In honor of Pentecost, Amelia and Kenny Smith join Jackie to discuss Disney’s Encanto and point out the Madrigal family's similarities to the Church.

References and Recommendations

Deconstructing Encanto by Pop Culture Pastor

Encanto - Therapist Reacts! by Georgia Dow

How Encanto Works by Howard Ho

“The Saint That Is Just Me” by Danielle Rose

Music:

~ "Adventurous Souls" by Zane Dickinson

~ "The Family Madrigal" by Stephanie Beatriz & Olga Merediz & Encanto Cast, composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, from Encanto (original motion picture soundtrack)

Cover Art: Encanto candle made by LightingActLLC

Freelance writer and filmmaker C.J. Williams joins Jackie for the first annual Star Wars Day episode, reviewing the Skywalker saga films (Episodes I-IX).

Resources and Recommendations

Our work:

C.J.W. Writing, C.J. Williams’ website

“Where You Are, He Is: Leia, Rey, and St. Monica” by Jacqueline Tetrault

Star Wars commentaries referenced:

A Critique of the Philosophy Behind Star Wars talk by Peter Kreeft 

Folktale Types in Star Wars - Meta Masterpost by Missy

How the Force Can Fix the World by Stephen Kent

What the Force? podcast by Marie-Claire Gould

Music:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ “Main Title” from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, composed by John Williams, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra

With Easter coming up, Jackie and Amelia discuss the Grimm fairy tale “Rapunzel,” its Disney adaptation Tangled, and their themes of truth, rebirth, human potential, sacrifice, and finding the way home.

Content Warning: Mentions toxic/abusive parent-child relationships.

References and Recommendations:

11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting in Tangled by Cinema Therapy

Glen Keane Discusses Merging The Gospel With Animation, Faith, and How To Follow Jesus on Simple Faith With Rusty George

Virtual Viewing: Disney Cruise Line’s 'Tangled: The Musical’

Cover Art:

~ Model: Amelia Smith

~ Photographer: Amos Madruga, courtesy of Ice Queen Cosplay Princess Parties

Music:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ “Healing Incantation” by Mandy Moore, from the Tangled soundtrack by Alan Menken

In honor of spring and St. Patrick’s Day, Jackie and Amelia discuss a little-known, original fairy tale musical, The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Michael Webborn and Daniel Finn.

Content Warning: Mentions of child death and toxic/abusive parent-child relationships.

Resources and Recommendations:

The Clockmaker’s Daughter official website

2019 staged reading of The Clockmaker’s Daughter at Cadogan Hall

Amelia Smith's cover of "A Story of My Own"

Cover Art:

~ Model: Amelia Smith

~ Photographer: Kenny Smith

Music:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ “The Turning of the Key” from The Clockmaker’s Daughter studio cast recording (2015), vocals by Fra Fee, composed by Michael Webborn and Daniel Finn

Singer and actor Katie Broach shares her experience of playing the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, and Jackie talks about her experiences with Catholic religious communities.

References and recommendations:

~ The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp

~ Katie Broach's website: https://www.katiebroachsoprano.com

~ Jacqueline Tetrault's articles on religious vocations and communities: http://www.jacquelinetetrault.com/religious-vocations.html

Cover Art: Katie Broach and Michelle Heinze in The Sound of Music, produced by Imago Stage Company in November 2023. Photo by Michael Chiusano.

Music used:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ "Overture / Preludium (Dixit Dominus) / Morning Hymn / Alleluia (Medley)" from The Sound of Music (1965)

Amelia and Kenny Smith join Jackie to talk about their mutual love of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë’s beloved Gothic coming-of-age romance. Among other things, Amelia lays out how Helen and Jane are Christ figures; Jackie opens up about life with ADHD; and Kenny identifies 19th-century tropes that the novel subverts.

Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of child abuse and spiritual abuse.

