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.

"The 7th Dwarf" Released in UK Theaters

There aren't much in the way of (English) reviews for this film but despite hopes for the production, with some ex-Disney Company names such as the talented (and, sadly, late) Harald Siepermann on the team (you may recognize some of his character design work from Tarzan, Enchanted and more), as well as design work from the amazing Man Arenas, I'm not sure I'd view this any way other than Netflix.

Even The Guardian's review, while generally a "thumbs up", is a bit sparse on details. But apparently there's a very successful franchise that this movie is a part of in Germany, so perhaps there's more to this than is immediately apparent.

The 7th Dwarf is the latest in the Snow White-inspired franchise created by German comedianOtto Waalkes. Two previous live-action versions of the series have together grossed around $75 million in Germany alone.

While it's difficult to truly assess trailers (what with the power of editing being able to transform a movie's story or genre), when I finally did view one I saw why it was initially thought to have a lot of potential.

Here's the trailer:

And the synopsis:

When Bobo, the youngest of the seven dwarves, accidentally pricks Princess Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty) and sends the kingdom into a century-long slumber, Bobo and the other six dwarves must travel into the future in order to revive Rose... and find that even the smallest dwarf can be a king.  

A hilarious mash-up of the best classic fairy tales for young and old alike, featuring a suicidal dragon, a brave little dwarf, non-stop gags, and toe-tapping songs in Stereo 3-D.

Clearly, "the gang's all here" (ie. all your standard fairy tale characters are here) which, admittedly, isn't my favorite fairy tale genre to begin with. Taking the little reviews have said though, I'm not confident it's as little-kid-friendly as it's supposed to be (think German sensibilities/humor!). There are bound to be some interesting ideas in there but are they worth mining for?

Additional sources: HERE, HERE and  HERE

School Transformed into Snow Queen Scenes - Kids' Grades Soar in Response

From The Snow Queen illustrated by Vadislav Erko - note all the tools of learning in this illustration

Wow. I wish kids here had the opportunity to learn like this! There's not a whole lot of information about this event, other than a very short piece in a local paper but it's a fantastic example of immersive learning and teaching through the arts and fairy tales to foster excellence in students.

The whole idea of using the setting to immerse student senses and live storytelling is to engender learning of often-challenging subjects for kids. And it works. It really, really works!

Here's the short report:

SCENES from Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen turned St Mary's Church of England Primary in Stansted into a fairy-tale world. 

Pupils felt like they were stepping into a storybook after staff gave the primary a revamp during a (pupil free) day. 

It set the backdrop as children started a two-week project basing all their literacy and artwork on different versions of the much-loved story. 

They were treated to a performance of the play by Quantum Theater, paid for by the school's PTFA. 

"Seeing the school transformed was a wonderful surprise and caused great excitement," said Kate Maginn, English co-ordinator. "All the children produced quality pieces of writing and art, whatever their age."

(Source HERE)

Congratulations to the caring and motivated parents and teachers who worked so hard on their pupil free day, made this happen and brought Quantum Theater into the school to bring the story to life to boot!

Not coincidentally, this type of education is exactly what Quantum Theater is all about. They're specifically set up to amp education via stories, fairy tales and theater. The idea is to help kids learn the basics, like reading, writing and maths, to enjoy the process and to get excited about learning even more. It's such a brilliant program. If I were wealthy I'd make a point of expanding their company so they can reach more kids.Here's more from the "About Us" section of Quantum Theater's website (we need these guys over here please!):

Quantum Theatre for Science was founded in 1988 as a direct response to the lack of educational drama available to schools on the subject of numeracy and science. Over twenty years on, nearly three thousand schools each year see Quantum performances, using them to introduce or re-enforce these topics, making Quantum Britain's foremost science and numeracy-based theatre-in-education company.

