga a question of your own?

You can!

There's now an email address where you can send your questions

directly to Baba Yaga herself.

AskBabaYaga AT gmail DOT com

To encourage Baba Yaga to continue imparting her no-bones-about-it wisdom (ok, there may be some gristle in there... bones too), I suggest we not to leave her box empty... 

Thank you Baba Yaga (& Taisia).

* Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet, writer, and Michener Center for Writers fellow. Born in Russia and raised in America, she's had her poems and translations published in Narrative Magazine, Poetry International, and others.

"The Robber Bridegroom" Bluegrass Musical Returns

Greensboro College Theatre poster for current production - note the silhouettes in the design
Illustrations either side by Barry Moser for the 1987 edition of Eudora Welty's book

"... A charming bridegroom by day and a suave robber by night. Rosamund is the poor little rich girl who loves him. Salome is the wicked stepmother who tries, and largely fails, to throw a wrench (and even a poisoned apple) into the works... If this sounds like the makings of a fairy tale, that’s because it is: a Grimm fairy tale, no less, adapted into a Southern Gothic classic by Eudora Welty before being turned into a manic bluegrass musical comedy...  Greensboro College is staging the rarely-performed musical adaptation of "The Robber Bridegroom..."

I'm going to squeak notice of this show onto the blog late today, even though tomorrow (Sunday, February 22) is the last day it's showing, because just the fact that this exists and is back in performance circulation is good fairy tale news! (And you can keep an eye out for it in future too.)

Yes. The musical is based on the Bluebeard-related fairy tale The Robber Bridegroom (more specifically, on Eudora Weltey's Southern Gothic novel, which was based on the fairy tale - text is HERE), and is comic, a little bawdy and full of bluegrass music. In other words, it's probably not quite would you would expect if you're familiar with the tale. (I've included a number of different posters for the musical, along with the current one, to give you a better idea of the tone.)

In case you've never heard of the musical version you should know this is considered quite a unique, though oft-forgotten, masterful work, among musical theater folk. It helped launch the careers of Kevin Kline, Patty LuPone and Barry Bostwick (the latter earning a Tony that season for Leading Actor in a musical).

From some older productions here's a cobbling together of some different summaries to give you an idea of the show:

Set in eighteenth-century Mississippi, the show follows Jamie Lockhart, a rascally robber of the woods, as he courts Rosamund, the only daughter of the richest planter in the country. The proceedings go awry, however, thanks to a case of double-mistaken identity. Throw in an evil stepmother intent on Rosamund's demise, her pea-brained henchman, and a hostile talking head-in-a-trunk, and you have a rollicking country romp.It has one foot in the Southern Gothic tradition, the other in a fairy tale, and an arm gleefully waving about in comedy. 

The music is one of the only genuine bluegrass scores ever heard in a Broadway musical: challenging fiddle melodies that twist, turn, and gather velocity like a hare escaping a panther, only to slide back down into the warmth of a quiet Southern night. With its distinct sound, colorful cast, and unique form of storytelling, "The Robber Bridegroom" is a hidden gem!

In case you have this evening free and are in the area, here's the information on the tickets:you can get more information on the times and tickets HERE. 

From the Greensboro Theatre press release: 

"The Robber Bridegroom"'s book and lyrics were written by Alfred Uhury, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Driving Miss Daisy," and were based on a 1942 novella by Eudora Welty. Music is by Robert Waldman. Opening on Broadway in 1975, this rousing, bawdy Southern fairytale has gone on to become a regional favorite. As Broadway historian Peter Filichia puts it, "This is a favorite show of many people who hate musicals, because it eschews the more obvious conventions and has no trouble being its unpretentious self."

The Robber Bridegroom, small illustration by Walter Crane from Household Stories by The Brothers Grimm

Sources: HERE, HERE & HERE.

