Mr. Saladino met with Rose Pearson & Bill Newberry (Circle’s Executive & Managing Director) and the three talked about the art and experience of producing live theatre over the past 25 years. With his impressions from this discussion in mind, Saladino brought his personal vision of Circle Theatre to the canvas, using both representational and abstract forms in an acrylic painting and digital collage. His finished 44” x 72” painting on wood is appropriately titled The Show Goes On.

In reference to the piece, Saladino explains, “I painted on a wood panel to reflect the aspect of objects coming out of the picture plane toward the viewer, just as live theatre is viewed in three dimensions.

My objective is to have the piece take on a life of its own, compelling the viewer to look and keep looking. The hope is that who ever looks will be made better by the experience. I think theatre does this in a way that is at once personal and universal. As we see a story unfold on stage we relate to those same feelings expressed by the actors. We empathize because these feelings are universal. But, more so, we are moved to be touched in ways that are personal to us. The play becomes more important as we experience feelings that are made ours.

The hot colors in the painting represent the passion of all of those who work to make theatre successful. I also incorporated imagery and symbolism that says “theatre” to the viewer. For example, the black box shapes in this painting represent the concept of a theatrical “black box”- virtually the ability to create theatre in any venue by painting the room black.

The concept of the eye being, at once, the seer and the seen is what I used as the dominant theme of the painting. Eye shapes are repeated at the bottom of the painting and then transformed in the magnolia and the cowboy hat. I have used the circle and ovoid shapes to depict the idea of “connectedness” that I think is evident in theatre.”

Rose Pearson comments, “Even though Tony happened to use my eyes as a central focus, I have to say that anyone looking at the painting will feel a pulled in by the eyes to look even closer at the many varied elements involved in this piece. I am impressed by the thought Tony put into the painting and am especially intrigued at the duality he finds in everything. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate that Tony Saladino was available to share his artistic vision and talent with us in honor of Circle Theatre’s 25th anniversary.”

The Show Goes On by Tony Saladino will be on permanent display in Circle’s lobby art gallery. The public may view the painting from 1pm – 6pm, Tuesday – Friday or during show times at the Theatre.

Mr. Saladino will be on hand at Circle Theatre’s 25th anniversary fundraiser/party, Sunday, June 11th, to sign lithograph prints of this special commemorative painting.

About the Artist

Tony Saladino earned his BS degree from LSU in New Orleans. His work is in the collections of the National Museum of Fine Arts, Hanoi, University of Wisconsin – Parkside, University of Dallas, Wichita Falls Museum, Museum of International Art, Bahia, Brazil, McNeeseState University, Lake Charles, Louisiana, Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri, and Parkersburg Art Center – Parkersburg, West Virginia, and the Fort Worth Public Library.

He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, and Who’s Who in the South and Southwest.

He has taught at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and Oxbow Summer School of Art, Michigan.

“I enjoy the risk taking aspect of doing varied themes, and shifting from medium to medium. While I consider many of my pieces to be personal, I am, nevertheless, concerned that the viewer sees images that are universal enough to compel him or her to keep looking at the work.”

About the Theatre

Circle Theatre’s mission is to present contemporary theatre in an intimate setting. One of only three Equity theatres currently operating in Fort Worth, this professional regional theatre presents a year-round season of comedies, musicals and dramas. Theatre patrons enjoy Circle’s comfortably intimate atmosphere and often comment on the bonus of being close to the action on stage. The auditorium seats 125 audience members on three sides around an open thrust stage. Work by visual artists, on display in the lobby gallery, perfectly complement the experience of attending each live theatre production at Circle.

Circle Theatre derives its name from its original location on Bluebonnet Circle, near Texas Christian University. In 1994 the Theatre moved to its current location in the historic Sanger Building at 230 West Fourth Street in Sundance Square.