Our customers have come to rely on Quantum's characteristic style; educational elements combined with pacey, humorous musical theatre. Our aim is to make the world of science and numeracy accessible and relevant to children's everyday experiences by bringing it "to life."                     If you're wondering "Why Snow Queen?", there's a lot to work with in the story, with everything from each season getting a showcase through to the idea of puzzles, math and logic (not to mention writing on a fish!). I don't know how the play was written for the show to be specifically focused on reading and writing and more but whatever they're doing, it clearly worked. Works. They're still touring around other (lucky) schools. Could Quantum Theater (and the happy teachers and parents at St. Mary's Primary) please come have a chat with my son's school, so the kids here can also learn this way? I'm lucky if I get to do a proper storytelling for our kiddos, let alone transform the school for a unit! Note: photos are from St. Mary's Primary and from the Snow Queen production by Quantum Theater (found on their Twitter account). *We did a little of this in the Children's Theater I worked with but not to the extent of working with the education system directly. We would try to incorporate learning principles ourselves but it's so much more effective if teachers, parents and guests are working together!

Ask Baba Yaga: Should I Be Less Shy?

Baba Yaga's House by Boris Dimitrovski

Ah - when extroverts do not get introverts! It's a standard complaint of the quiet one, being seen as sad, sad little people... (not so!). But even though we know it's normal, the looks get to us after a while (the imply we are "less than") and we start to wonder, "should I do something about it?"

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

(Originally posted at The Hairpin HERE)

Oh good point.. it's not about me at all and I do not need "fixing". I'll be over here, not talking... probably reading... or writing... or contemplating the mysteries of the universe. And I'll be happy too.

Baba Yaga by Boris Dimitrovski

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.

Review: Ballet Austin's "Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast"

Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast
Ballet Austin

Review by Tahlia Merrill (Timeless Tales Magazine)

What could be a more appropriate way to spend Valentine's weekend than attending a fairy tale themed ballet? Belle Redux is only playing in Austin for three days and I had the privilege of enjoying opening night. 

This is no Swan Lake, though. With narry a tutu or pointe shoe in sight, Belle Redux firmly establishes itself as a contemporary interpretation of Beauty and the Beast. The show, advertised as "multimedia", incorporates digital screens into the set to enhance the experience. Sometimes the screens clarify the location, such as a projected chandelier silhouette that lets the audience know they are viewing the Beast's mansion. Other times, they assist the plot, such as the pulsing red bar that appears on stage when the Beast (portrayed by Ed Carr) is first cursed (his Beast form is represented by a red stripe that runs from head to navel). The single set piece--a foil covered structure--is transformed from nondescript backdrop to ominous castle by shifting the lighting. 

While the style is contemporary, that does not mean Redux is a modernization. The set and costumes are designed as abstract symbols rather than fitting any specific time period. The music too blends the clear tones of classical strings with the gritty reverb of electric guitar. 

Because the show sticks to a fairly monochromatic color scheme, I found myself drawing connections between the characters' costumes and their good/evil alignment. It seemed simple at first: Belle's sisters dress in black leotards to show that they are wicked. Belle (danced by Michelle Thompson) wears a fluttery green dress to show her fresh innocence. The father wears black and white plaid to show that his loyalties are divided--while he loves Belle, he is still controlled by his evil daughters. Since The Rose represents the curse, the ballerina playing The Rose is dressed in a spiky black tutu and a crown of red roses. The Beast wears black leather pants with a white waistband, so that means he's evil, but there's still a little good in him. 

It's not always that simple, of course. In the first scene, both good and evil are portrayed wearing white, as is the pre-beast prince. Here's the description of the prologue from the program:

"In a beautiful place, a young boy lives. He is surrounded by roses and a life filled with things that are good. As he grows, the goodness surrounding him is subsumed by evil. As the boy matures, he resists the evil, but it cruelly marks him."

Notice that, in this version, the Beast doesn't start out as a haughty prince who rejects an ugly woman. This isn't a story about the Beast's redemption, it's about Belle's ability to see his true self. In the end, Belle finds herself in a room full of mirrors where she encounters versions of her family members, now carrying the same red mark as the Beast. Eventually, she sees a reflection of herself with the same red mark. It is only then that she sees both the Beast and the Prince at the same time. 

Now, because dance is such an abstract medium, it can be tough to pull out definitive messages. But my interpretation of the action is that when when Belle finally kisses the Prince, it shows that she has learned to love the inner good of the Beast. Everyone has imperfections, including Belle, but only the Beast has them displayed for everyone to see. 

Most surprisingly, instead of her kiss permanently bringing back the handsome Prince, the final scene is a romantic dance between Belle and the Beast--still bearing his red mark. In Redux, love isn't about changing a person, but loving them, scars and all. 

