Metamorphoses- mary zimmerman

Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman, famously “the play with the pool,” traditionally uses water to symbolize transformation. However, staging this production without water was essential due to the university's desert location and the city’s water conservation practices. Inspired by Zimmerman’s guidance—“The staging should rarely be a literal embodiment of the text”—I embraced abstraction, working with the director and choreographer to bring the stories to life through speech, dance, and movement.

The set combined contemporary Greek aesthetics with organic surrealism to evoke a dream-like world of fluidity and change. Central to the design was a symbolic pit created by lowering the theater’s lift, representing both a pool and the depths of human nature. Levels emphasized the power divide between the gods above and mortals below, enhancing the theme of transformation.

Committed to sustainability, I used repurposed materials from the scenic shop to reflect water and life. This deeply personal project was brought to life through collaboration within theater in my community.