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A tiny door appeared at Nickelodeon Theater on Wednesday, December 4. This remarkable and unique installation is the third mysterious tiny door to appear in Columbia. The miniature portal is a collaboration between Kimi Maeda, local puppetry and scenic design artist, and Harriet Showman, the author of multiple blogs. This door is unique in that the story behind its creation is actually a short screenplay, through which the characters undergo a transformation in more ways than one. The door itself demonstrates Maeda’s puppetry genius, featuring an upper window to a miniature theater that echoes the symbolism pursued in Showman’s screenplay. This door was generously sponsored by Little Mothers, LLC.

The second door appeared at Coal Powered Filmworks on Thursday, November 14 at the base of the brick wall. Covered in moss, the door appears to have grown directly out of the wall. Internationally renowned artist and Columbia native, Christian Thee, created the door; internationally renowned author and Columbia local, Janna McMahan, wrote the story. Most doors will stay where they first emerged; the door created by Thee and McMahan will move; you’ll have to read the story to find out why.

The first door appeared in Frame of Mind on Main Street in May, 2013. This was also the first door created by accomplished local set designer and puppetry artist Kimi Maeda; internationally published author and Columbia local Amy Carol Reeves wrote the story behind the door. A pair of miniature eyeglasses sits next to the door, a relic from the creature that dwells beyond it.

Those who come to visit the tiny doors can read the stories behind them by scanning the QR codes posted next to them or accessing the website. The mobile-friendly website enables those who discover the doors to find out about the creatures that live beyond them.

Three more tiny doors will appear this spring. The stories and locations of each door are available at www.TinyDoorsofColumbia.com once they appear; those who wish to be alerted when the next door appears can sign up to the newsletter or ‘like’ the Pocket Productions Facebook page.

The Tiny Doors of Columbia is a series that invites the public to discover a hidden world within Columbia. This series is produced in collaboration with the SC Book Festival, the SC Humanities Council and the University of South Carolina, all of whom have provided input regarding the authors for the series.

Inspired by the Urban Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor, the series brings together South Carolina artists, engaging an audience of all ages with a world beyond our everyday reality right here in our local community. This series of 10 doors will tell 10 different stories, forming a scavenger hunt for readers of all ages.

Would you like to be a sponsor? Check out the opportunities at www.tinydoorsofcolumbia.com.

Are you a small business owner? Would you like to host one of the ten tiny doors? Interested business owners should send an email to [email protected] for more information. Locations are chosen to ensure that doors are visible throughout Columbia, with a high concentration on Main Street, in keeping with the City's mission to highlight our city center. All locations must be locally owned, and must be approved by our board.