Our Enchanted Tale
Off The Page is a group started and led by Joanne Zunino and co-managed with Sarah Willwater. It all started in 2017 at the Tucson Festival of Books. Joanne, Sarah, and Kristen attended the event to help promote Tucson Comic Con. What ended up happening later that day was serendipitous.
Joanne, Sarah, and Kristen drew crowds of Disney Princess fans to the Tucson Comic Con tent. When parents realized that photo ops were free, the princesses had a non-stop crowd gathering around them to get photos taken. It wasn’t until the crowd died down around lunch time that a couple mothers approached the princesses. These mothers asked about the organization we were part of and what we did. They were surprised that we did it all FOR FREE! Apparently, many princess groups charge for photo ops and simply for making appearances at birthday parties. This was crazy hearing this for the first time. Many mothers voiced how they were so happy to see realistic princesses that their daughters could look up to as role models (most of them stating how it’s great to see princess with some “meat on their bones,” as they put it). Their daughters didn’t have to look at Barbie and think that was the standard for all girls to aspire into becoming.
After the long discussion, one of the mothers suggested that we start our own princess group. At the time, Joanne and Sarah weren’t ready and simply pointed the mothers to the group they once belonged to, if they wanted to inquire about appearances at events. A year later, Joanne was ready to start a group. At the time, it wasn’t her own group, but it was something that she was able to somewhat lead. Later, because of creative differences, Joanne and Sarah left the group and started what is now Off The Page!
Off The Page does not only specialize in princesses. It encompasses kid-friendly books, movies, cartoons, and video games characters (and creative variations of them).
The aim for this group is to spread a love of reading and literacy through cosplay. Whether at a hospital, at the park, or in a classroom. If we are invited, we will organize and send characters to you at no cost at all! All we ask for “payment” is smiles, hugs, and the knowledge that we made a child’s day magical!
Would you like to join Off The Page as an official cosplayer? Do you have a passion to spread a love of reading and joy to children and young teens? If so, you can find our membership application and code of conduct below. Thank you for your interest!
Joanne, Sarah, and Kristen drew crowds of Disney Princess fans to the Tucson Comic Con tent. When parents realized that photo ops were free, the princesses had a non-stop crowd gathering around them to get photos taken. It wasn’t until the crowd died down around lunch time that a couple mothers approached the princesses. These mothers asked about the organization we were part of and what we did. They were surprised that we did it all FOR FREE! Apparently, many princess groups charge for photo ops and simply for making appearances at birthday parties. This was crazy hearing this for the first time. Many mothers voiced how they were so happy to see realistic princesses that their daughters could look up to as role models (most of them stating how it’s great to see princess with some “meat on their bones,” as they put it). Their daughters didn’t have to look at Barbie and think that was the standard for all girls to aspire into becoming.
After the long discussion, one of the mothers suggested that we start our own princess group. At the time, Joanne and Sarah weren’t ready and simply pointed the mothers to the group they once belonged to, if they wanted to inquire about appearances at events. A year later, Joanne was ready to start a group. At the time, it wasn’t her own group, but it was something that she was able to somewhat lead. Later, because of creative differences, Joanne and Sarah left the group and started what is now Off The Page!
Off The Page does not only specialize in princesses. It encompasses kid-friendly books, movies, cartoons, and video games characters (and creative variations of them).
The aim for this group is to spread a love of reading and literacy through cosplay. Whether at a hospital, at the park, or in a classroom. If we are invited, we will organize and send characters to you at no cost at all! All we ask for “payment” is smiles, hugs, and the knowledge that we made a child’s day magical!
Would you like to join Off The Page as an official cosplayer? Do you have a passion to spread a love of reading and joy to children and young teens? If so, you can find our membership application and code of conduct below. Thank you for your interest!