Fairy Tale Bonus of the Day:

Here's a link to the full background and analysis of the musical The Robber Bridegroom, by Scott Miller. It's quite lengthy but very readable and extremely fascinating, asking all sorts of great questions about men and women, relationships and how we view sex. With regard to current pop culture fascinations, specifically, 50 Shades of Grey, and Bluebeard tendencies to continuously rear their head, no matter how modernized, liberated and equal opportunity we believe ourselves to be, this is a good article to reference. Why? Because this is exactly what the musical is all about. The manner of the telling, with a large dose of tongue in cheek and folklore flavor, actually makes the material easier to consider and discuss. So if you're interested in Bluebeard, check out the article. You won't be disappointed. 

You can click HERE to read it.

Historically (Closer To) Accurate Disney Princesses

A neat little diversion that popped up today: people making an effort to have some of the Disney Princesses more accurately reflect the time period Disney (seems to have) their version of the story in, with regard to their outfits.

Disney creates fictional worlds for their princesses to live in, drawing on historical and mythical inspiration to create beautiful fairy tales. We wondered what the princesses would’ve looked like if they’d existed in the real world, so we used context clues from the films to determine, as specifically as possible, the time and location of each Disney princess’s story.
*based on the Disney films, not the original source material.

Take a look at the video:

You can find the whole post over at Buzzfeed HERE, which outlines the "context clues" that helped the costume people decide which way to dress each character. The comments are particularly interesting below as well, "discussing" the various time periods, what culture did what etc It's worth a look.

A Thank You To "Tales Of Faerie"

A little note sent via bluebird direct to TOF earlier this evening after our enchanting visit

If you missed any of the stops on the special five year anniversary of Tale Of Faerie Tour, you can find them linked below in order, starting with Kristin's interview here (very) early this morning.




[1] Interview at OUABlog  - An Invitation to TOF

[2] The Parlor

[3] The Grounds

[4] The Library

[5] A Letter (link to be added when the TOF post goes live)

Happily Ever After Is Not All That It Seems... (A Handy Infographic)

Just sent to me today as part of a promotion for a book any fairy tale student (or regular reader) should have, is this great infographic, created by the Norton Critical Editions team. We see a lot of infographics floating around these days but one of the best things about this one is I know the team will have done their research properly to create it, so you can trust this summary and use it confidently for reference.

I love the artwork too - very nice, yet easy to quickly reference all the information. Look at that neat list of referenced fairy tales at the bottom to. It's a very neat resource to have on hand. (Can we get a poster please?)

Here's a link to the Norton Critical Edition of The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tartar, if you don't already have a copy, or need another to give to a friend.

In case it's not already clear, this book is highly recommended for any fairy tale study library, from the casual student to those more inclined to serious scholarship.

Here's the summary:

Fairy tales shape our cultures and enrich our imaginations; their narrative stability and cultural durability are incontestable. 

This Norton Critical Edition collects forty-four fairy tales, from the fifth century to the present. The Classic Fairy Tales focuses on six tale types: "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and "Hansel and Gretel," and presents multicultural variants and sophisticated literary rescriptings. Also reprinted are tales by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. 

"Criticism" gathers twelve essays that interpret aspects of fairy tales, including their social origins, historical evolution, psychological drama, gender issues, and national identities. 

A Selected Bibliography is included.

Interview: A Visit From "Tales Of Faerie" [1]

"Pardon me, noble sir. I'm truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was so magnificent that I couldn't imagine that you would be offended by my taking such a little thing as a rose."
(Madame de Villeneuve)

Today I have a treat for you. Knowing that fellow fairy tale blogger, Kristin, of the lovely, thought provoking, Tales Of Faerie, was fast approaching her fifth anniversary since beginning her blog, I asked her a couple of weeks ago if she would mind being interviewed so we could get a little of a behind-the-scenes view of Tales Of Faerie. She graciously said yes, so, knowing her favorite tale is Beauty and the Beast and in anticipation for her visit I've decorated today's space with a few things I hope will make her feel at home on her special day: February 19, 2015. Today!

*hears knock at the door*

I think that's her now...

FTNH: *opens door* Welcome Kristin! And a very Happy Fifth Blog-a-versary to you! *grabs a little potted rosebush, hands it to Kristin* These are for you, for your garden. 

