Vasilisa the Beautiful and Baba Yaga

Work in Progress

A fresh retelling of the classic

Russian fairy tale for the stage

“Children’s souls require fairy tales just as the body requires physical nourishment.” —Rudolf Steiner

“The child intuitively comprehends that although these stories are unreal, they are not untrue.”

—Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales

The medicine of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales tell of impossible tasks, unexpected helpers, and journeys of transformation. Their lasting gift is not the promise that life will be easy, but the reminder that change, growth, and renewal are possible.

I began reading Grimm’s fairy tales to my son when he attended a Waldorf kindergarten nearly 30 years ago. Through that experience, I discovered the profound wisdom these stories hold and the way they can speak to something deep within us. That first encounter opened the door to a lifelong exploration of the imagination, meaning, and insight woven through these timeless tales.

The Story of Vasilisa the beautiful and Baba Yaga

At the heart of the tale is Vasilisa’s small doll, given to her by her mother on her deathbed and carried as a source of guidance through moments of uncertainty and danger. The doll embodies intuitive wisdom, carrying her mother’s blessing while connecting Vasilisa to deeper mysteries beyond the visible world.

In the forest lives the fearsome Baba Yaga, a powerful threshold figure whose hut dances on chicken legs, and whose skulls of fire fill the trees. Through her trials, Baba Yaga tempts and challenges Vasilisa, initiating her transformation as she confronts fear, trusts her intuition, and develops discernment.

The tale beautifully demonstrates how adversity can awaken inner wisdom, reveal hidden strengths, and deepen our connection to the unseen guidance that surrounds us.

The Creative Journey

The paintings came first, becoming the seeds from which the story adaptation, poetry, and song lyrics grew. I then shared the work with my creative collaborator, Kristi Williamson, for our Mythic Heart Theatre project. Her musical gifts opened another dimension of the tale.

Together, we are developing Vasilisa the Beautiful and Baba Yaga as a stage production planned for winter 2027, weaving storytelling, music, movement, ritual, and visual art into a shared experience for Mythic Heart Theatre.