Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed the staging and was a scenic artist of scenery and stage properties for Penfold Theatre’s production of Yasmina Reza’s play, Art. The comedy is playing at the Ground Floor Theatre in Austin, TX. from Nov. 2 through Nov. 18. Glenda Wolfe, SU Costume Shop Manager, designed costumes, and the production was directed by Stephen Pounders, Professor of Theatre at Baylor University. The production explores the meaning of art and the meaning of friendship. When Serge purchases an all-white painting for $200,000.00, his longtime friendship with good friends Marc and Yvonne is tested. Arguments quickly go from theoretical to personal to confrontational, and friendships hang in the balance. Yasmina Reza’s sometimes heartbreaking play asks poignant questions about the meaning of art and friendship. The play has won the Moliere Awards for Best Play, Best Author, Best Production, the Lawrence Olivier Award for Best Comedy, and the Tony Award for Best Play. Penfold website: https://tinyurl.com/art-penfold Production stills: https://tinyurl.com/ytafq9dr Trailer: https://youtu.be/7Mn5xqSNMK8.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed scenery and was Scenic Charge Artist for Magnolia Musical Theatre’s inaugural production of the musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” running July 19 through August 13 at the Galleria Pavillion in Bee Cave, TX. This professional production is directed by SU theatre faculty Emeritus, Rick Roemer, with technical direction by SU theatre scene shop manager, Monroe Oxley. Bella Morrow ’25 and Piper Swisher ’26 collaborated with Roybal as academic interns in scenic fabrication and scenic art. Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24, Alex Canatta ’24, and Ashlyn Zunker ’25 were scenic carpenters.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed and painted scenery for Penfold Theatre’s world premiere production of “Box,” running June 23 through July 8 at the Ground Floor Theatre in Austin, TX. The playscript and production is a two-year collaboration with Jarrett King, playwright-in-residence at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, IL; Ryan Crowder, Producing Artistic Director of Penfold Theatre; and a collaborative production team with direction from Simone Alexander, Producing Artistic Director and Founder of New Manifest Theatre Company, Austin, TX. SU Theatre major Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24 collaborated with Roybal and the production team by serving as Stage Property Designer and Property Master. Bussone-Peterson completed this faculty/student collaboration as an Academic Internship opportunity with Penfold Theatre. “Box” is a story about Mr. Henry “Box” Brown, an abolitionist born into slavery in 1815 and escaped slavery at 33 by arranging to have himself shipped via a wooden crate from Virginia to an abolitionist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1849. The crate measured 3’1” long x 2’6” high x 2’ wide, equipped with 3 holes for air and a water bladder. The sealed crate was transported by wagon, railroad, steamboat, and ferry over an approximated time of 27 hours. Watch the trailer here.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal secured a design contract with Magnolia Musical Theatre to design the stage scenery for the musical Beauty and the Beast. The production is being directed by Southwestern University Professor Emeritus Rick Roemer, with Technical Direction by Monroe Oxley, Southwestern University Scene Shop Supervisor. The production will be presented at the Galleria at Bee Caves, TX. July18-August 13.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal secured a scenic design contract with Penfold Theatre. The project is threefold: 1. Collaboration with Chicago playwright Jarrett King to develop an original playscript about the life and times of Henry “Box” Brown. 2. Specifically, design and paint early 20th Century roll drop scenery with dry pigment paint and ground flake animal glue. 3. Present the design in a modern presentational format at the Ground Floor Theatre, Austin, TX, in June 2023. Henry “Box” Brown was an abolitionist who was born into slavery in 1815 and escaped slavery at the age of 33 by arranging to have himself shipped via a wooden crate from Virginia to an abolitionist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1849. Henry Brown went on to lecture for the abolitionist movement in New England before moving to England, where he continued to speak out about the evils of slavery and performed his one-man show, Henry Box Brown’s Mirror of Slavery.