Tales from the Arabian Nights - Kimbell Art Museum 1985

As I have mentioned before, HIP POCKET THEATRE had no "Winter Quarters" in Fort Worth in the 1980's. Summers were spent in season out at the Oak Acres Amphitheatre, but Winters were wherever they would let us perform. A lucky break came when MICHAEL MEZZATESTA, the Curator of the Kimbell Art Museum took an interest in the theatre and saw the publicity benefit of having us do a show that reflected the theme of the current traveling exhibit there; THE IMPRESARIO was performed along with an exhibit on BERNINI who also wrote that play, FABLES OF LA FONTAINE, THE BEGGERS OPERA, etc. followed.

In the Winter of 1985 my first show at the Kimbell was TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, a free adaptation of the stories. The unique aspect was the introduction of Shadow Puppetry within the production to support both the scenic elements and the more fantastic elements of each tale.

Above is my design for the set for TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. The "auditorium" at the Kimbell was actually only a long narrow lecture hall, intended for slide and film presentations and not really suited to theatrical performances ( although it did boast pretty impressive acoustics).

We were provided with the platforms for an elevated stage by the museum ( seen laid out at the right of the Groundplan at bottom) and the background was a stark white wall that rose up some 40 feet behind the stage. It proved to be a very blank canvas on which to mount as colorful a show as this.

The basic set was of Moorish influence in Gold, Red, White & Blue, and was centered on a round white Shadow Screen behind which the mystical Puppets and Sets were "projected". Curtained side entrances and platforms with steps provided some needed "levels" for the actors to play. The entire stage floor was covered in borrowed Oriental Carpets of various sizes.