Theatrical exhibition 'Big Little Stage' opens at the McNay Art Museum June 1

The new exhibition showcases a striking variety of maquettes — or scale models — of stage setups through the ages.

By Caroline Wolff on Wed, May 24, 2023 at 2:06 pm

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Paul Steinberg, Maquette for La Périchole, ca. 2013. Paper, board, metal, and digital photos. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Gift of The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, 2018.34. © Paul Steinberg

The McNay Art Museum's "Big Little Stage" offers a peek into the set design process for live theater productions.

The new exhibition showcases a striking variety of maquettes — or scale models — of stage setups through the ages, which range in medium from simple cardboard, newspaper and watercolor to robust wood, plexiglass and stainless steel.

Some works date back to the 19th century, such as Hanging Gardens of Babylon (1860) by Victor St. Leon, but 21st century renderings, such as Joel Steinberg's La Périchole (2013), also will be on display.

In this atmospheric exhibition, visitors can even step inside and move around inside an enchanting full-sized set inspired by Steinberg's La Périchole maquette.

"Big Little Stage" will be on view through February 2024 and is included with museum admission.

$10-$20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, noon-5 p.m., June 1-Feb. 25, 2024, McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., (210) 824-5638, mcnayart.org.

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