Into The Woods

Toy/Magic Props Artisan, Spring 2023.

Leaning into the timelessness of childhood fairytales and storybooks, the concept of this production featured a number of handmade wooden toys to represent some of the larger, more fantastical and magical elements of the story. To create a visual through line with these toy items, I was brought on as the “toymaker”, focusing on creating an authentic handmade look and feel to the series of pieces.

Toys included a rolling wooden hen and golden egg, a carriage pulled by rolling horses, a larger stand-up horse, a golden harp with a sculpted singing angel’s head, miniature character figurines designed to replicate actors’ costumes, and a wooden forest “play set” with removable flowers. Most pieces were hand-carved from 1-inch pine boards laminated to appropriate thickness. Details included wooden dowels, balsa wood, wooden wheels, and paint wash.