Marissa Mayer may have spent $70K so top execs could dress up as 'Wizard of Oz' characters

Last fall, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer held an elaborate "Wizard of Oz" themed photo shoot with the company's top execs that some say cost $70,000, Re/Code's Kara Swisher reports.

Mayer planned the photoshoot in preparation for Yahoo's annual "End of the Year" party. 

Although she meant the shoot to boost morale, Swisher reports that some employees found its price embarrassingly high.

In the picture, Mayer poses as Dorothy, with execs like Kathy Savitt (who recently left the company) as Glinda and CFO Ken Goldman as the Wizard.

Although the Yahoo Events Team, which originally posted the photo publicly, has deleted its account, TravelSite.com posted this version:

Twitter

The party itself - marked on social media with the hashtag #NoPlaceLikeHere - featured fun photo booths, themed decorations, and a performance by Janelle Monae:

When asked about the price of the pre-party photoshoot, a Yahoo spokesperson told Business Insider that the company does not comment on gossip and speculation. 

Re/code highlights the Wizard of Oz anecdote as a broader reflection of Mayer pulling Yahoo "down a lot of time-sucking detours in her laborious efforts to turn around the long-troubled company."

The company has had a string of high-profile departures this year as turmoil seems to grow within the company. 

Read the rest of Swisher's story about Mayer's struggles to find Yahoo's direction here.