I wish......I wish......what do you wish? Have you ever had a dream that you wanted so badly you could taste it? Well you are in good company because so did Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, the Baker's wife. Wait, you don't know who the Baker's wife is???? Wahhhheeeeeeellll, let me introduce her to those of you not familiar with the ever magical play Into the Woods. This story houses all of the original fairytale princesses Mr. Walt told you about and then some. Each of these characters wish for something they don't have and then set out to make these wishes come true. The central characters, in my mind, are the baker and his wife. They long for a child but aren't able to conceive because of a dark and sinister witch's curse. Enter Meryl Streep, who will be playing the witch in Disney's newest motion picture Into the Woods coming out Christmas Day!!! I can HARDLY wait!!!!!!! Now, because this is my most favorite play and I have seen it about a dozen times, I reeeaaaalllllly (insert me doing a somewhat crazy potty dance while saying that) wanted to do a photo shoot where we brought these characters to life in our own way. We brought in a little culture by recreating a famous Botticelli painting. The amazing Archive Costumes over at Hale Theater in Orem, Utah donated all of our beautiful costumes. Kris, the manager over there is a magician! You tell her your party, event, themed book club gathering ;), or idea and she is OFF! Runs to the back of her magical closet and brings out ribbons, corsets, hats, gloves, sweaters, canes, detailed buckles...everything! Our very own Jacque from Looks For Lovelies added finishing details (hello jewelry?) and helped with the direction for the shoot and even played our Red. And, of COURSE, our amazing photographer Summer of Summer Nicole Photography, who is in our book club as well, took all of the dreamy pictures. I am constantly amazed by the crispness of her pictures, the tone and colors. It's like she can read my mind and see what it needs to be before I even say anything. It was a huge effort and I am SO excited to show you all of the pics....ready???
Spooooooky right? =) Now, our book club, Delicious Reads, if you haven't noticed or if you are new here, goes above and beYOND when it comes to being creative. Through elaborate themes, menus, dressing up, off site photo shoots, retreats...and we read books HA! They are the first ones I went to when wanting to recreate these characters. First up? The witch. Our wonderful book club member and celebrated new author Robin was able to play a darker side as she tried her best to keep Rapunzel from any and all evil........and casting curses left and right.
{shrug} It's what they do.
Her makeup consisted of pale foundation and lots of contouring to make wrinkles, cuz she has none ;). Isn't she terrifying?
Beautiful Kara, whom you may remember from our Hedwig shoot, portrays Rapunzel. This is one of my favorite gowns that Hale Theater donated to the shoot. Being a mom I can definitely relate to wanting to shield my children from all that is evil in the world. Rapunzel's story is an over the top depiction of what could happen.
Ah, our beautiful Red portrayed by Jacque blows my mind. She is the most perfect person to portray the innocence and wonder of Red. Her dowey eyes are stunning and her lips crave color. I used MAC's Relentlessly Red on her (get it?) and deepened the corners with a touch of MAC's Dark Side.
Can you see me? That's ME! lol It was actually really fun to be in front of the camera with this one since I would LOVE to be her in the play (she's my fav). To reverse the curse of the witch, there are four things the witch told me and "my husband" to find. One of them is a cape as red as blood. It's not as easy as you would think. Red and Jacque both love their clothes, and rightly so =).
Look at us checking images...awwwwww! I love that Summer captured this {heart}.
No mashing of fairytales can be complete without mentioning the Little Cinder Girl. Beautiful Kitch acts out the most iconic phrase in the whole production...I wish. She, of course wishes to go to the festival. To dance, to be free, to meet the prince. Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.
Then again, who wouldn't want to be free from ridicule and hard labor? Poor Cinderella had to live in the shadows of three rather large personalities. Carissa from Carissa Miss and Angie from our unforgettable Capital shoot were PERFECT for these roles. The over the top faces and extravagance! Angie, might I add is obsessed with watching ANTM and KILLED all of her shots! She also was hugely responsible for helping everyone else pose which, if you aren't a professional model and you're asked to step in front of the camera, is a huge blessing! I loved her direction and it always turned out amazing when we tilted this way, bent that way, like she said. That girl, talent!
These two sisters live to be known by the wealthy and most importantly the prince. HOW could he not find them irresistible?
And what is the step family without the wicked stepmother? Kellie, also from book club yielded a stern expression and amazing bone structure to the beautiful, yet cruel caretaker of poor Cinderella. The lengths this woman will go to to have her daughters wed to royalty. Isn't her gown stunning???
Here is the whole inspiration behind the shoot. We wanted to find a painting with just enough people to supply us with a vision for just the "Women Of the Woods". La Primavera by Botticelli fit the bill perfectly. The lad in the cape was perfect to be Red, the three dancing women our stepfamily, the woman in the middle, the baker's wife (remember her being the central character), next is Cinderella gathering something in her gwn and longingly wishing to be apart of the dance to her right. Lastly you see the struggle between the witch and Rapunzel. Obviously this is not what he had in mind when he painted it but put our characters in the same positioning aaaaaaaaannnnnd.....
Voila! Our very own Botticelli inspired, Into the Woods inspired photo. Inspiration within inspiration, it's like Inception lol! I cannot tell you what it does to me that these women are willing to jump out of reality, get made up and go pose out in the woods so that I could have a dream realized. I was seriously giddy the whole day!
The cast for Disney's Into the Woods is ridiculous! Don't miss it. I plan to be in my seat, Christmas Day, WITH my popcorn, IN Sacramento!!!!! I am SO beyond excited to go home for the first time in our married lives for Christmas!!! We just told the boys that we are leaving tonight and that they are all packed up and ready to go! Are you going? Do you have your tickets yet? Go to the wood!!!
Merry Christmas!!!
Photos: Summer Nicole Photography
Makeup: Me =)
Hair: Jennifer Squires & Angie T.
Styling: Jacque from Looks For Lovelies & Kris from Archive Costumes
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