K: Why, thank you! I know it's a little cliche, but roses are indeed my favorite flower, and it's all because of Beauty and the Beast I'm sure...

FTNH:  *ushers her in toward a table for two spread with freshly-made coffee, a fruit platter with clawed feet and mini breakfast cupcakes, topped with little sugar roses* Thank you for the visit - especially on today of all days.

K: This looks amazing! I'm happy to stop by. Tales of Faerie wouldn't be anything like what it is today if it weren't for you and the other fabulous fairy tale bloggers and readers who take the time to share their thoughts!

FTNH:   I know it's early, so let's grab some coffee while we chat. *pours coffee into two demitasse coffee cups * I know you've written a little here and there about TOF but going waaaay back, do you remember the initial inspiration that started you blogging about fairy tales and their study? *adds plate with cupcake on it, next to Kristin's coffee*

K: Well, it all started when Disney's Beauty and the Beast came out. I was pretty young still but I think I was just at the right stage to hook on to a Disney Princess as "my favorite." For years I was obsessed with Belle and it really became part of my identity. As I grew older and started to think about it more I was still proud of the message of the movie overall-from having a Princess who loves to read and spurns unwanted suitors, to the whole aspect of loving someone for who they are on the inside. Eventually I became curious as to the history of the story and did a little digging online, which eventually led me to the SurLaLune site. The more I read the more I wanted to find out!

FTNH: Ah! Another research addict. *raises coffee cup in toast* Do you remember what it was that transitioned you from enjoying fairy tales to dabbling in scholarship?

K: First of all, discovering that there is actually a whole section of the library dedicated to fairy tales and their history was huge for me! I always thought of the nonfiction section as a place you only went to when you had to do research for school, and never something I would do for fun! Once I started reading more about the history of Beauty and the Beast, both in books and online, I discovered the existence of an older tale, by Madame de Villeneuve. I tried getting my hands on it, or at least finding a decent summary, but at the time it was really hard to find details on it. The few people that wrote about it seemed to have contradictory opinions on it. The curiosity to find out more about the elusive Villeneuve version really prompted me to research more. And my search into Beauty and the Beast naturally dovetailed into learning about other fairy tales, which I had always liked, if not quite as obsessively :)

FTNH:  Ah - curiosity! Always takes you down paths you could never have imagined..! I totally approve. *grins* It's one of the reasons I love Tales Of Faerie: you're not only asking questions but always looking to find out more. *serves Kristin another cupcake* Do you have a process for blogging, or studying then blogging?

K: If I have no specific topic or idea in mind, I might just go over to my bookshelf and pull down a book and start flipping through! Usually, though, through following other fairy tale blogs, or through reading I'm already doing, I'll find something that interests me and I think would interest readers. Although at times when I can't seem to think of anything to post about, I've been known to type things into google like "what should I blog about?" Inspiration can come in waves, there are days I just don't want to stop blogging and am so excited about what I learn, and other days when I just want to put more energy into other aspects of my life.

FTNH:  I'm all too familiar with those "wish I could clone myself" days when there seems to be a thousand things to report or write about. I'm just so glad you write as often as you do. As much as I believe in the importance of reporting on news with regard to fairy tales, I do wish I had more time to ponder and discuss ideas I have while I'm information gathering! Tales Of Faerie, gives me the chance to do that - and often! - so I really appreciate your posts giving me that outlet, more than you know as a result (though you may have figured I don't get to discuss the things on my mind too often from often lengthy comments I'll leave every now and then! Sorry about that...) *winces, notices angle of sun* Oh my goodness, the morning is already waning and I'm sure your Beast, er, Prince is missing you. Thank you so much for your visit. I wish we had longer to chat! There are so many things I'd love to ask you...

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more. Why don't we meet over at Tales of Faerie at 11 for a tour? We can start with The Parlor Room.

FTNH: Oh my goodness! I'd be honored! Will we be able to see the grounds?  Could I bring some friends too? *to self* What should I wear?

K: Of course! I'll show you around and we can chat some more.

