New Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts exhibition opens at the McNay Art Museum
Yohuali, the Mother Wolf. Las Bestias Danzan o el Sigiloso Conjuro de la Salvaje. La Liga Teatro Elástico. Photo: Pablo Federico.
SAN ANTONIO, TX
.- Plays, operas, ballets, and musicals often require designers to mimic the natural world on stage. Sometimes their re-creations are so lifelike it makes the viewer wonder is it real? Unexpected materials such as Styrofoam, chicken wire, insulation foam, and electronics are reimagined on stages as dense forests, winter wonderlands, and surreal landscapes. Designers stretch their artistry as well as the limitations of fabric to transform performers into tree creatures, flying owls, and even supernatural fairies. Opening April 22, Is It Real? Staging Nature invites visitors on a behind-the-curtain exploration of flora, fauna, and other elements of nature through the lens of theatre design.