McNay Art Museum Explores American Experience Through Theater in Upcoming Exhibition

‘A People’s History: The American Experiment on Stage’ uses theatrical lens to reflect on the nation’s 250 years

SAN ANTONIO — For centuries, playwrights have used the stage to explore the human experience by celebrating victories, confronting failures, giving voice to those who are overlooked and offering a window into the future. As communities around the nation commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, McNay Art Museum explores theater’s role in telling the country’s story in “A People’s History: The American Experiment on Stage,” on view Aug. 6-Nov. 8. Spanning more than two centuries of theatrical history, the exhibition explores interpretations of America’s past with maquettes and set and costume designs from a range of iconic productions, including “Hair,” “Hamilton,” “The Mother of Us All,” “The Color Purple,” “Hairspray,” “In the Heights” and “Porgy and Bess.” “A People’s History” draws primarily from the McNay’s Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts and includes artwork from contemporary theatrical designers, including Sara Ryung Clement, Takeshi Kata and Paul Tazewell.

“It is no surprise that countless artists process their emotions through performances on stage,” said Remus Moore, The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund assistant curator. “Some artists tell America’s stories through music, creating rich and imaginative musicals and operas that untangle complex emotions about race or war. Others rely on the spoken word, writing plays about queer rights or the stories of immigrant families. The artwork created for these productions reveals a wide range of attitudes towards American history.”

Themes of life, liberty and happiness anchor “A People’s History.” The exhibition begins with Arch Lauterer’s 1947 curtain designs for “The Contrast,” the first American play to receive a professional production in 1787. The satirical comedy written by Revolutionary War veteran Royall Tyler showcases the push and pull between formal British traditions and the more casual American style that marked the early days of the United States. Lauterer’s artwork emphasizes pride for the United States with patriotic colors and American symbols such as the bald eagle.

The exhibition also includes a maquette for “The Great Privation (How to Flip Ten Cents into a Dollar).” Written 236 years after “The Contrast,” the production confronts America’s horrific practice of using Black people, both living and deceased, to test new medical procedures and explores the impact on surviving family members.

“Some works are difficult, evoking racism, misogyny or other forms of deeply entrenched bigotry, but other works remind us of how much good has been done in 250 years of American history. Visitors will find that ‘A People’s History’ includes works that are both condemning and praising,” said Moore.

Dan Hannon’s 1990 maquette for “Hair” elevates theater’s role in the rise of protest art. The 1968 rock musical gained momentum with its anti-war message and exploration of issues synonymous with the 1960s such as the war on drugs, increased sexual freedom, racial inequality and homelessness. Christine Jones’ set designs for “American Idiot” highlight the prevalence of similar issues in a post-9/11 America with a collage of constantly playing televisions and a confusing array of staircases and scaffolds that reflect the chaos many face.

“A People’s History” also includes scene and costume designs for “Porgy and Bess,” an opera featuring Black musical styles and an all-Black cast. While the celebrated production has propelled some Black singers to fame, it has also sparked criticism because it was written by white composers and has oftentimes represented one of the few opportunities for Black performers to secure a leading operatic role.

The exhibition confronts the racism and trauma the Vietnamese community faced through Sara Ryung Clement’s costume designs for “Vietgone.” The production, set in April 1975, debuted in 2015 and uses comedy and drama to tell a refugee love story through the eyes of playwright Qui Nguyen’s parents, who met in a Vietnamese refugee camp in Arkansas.

“The American story is shaped by an enduring aspiration that all people should have the freedom and opportunity to live as they wish and thrive,” said Matthew McLendon, Ph.D., director and CEO of the McNay Art Museum. “Since the country’s founding, artists have turned to the stage to reflect the triumphs and contradictions of the ‘American Dream,’ using music and spoken word to explore cultural tensions, personal struggles and collective hopes. ‘A People’s History’ prompts visitors to reflect on how the past continues to shape the present and to consider the future we hope to build together over the next 250 years.”

 “A People’s History: The American Experiment on Stage” is curated for the McNay by Remus Moore, The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund assistant curator, The Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts. This exhibition is a program of The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund.

Images available upon request.

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About the McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Built in the 1920s by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’ first modern art museum when it opened in 1954. Today, 200,000 visitors a year enjoy works by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Joan Mitchell, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds include sculptures by Willie Cole, Robert Indiana, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Alejandro Martín, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro, Kiki Smith, Tom Wesselmann and others. 

For more information about the McNay, visit www.mcnayart.org.

The McNay is open Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.