Lysistrata

Presented as the first live performance on campus during the pandemic, this 2021 production of Lysistrata—directed by Jay Stratton at the University of Texas at El Paso—transformed the Fox Fine Arts courtyard into a safe and immersive outdoor theatre.

The scenic design reimagined the space through layered classical and contemporary elements. Custom banners and symbolic sculptures anchored the performance in a space of protest, ritual, and rebirth. Rendered and modeled in support of both performance and public health, the layout incorporated socially distanced audience pods—transparent domes, shielded seating areas, and open plaza configurations—ensuring visibility, safety, and intimacy despite the distancing.

The courtyard’s modernist architecture became a backdrop for dynamic staging, while elevated balconies and ground-level playing spaces allowed for vertical movement and visual variety. Video elements further illustrated the flow of audience and actor movement throughout the space, capturing a moment where design responded directly to cultural urgency.

This design bridged the ancient and the immediate, inviting audiences into a shared experience that balanced theatrical energy with the realities of a pandemic-altered world.