March 27 - July 6, 2025
From the McNay Art Museum:
“McNay Art Museum presents “Designing Shakespeare through the Ages,” on view March 27-July 6. The exhibition examines the changing conversations surrounding William Shakespeare’s plays.
More than 85 works come together to promote understanding around the legacy of Shakespeare’s work, including maquettes, paintings and works on paper from the McNay’s Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts. Through the designs of “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “The Tempest,” “Twelfth Night,” “Othello,” “The Merchant of Venice” and “King Lear,” the exhibition explores the plays’ respective themes, revealing a different facet to the human condition while pointing to the enduring influence of Shakespeare in popular culture.
The exhibition also takes a close look at the ways Shakespeare’s writings have influenced the current cultural landscape in the centuries since his death. The designs of several stage plays, including those of San Pedro Playhouse’s 2024 production of “Midsummer Sueño,” as well as designs from other productions of plays inspired by Shakespeare’s works, reinforce Shakespeare’s influence in the work of today’s artists. Further underscoring the relevance of the iconic playwright, the exhibition features a soundtrack including pop songs, scores for ballets and operas and other works of classical music inspired by his many plays and poems.
“By bringing together Shakespeare’s texts with visual designs, local productions and pop culture, we hope to make the complex literature more accessible,” said Remus Moore, The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund assistant curator. “Visitors will come away with a deeper appreciation for Shakespeare, whose continuing influence is apparent across time and artistic forms.”
The McNay is partnering with local community organizations to enhance the visitor experience and foster deeper understanding of the literary works. In collaboration with the San Pedro Playhouse, the exhibition will feature an array of workshops related to theatre arts, where participants gain hands-on experience in costume design and acting. The McNay will also have a presence at Shakespeare in the Park, a San Antonio tradition where Shakespeare plays are performed outdoors. This year, the San Pedro Playhouse will produce “Romeo + Juliet,” opening on March 25 at San Pedro Springs Park.
The McNay’s Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts includes more than 10,000 paintings, works on paper, maquettes and sculpture and 2,000 rare books of European and American theatre design from 1600 to the present. The collection is the life’s work and continued legacy of its namesake, the late philanthropist Robert L. B. Tobin, who was devoted to the celebration of visual arts in the theatre.
“Designing Shakespeare through the Ages” is organized for the McNay Art Museum by Remus Moore, The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund assistant curator, The Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts, with René Paul Barilleaux, head of curatorial affairs.
This exhibition is a program of the Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.
Related Programming:
Film Screening: “Hamlet” (1996)
Saturday, April 12 | 12 p.m.
Join us for a screening of “Hamlet” (1996), starring Kenneth Branagh in a powerful adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic.
Shakespeare from Stage to Screen with Tim Hedgpeth
Thursday, May 1 | 6–7 p.m.
Hear from San Antonio-based theatre teacher, director, actor, and collage artist, who will discuss adaptations of Shakespeare’s works.
Film Screening: “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” (1990)
Saturday, May 24 | 2 p.m.
Join us for a screening of “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” (1990), starring Gary Oldman and Tim Roth, which offers a witty and offbeat take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, focusing on two minor characters caught in a world of confusion and absurdity.
Shakespeare Costume Workshop
Saturday, June 14 | 11a.m.–1 p.m.
Led by costume designer Rachael Lorenzetti, this hands-on workshop is perfect for theatre enthusiasts, costume designers and history lovers. Materials provided.
Shakespeare Acting Workshop
Saturday, June 28 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Led by Tony Ciaravino, co-founder of Classic Theatre of San Antonio, this workshop teaches Shakespearean text, voice and movement.
Film Screening: “West Side Story” (1961)
Saturday, July 5 | 2 p.m.
Enjoy “West Side Story” (1961) on the big screen and see how Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” finds new life in 1950s New York.
Visit mcnayart.org/events for details on all events.”
On View: March 27, 2025 | 12–5 pm
6000 North New Braunfels
San Antonio, 78209 TX
(210) 824-5368
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