References & Recommendations:

~ The British Library - Jane Eyre videos

~ The Princess Passion Project - Jane Eyre essay by Amelia Smith

Cover Art: “Brave Enough For Love” music video by Amelia and Kenny Smith

Music:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ “The Graveyard” from Jane Eyre (Original Broadway Cast Recording), music and lyrics by Paul Gordon

With Christmas coming up, Jackie and Amelia dig into the history of the Nutcracker, from E. T. A. Hoffman's novella to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet and various other adaptations.

For more information and links to available filmed productions, check out our recommendations on the Finding Faith in Fandoms blog.

Cover art model: Amelia Smith

Cover art photographer: Jacqueline Tetrault

Music:

~ "Adventurous Souls" by Zane Dickinson

~ "Overture" from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Drama therapist Brooke Dennis joins Jackie for a discussion of Disney's movie and musical Hercules. Fangirling ensues.

For more of Jackie's analysis of Hercules, check out her essays, "Human and Divine: Hercules as a Christ Figure" and "True Heroism is True Love."

Media References & Recommendations:

~ "Myth Became Fact" by C. S. Lewis

~ The Literary Life Podcast Episode 60: Why Read Pagan Myths

~ "Hercules, Disney's Beautiful Hot Mess: a Video Essay" by Lindsay Ellis

Music used:

~ "Adventurous Souls" by Zane Dickinson

~ "The Gospel Truth/Main Titles" from Hercules: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, composed by Alan Menken

Artist and historian Patrick Powers joins Jackie for a discussion about the Halloween-themed animated miniseries Over the Garden Wall.

Content Warning: This episode mentions sensitive topics, including death and suicide.

References and recommendations:

~ "Greg's Gospel: Community, Self-Expression, & Radical Love - Over the Garden Wall's Moral Philosophy" by Michael Kellermeyer

~ "Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die" by Ruth Graham

~ "‘Over the Garden Wall’ Explores and Positively Subverts Fairy-Tale Worlds" by Elijah David

Cover art:

~ Book: QuarterPress

~ Costume: Amelia Smith

~ Model: Jacqueline Tetrault

~ Photography: Amelia Smith.

Music:

~ "Adventurous Souls" by Zane Dickinson

~ "Into the Unknown (feat. Jack Jones)" from Over the Garden Wall (Original Television Soundtrack) by The Blasting Company

~ "Prelude" from Over the Garden Wall (Original Television Soundtrack) by The Blasting Company

Fresh from a series rewatch, Jackie and Amelia discuss the fantasy drama Once Upon a Time (2011-2018), which drew inspiration from classic fairy tales and Disney films. What emerged was a story that emphasizes faith, hope, and love above all.

Content Warnings: This episode contains mentions of sensitive and/or potentially triggering topics, such as abandonment, abortion, abuse, addiction, death, trauma, and violence.

Timestamps

0:07:15 Preliminary discussion

0:21:00 Pilot and Season 1

0:43:00 Seasons 2 and 3

0:53:00 Rumplestiltskin

0:59:30 Regina Mills

1:07:00 Captain Hook

1:14:00 Seasons 4 and 5

1:17:00 Season 6

1:32:00 Season 7

1:37:30 Final takeaways

Read more of Jackie’s analysis in “Stories and Saviors in Once Upon a Time.”

Media references & recommendations:

~ "On Fairy Stories" by J.R.R. Tolkien

~ "On Three Ways of Writing for Children" by C.S. Lewis

~ Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

~ The Owl, the Raven, and the Dove: The Religious Meaning of the Grimms' Magic Fairy Tales by G. Ronald Murphy, S.J.

~ The Literary Life Podcast Episode 70: Why Read Fairy Tales?

~ The Literary Life Podcast Episode 104: Witches, Wizards, and Magic, Oh My!

Music used:

~ “Adventurous Souls” by Zane Dickinson

~ “Emma’s Theme,” sung by Jenniffer Morrison, written by Mark Isham, Michael Weiner & Alan Zachary, from Once Upon a Time: The Musical Episode (Original Television Soundtrack)