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Tahlia Merrill is Editor of Timeless Tales Magazine, and an official partner of Once Upon A Blog.

Production: Belle Redux: A Tale of Beauty & the Beast by Ballet Austin - A 3M Innovation Commission
Performance Date: February 13th, 2015
Cast: Michelle Thompson dances Belle and Ed Carr portrays the Beast.
Photos by: Tony Spielberg (courtesy of Ballet Austin)

Once upon a time... A forbidden garden, a mysterious castle...  A beauty. A beast. A ballet. Inspired by the 1946 Jean Cocteau film and featuring an original score by Graham Reynolds. Commissioned by 3M.  FEBRUARY 13-15 at The Long Center.

More information can be found about Ballet Austin's commissioned production by 3M Innovation at the website HERE, while showings and tickets information can be found HERE (Sunday tickets are still available!).

You can see our previous post on Belle Redux and the unique approach to the production and retelling of the fairy tale, including costume and set design, HERE.

Disclosure: Complimentary tickets were provided in exchange for an honest review.

My Fairy Tale Romance Is Not For the Faint Of Heart

The cover for Winter rose by Patricia A. McKillip, painting by Kinuko Y. Craft

I'm not usually one to note days like Valentine's Day but with all the talk of love and fairy tales at the moment in the media I thought I'd take the opportunity to share one of my favorite fairy tales ever since it has a lot to do with love.

It's Tam Lin and I love this fairy tale ballad, but not because of the initial passion and "romance", though clearly the girl who insists on exploring "her" land, (despite that it's forbidden) is not some shy, retiring violet. Depending on how you read it, it can be seen as a lust-at-first-sight situation (and she's actually the one who makes the first move) which leaves the girl pregnant. Even if you allow for some time and it not all happening on a first meeting, it's still happens very quickly. While it's all very sexy (and the metaphors within the ballad can be interpreted quite steamily!), it's not really a good basis for a relationship. But it's what happens afterward that draws me in.

The girl, Janet (or Jennet or sometimes Margaret) stands by her decision to choose this man, against her father's will, against the possibility of losing everything and facing the very real possibility that she will be a disowned single mother with no title, land or resources. Not only that, in order to be with her man at all, she has to go up against the Faerie Queen (think super model with celebrity status, hefty bodyguards and actual magic to boot) to win her man back from the tithe/enchantment he's under - and it's a really tough challenge.

She has to pull him off a horse from the middle of an intimidating (and dangerous) Faerie Retinue that's in the middle of a serious procession,  then has to keep a hold of him as he changes forms, trying to escape her grasp, until he changes back into a man and wraps him in a green cloak. The forms include a bear, a lion, a giant snake and fire (!). Her mantra through all this is to remember he is already committed to her (he reminds her he will be present in the future as the father for their son too) and to "hold tight, don't let go".

It's simple but hefty advice for a couple - to hold tight to your partner, to your relationship and your family, through all the changes and challenges you never see coming.

She wins, of course, and the Faerie Queen is furious but must keep her end of the bargain.

I always imagine the heroine in quite bad shape afterward (not to mention exhausted and worried about her baby that's almost due to be born) while her just-freed man is disoriented, aching and naked under the green cloak she's wrapped him in. It's a tough start for the little family but it's an exhilarating one and it's clear they're not people who give up. He isn't (he's been waiting years for the right girl to bond to and to free him) and she isn't (she's just proven that) and they're about to start a new line of fierce people who love with their all.

Because Tam Lin had kept his human heart - the heart that loved Janet - intact through it all (much to the Faerie Queen's regret), he was able to turn back to his true self and be with the one he truly loved - the one who truly loved him.

I can't think of a better way to show your love for someone than to celebrate them as fully as possible and be proud of that in the good times and to be there with them, side by side, when challenges rise, no matter what happens and how unrecognizable they become in the process.

May we love wisely, well and fiercely!

What is your favorite fairy tale about love, passion and/or romance, and why?

Note:  Apart from the header, images above are by Jill Karla Schwarz from the Time Life Series Enchanted World retelling of Tam Lin. While there are a number of wonderful retellings of the story in novel form, my favorite is still Patricia A. McKillip's Winter Rose, the full spread cover of which is shown at the head of the post. (See? I do have somewhat of a romantic side!)