Schellinger Selected for Prestigious Prague Quadrennial
Kyle Schellinger, the staff cutter/draper at the Clarence Brown Theatre, has been selected to show his half-scale period costumes at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design in Prague, Czech Republic, June 8–18, 2023.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and realized by the Arts and Theatre Institute, the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space is the largest international festival event dedicated to scenography, performance design, and theatre architecture. Since 1967, the Prague Quadrennial has been an exchange, networking and educational platform exploring the best works in scenography and design for performance.
“Being chosen to showcase your work at the Prague Quadrennial is an immense honor for Kyle. His work is quite stunning and will be showcased alongside work from all over the world at the preeminent international exhibition of live performance design work,” said Kenneth Martin, theatre department head and CBT artistic director. “Kyle is a great example of the caliber of artists and artisans that work at the Clarence Brown Theatre and train the students of UT theatre.”
A total of 23 artists from 16 countries were chosen to participate in the curated exhibition, three of them from the United States. The selections for the Fragments II exhibit were chosen by Tony award nominated designer Klára Zieglerová.
“When I began working in half-scale during the pandemic, I had no idea it would lead to the honor of my work’s inclusion at the Prague Quadrennial,” Schellinger said. “Showcasing my work alongside that of amazing artists from around the world is such a thrill. I am so excited to highlight the already exemplary names of the Clarence Brown Theatre and the UT Department of Theater at such a distinguished exhibit.”
Schellinger’s work will feature six period costumes in half-scale, ranging from the 1400s to the 1800s, all of which stand at approximately 30” in height, including period appropriate undergarments and hand-crafted miniature jewelry. The half-scale dress form, usually a tool used by costume designers to study the technical aspects of complex garments, is used in his work to trick the eye and to show the intricacies of the history of Western costume.
With a dual mission to train the next generation of theatre artists and to provide top quality theatre, the Clarence Brown Theatre is a professional theater in residence at the University of Tennessee. Under the leadership of CBT Producing Artistic Director and Department of Theatre Head Kenneth Martin, and Managing Director Tom Cervone, the CBT season runs from August through May and features six productions ranging from musicals to drama.
For more information or tickets, call the CBT Box Office at (865) 974-5161 or visit us online at clarencebrowntheatre.com. Stay connected to the Clarence Brown Theatre on Facebook (Clarence Brown Theatre), follow us on Twitter (@ClarenceBrown) and view Clarence Brown videos on YouTube (Clarence Bro).