FTNH:  Wonderful! I'll see you at your blog at 11am today!

K:  I should go get things ready then! See you in a bit!

*waves goodbye to Kristin as she gallops off on her horse and goes back inside*

An invitation to Tales Of Faerie! I have to get ready...

If you'd like to join us on this special tour of TOF today, meet us over at Kristin's enchanted blog at 11am today. I'll bring this banner so you can easily follow along:

See you there! *exits in a rush to rifle through closet*

Note: All illustrations used, unless otherwise indicated, are from Kristin's favorite picture book version of Beauty and the Beast, written by Max Eilenberg, Illustrated by the amazing Angela Barrett (2006).

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Next stop: TALES OF FAERIE: Parlor Room (Click -Parlor Room- to go straight there...)

CW's Beauty & the Beast Renewed for Season 4 (Before Season 3 Airs!)

I know I'm not the only one scratching my head regarding how this show manages to stay afloat, but it's been announced that Beauty and the Beast will not only return with a full Season Three but has been renewed for a Fourth as well. And all this well before Episode One of the coming season has aired or premiered anywhere!

The fan base, though not immense compared to other popular series shows, is both extremely loyal and very active so that's helped a lot.

In fact, although fans haven't had any new B&tB content for a while now they've been busy raising awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in honor of one of the main actors of the show having type 1 diabetes. They're working on a book of diabetic-friendly recipes called Beauty & the Feast - something I find fascinating since fairy tale fans will instantly recall how key the meal time is in the literary versions of Beauty and the Beast. (I wonder if the fans are aware of this too?)

It also helps that the big boss at CW reportedly has a personal soft spot for the show as well (it was the main concept he aimed to reboot and return to TV prime time as soon as he "took the CW's reins"). I guess that combination is enough to keep the ball rolling, and will happily employ a lot of good people too.

I admit I lost track of the show last season for a few reasons but I'm curious to see if the current focus on the old fairy tale, as well as Disney's coming remake, has any impact on the writing of the show and the issues it deals with.

If you're a fan and curious about what will happen in Season Three, there have been teasers put out there, many of which you can read about in detail HERE.

Beauty and the Beast returns to the CW on May 21st, 2015 for their third - and definitely not final - season.

Gabriel Pacheco's "The Jungle Book"

These illustrations for The Jungle Book are amazing.

They make me want to read Kipling's stories all over again. (I just came across these and had to share.)

I found a Spanish interview with Pacheco HERE on the challenge of creating new illustrations for The Jungle Book, and have used an auto-translator to assist in reposting some of it here:

The assignment was difficult. "A complicated challenge" qualifies illustrator Gabriel Pacheco... "And, well, you put Mowgli or Jungle Book in Google ... ". And search results overflowing with colorful images of the film adaptation of Disney. "But that was precisely what attracted me to illustrate a book with a great visual weight" explains via Skype from Buenos Aires.  

After the other, they began the problems . "The text they are so well made, has such workmanship, it is difficult to rework the characters because the text has solved. Worked great deal of time with this great conflict because the images I took out were superficial. They were not a reflection of the majesty of the text. "

After much rereading, came up with the solution: "I realized that I had not noticed the astonishment of the jungle Almost us goes unnoticed, but it is incredible that a child grows into it in the book, the weight of the jungle is.. amazing, so I decided to follow that path and work on the majesty of the jungle. I know it sounds simple, but it took three months of suffering come to that conclusion. I think it was nerves, anxiety draw a book with a very aesthetic view ... It was like drawing a Peter Pan "he explains.

You can read/see the first few pages of this edition of The Jungle Book HERE (it's in Spanish).

Gabriel Pacheco (Mexico, 1973), studied scenography at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico.  

His visual work has earned numerous awards in Spain, Italy, Mexico and Japan. He has been part of the sample Illustrators of Children's Book Fair in Bologna.  

He has been nominated Alma award three times.

You can find many, many more of Pacheco's illustrations on his website HERE, including some fairy tales you might know well, such as Beauty and the Beast.