David Korins Exhibit to be Presented at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures

The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, in collaboration with KorinsStudio, will present the debut of an unparalleled exhibition, "Stages of Imagination: The Iconic Broadway Designs of David Korins." 

Running from September 2024 to May 2025, this groundbreaking showcase invites visitors on an immersive journey into the visionary world of Emmy award-winning three-time Tony Award-nominated Broadway designer David Korins.

“STAGES OF IMAGINATION: The Iconic Broadway Designs of David Korins” goes from process to performance, exploring the collaborations that led to hit productions: Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Beetlejuice, Here Lies Love, and The Who’s Tommy.Through intricate scale models, real-life recreations, and exclusive interviews with many of Korins’ world-class collaborators, we will discover how Korins transforms the pages of scripts into spellbinding Broadway spectacles.  

William Russo, Executive Director at TMTM, who has collaborated with David Korins on many theatrical productions in New York City, says “I am thrilled to have David Korins as our partner, collaborator, and featured artist in The Mini Time Machine’s most ambitious Exhibit to date, manifesting our dream to be a place of creation as well as exhibition. To be immersed again in David's creativeprocess, but this time in a new arena has been thrilling.  I can't wait to share that experience with the visitors of The Mini Time Machine.”  

David Korins adds, “I was honored that Billy was encouraging me to showcase my entire body of work, including all the various disciplines we work in at Korins Studio. But in the end, we decided to go deeper, not wider, and focus our attention on five very different but successful theatrical productions instead of exploring our projects in film, television, hospitality, museums, and experiential design.

What is most exciting to me is the chance to pull the curtain back on how collaboration lies at the heart of everything we do and showcase the creators and craftspeople who contribute to it – all the many hands that touch a design from page to stage, including the amazing work in my studio. The real magic is in sharing the steps of the process.”

Korins has also said “We don’t just design shows, webuild worlds. We collectively tell stories through a community of collaboration.” This exhibition is a deep dive into how it happens, starting with an intense exploration into some of the most exciting collaborations in modern musical theatre history at every point in the process. 

There will be shared moments of inspiration from authors like Lin Manuel Miranda, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, as well as exclusive interviews with directors Michael Greif, Thomas Kail, Des McAnuff and Alex Timbers, while original cast members like Alex Brightman, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Arielle Jacobs, Ben Platt and Lea Salonga will reveal how the design process helped them in creating their landmark roles.

“Sometimes the process of making is as impressive as the final product,” believes Korins, “and we’ll get to explore the evolution of designs through stages like The Makers Station, where we see four stages of fully realized models of Beetlejuice, The White Model, where structural displays of Dear Evan Hansen, Here Lies Love and The Who’s Tommy will dazzle with their craftsmanship.“  

This is the only place in the world where you will be able to see the singular models from Korin’s shows and be able to see the differences between the original Public Theatre version of Hamilton and the one that opened later on Broadway, Five different versions of the couches from Beetlejuice (including one life-sized one to interact with!) and an entire display of fan-generated models of various shows are all part of the show.

As Korins observes, “Even the longest-running show eventually closes, but an exhibit like this will hopefully live on for many years and travel to different cities and countries, demonstrating to the world that collaboration and imagination are the two most important parts of every production.”

Beyond the Exhibit: "Stages of Imagination" isn't just an exhibit—it's an experience. Enhance your visit with symposia and masterclasses led by David Korinshimself.

Membership at The Mini Time Machine includes admission to the Exhibit and Members gain exclusive access to this once-in-a-lifetime showcase, with advance reservations opening on July 1 at theminitimemachine.org.  Don't miss your chance to embark on this extraordinary journey through the heart of Broadway's most iconic designs. 

Non-member admissions booking and reservations startAugust 20th.

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