SECOND ACT

Beloved San Antonio children's theatre reopens after $2.2M renovation

A puppeteer are the renovated Magik Theatre performs The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Hopefully, the Very Hungry Caterpillar will not eat the new Beethoven Stage

Photo by Lynn Lane

San Antonio’s Magik Theatre is emerging from its cocoon. After months of renovations to its downtown home base, Beethoven Hall, the beloved children's repertory group, is returning to the stage with a performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar starting June 13.

The Beethoven stage has been dark since the company finished its last performance, A Charlie Brown Christmas, in December 2025. In the meantime, the stage has undergone a $2.2 million renovation that included custom seating, HVAC upgrades, and accessibility improvements such as improved entrances, mobility-friendly seating, ASL-interpreted performances, and a sensory-inclusive certification.

While workers revamped its home, Magik Theatre has hardly been idle, taking shows like the ever-popular Dragons Love Tacos on the road. Despite the interruptions, the troupe is happy about the expanded accessibility.

“These renovations build on our commitment to equitable access to the performing arts and will make Magik Theatre even more comfortable and welcoming for all patrons,” says Magik CEO Melissa Zarb-Cousin, in a release.

The players could not have found a more apt performance for their reemergence. Based on the children's book first published by Eric Carle in 1969, the story follows the titular caterpillar as it munches on enough snacks to transform into a butterfly. The puppetry was coached by San Antonian Bradley Freeman, a Muppets Studio alum whose characters include Rizzo the Rat.

“We are thrilled our first mainstage production in the renovated theatre is based on the iconic creations of children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle,” said Magik’s new artistic director Collin Pittmann, in the release. “The Very Hungry Caterpillar show is instantly recognizable to children and their families, and an incredible way to acknowledge our theatre’s recent transformation.”

The grand reopening of the Magik Theatre will feature a ribbon-cutting in Hemisfair Park with remarks from Zarb-Cousin, District 1 Councilmember Sukh Kaur, and Hemisfair CEO Melissa Robinson. Children will be able to enjoy activities sponsored by the San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Public Library, and the Monarch Festival, as well as a live DJ and candied fruit.

The event will end with a free performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, but locals have until August 2 if they can’t make opening day. Tickets and more information about the celebration are available online.

theater southtown kids family friendly downtown openings

ART MATTERS

San Antonio adds 2 new installations to ever-growing art collection

Photo courtesy of City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture

Diana Kersey "Creatures of the Creek: A Fragile Balance" is an installation in two parts.

Two San Antonio artists are bringing some color (and creatures) to the city’s ever-growing collection of public art. New installations by Diana Kersey and RHYS (aka Rhys Munro) will be dedicated alongside the downtown Goodwill at 406 W. Commerce St. on Wednesday, May 20.

According to the city’s Department of Arts and Culture, Kersey's "Creatures of the Creek: A Fragile Balance,” at the corner of Santa Rosa and Commerce Streets, explores the tension between urbanity and nature using the flora and fauna of nearby San Pedro Creek.

The installation is split across two related groupings, both built from clay bricks. In one, animals like anoles, kingfishers, cottontails, red-eared sliders, and nine-banded armadillos are “caged” in geometric form, suggesting their displacement from a concrete landscape. In the other grouping, the same creatures are exaggerated, dominated by a giant anole lizard and a green kingfisher.

“‘Creatures of the Creek: A Fragile Balance’ serves as a testament to the delicate balance required for sustainable and harmonious coexistence between urban environments and the natural world,” writes the city. “The artwork encourages viewers to acknowledge the unfamiliarity of wildlife in our urban core and inspires a sense of responsibility to preserve and protect the habitats that sustain us all.”

Rhys Munro Metro Radiance Rhys Munro's "Metro Radiance" is a different experience depending on the time of day.Photo courtesy of City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture

Nearby, Munro’s "Metro Radiance" tells a story about place. Panels of colored architectural glass catch the sun throughout the day and are lit artificially at night, telling time through washes of color. According to the city, it speaks to how light can “transform a site into a place of meaning and connection.”

“‘Metro Radiance reminds us that beauty is not static but revealed in time, carried by memory and open to all,” explains the city.Both works are part of the City of San Antonio's public art collection. Details on the dedication event are available through the artcollection.sa.gov listings for each piece.

Munro’s and Kersey’s pieces are the latest additions to an 800-plus-piece public portfolio that San Antonio has been building for three decades. You can find a map of all the installations in a new online portal launched to mark the 30th anniversary of the city’s Public Art Ordinance.

sculpture downtown public art