Curio Theatre was scheduled for Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, according to a Weber State University announcement. The event featured a restored vintage cigarette vending machine as its centerpiece, combining live performances with original art dispensed from the machine.
The event followed a four-step process. Attendees first select an original work of art from the vending machine, which included nine objects ranging from stained glass to small sculptures. This selection was followed by a 20-minute live performance created in response to the chosen object. Following the initial performance, a midpoint reception was held before guests chose a second piece of art to unlock a final 20-minute performance.
The project was a collaboration between art history associate professor María del Mar González-González and theatre associate professor Cully Long. González-González stated that the event was designed to move between a tangible object and an ephemeral event. Long noted that the project brings together visual art, which creates a physical object, and theatrical performances, which exist for a specific moment and audience.
The vending machine was restored through a partnership with the Concept Center in the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology. All participating artists and performers involved in the project have connections to Weber State University, including students, alumni, community supporters, and faculty members.
Proceeds from the event were intended to support scholarship funds for students in the Department of Visual Art & Design and the theatre department.
