By Deborah Martin
San Antonio Express-News

Steven Stoli always planned to have some sort of World War II-themed area in the theater that bears his name.

He just didn't think it would be such a large area.

Stoli had planned to expand his Steven Stoli Playhouse last fall, adding a second auditorium so that his Backyard Theater for children would have its own space. But he couldn't get the permits for that kind of expansion with his current setup. So he simply turned what would have been an adjoining theater into the Memorial Museum.

The space exhibits all sorts of World War II memorabilia from Stoli's personal collection, as well as some things on loan from veterans and their families. The small museum houses everything from front pages tracing key events in the war to a small display of medical supplies from the era and a few costumes from the movie "Pearl Harbor."

With the exception of some framed items, none of the museum's holdings is behind glass. Stoli wants visitors to get as close to the displays as possible.

"If they want to touch it, they should touch it," he said. "It was real people who wore these things, and they didn't wear them behind glass."

Stoli is hoping to add another dimension to the museum by holding symposiums there and presenting lectures and World War II-themed theater pieces.

"I want this to be a learning museum," Stoli said. "We are going to be inviting groups of people who were children during WWII to talk to children about their experiences. I'm talking to some (prisoner of war camp) survivors, too."

The museum is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays and during intermission on show nights.

Stoli's next show is Lilies of the Field, which opens March 22 and plays through April 14.

dlmartin@express-news.net

03/13/2002

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