Paper Theatre 2012

FESTIVAL: July 1-August 30, 2012.
Steampunk Tea and Jules Verne Paper Theatre: August 25, 2:00pm

Below: Photos from 2011's events,
Shape Shifting Legends of Hawaii and
The Bamboo Princess.

PAPER THEATRE

It's the smallest show on Earth!  A full production in a scale model theatre, much like was done in the Victorian Era when families gathered, after hours of cutting & pasting, to bring a play to life.

Paper Theatre was a popular Victorian Era educational toy.  These colorful scale model theatres were cut and pasted together from posters promoting specific playhouses and advertising specific plays. The paper doll characters included were often in the likeness of popular actors of the era and were costumed as seen in an actual stage play. Distinctive architectural elements of the historic playhouses were meticulously showcased on the paper sheets of these scale-model promotional kits, including backdrops of specific productions. Scripts, translated into several different languages, were included in these kits, showing the international popularity of these toys.

Geisel Library at UCSD hosts a yearly exhibit of Victorian Era replicas and modern interpretations of paper theatre.  This year's exhibit and events will include new plays and new characters, influenced by Jules Verne and presented with a steampunk twist! Event schedule to be announced.