A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Reeder Children’s Theatre
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The University of Texas at Arlington’s Special Collections has put online The Reeder Children’s Theatre Presents: Memories of Fort Worth’s Reeder School, an extensive site (and current exhibition) dedicated to Dickson and Flora Reeder’s children’s theater school, which the artist-couple founded in 1945 and operated through 1958 (with a brief revival, 1980-1986). The Reeders were prominent members of the Fort Worth School, so their artwork also appears in the Amon Carter’s current exhibition, Intimate Modernism.
Because of its focus, the UTA site has a more extensive gallery of photos and drawings than the Carter, plus a lot of historical background on the school itself, the ideas behind it, the students. What’s striking about the school productions are the Reeders’ magical, elaborate sets and costumes. But in reading about the school, what’s impressive is that each year was dedicated to researching, designing, rehearsing and performing — a single play.
The Tempest, Reeder Children’s Theatre
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