Paper Theatre Festival
Paper theatre, also called table-top theatre or toy theatre, dates back to the Victorian Era. Theatrical playhouses of the time printed fine souvenir posters showing architectural elements of their theatre. Aspects of set design were shown on the posters along with drawings of actual actors of the company (shown in costume from a specific production). Condensed scripts were included in these poster kits and paper doll players were soon seen in lively productions on a table top at home. Families and hobbyists would cut out the proscenium, the curtain, etc., to create a scale model of that specific theatre.
These paper theatre hobbyists ended up learning much about scenic design, lighting effects, sound effects, music, acting, and directing — all through this paper theatre toy, giving producers and performers of all ages their first exposure to the theatrical arts. Theatre-goers often bought these paper theatre posters as souvenirs promoting an actual production they saw. Those living far from the theatre district ordered paper theatres from a catalog and had them delivered to their small town as an educational toy for the household. A lot of coloring, cutting, and pasting was involved but hours of educational fun and artistic exploration would follow. The many two-dimensional layers of a paper theatre add up to something with surprising depth and charm.
Exhibit and accompanying live activities during the festival are free and open to the public. Browse from noon to 4 p.m. on the weekend with performances and activities throughout the afternoon. Finale of the festival on Monday features browsing activities from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a world-premiere performance at 12:30 p.m. Info: 858-822-5758 or [email protected] or http://library.ucsd.edu.