IUPUI University Theatre Records, 1968-1996
UA 003 Qty.: 11.4 c.f. (28 archives boxes) | [Printer-friendly version] |
ABSTRACT
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, University Theatre existed from 1968 to 1993 under the direction of Drs. J. Edgar and Dorothy Webb, during which more than 98 full-length theatrical productions were presented. Originating in the basement of the Marott Building at 902 N. Meridian Street, the theatre was moved to the Mary Cable Building on the main campus in 1981. Beginning in 1976, touring productions of children’s theatre provided full-length, fully-staged and costumed plays for school- age children throughout central Indiana. In 1983, Dr. Dorothy Webb initiated a national children’s theatre playwriting competition, which is ongoing and now known as the Waldo M. and Grace C. Bonderman IUPUI National Youth Theatre Playwriting Competition. University Theatre was closed in 1993 because of heavy budget cuts sustained by the School of Liberal Arts and a theatre major was no longer offered by IUPUI.
The records consist of materials related to the University Theatre productions, the Children’s Theatre productions, the National Youth Playwriting Competition and Symposium, grants awarded and administrative records.
ACCESS
These records are open to the public without restriction. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted material.
PREFERRED CITATION
Cite as: IUPUI. School of Liberal Arts. University Theatre Records, 1968-1996, Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives, University Library, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.
ACQUISITION
IUPUI University Theatre Department. A93-45. June, 1993
Processed by Barbara J. Mondary, December 1997.
HISTORICAL NOTE
In the Fall semester of 1967, Dr. J. Edgar Webb, who was then commuting from Bloomington, Indiana while completing requirements for his doctorate at Indiana University, and Dr. David Burns, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at IUPUI, began planning the construction of a theatre in the basement of the Marott Building at 902 N. Meridian Street. The proposed space had previously functioned as a home economics laboratory, and earlier, as a swimming pool. At the time, the only theatre class taught was Dr. Webb’s class in Introduction to Theatre and Acting I.
Dr. Dorothy Webb became a part-time faculty member in 1968 and the curriculum was expanded to include Stagecraft, Directing I, Acting II and History of the Theatre. That November, with Dr. J. Edgar Webb directing, A Streetcar Named Desire became the first production on the new stage.
In 1971, Lunch ‘n Munch presentations were initiated. For the next four years during the month of December and free to the public, directing class students staged their work of one-act plays at noon in the Hidaway Cafeteria of the Blake Street Library. Between 1974 and 1983, dinner theatre was presented in the Union Building under the financial sponsorship of the Lecture and Convocations Committee.
In 1976, the Webbs began to offer touring productions of children’s theatre which provided full-length, fully staged and costumed plays for school-age children throughout central Indiana. The touring plays also offered study guides to the plays and a chance for interaction with the actors in order to provide an educational opportunity for both the students and teachers which could then be used in the classroom.
In 1981, University Theatre was moved to the Mary Cable Building, located on the main campus of IUPUI. The move more than doubled the space available for productions.
In 1984, Dr. Dorothy Webb began the biennial IUPUI National Children’s Theatre Playwriting Competition and Symposium which is ongoing and now named the Waldo M. and Grace C. Bonderman IUPUI National Youth Theatre Playwriting Competition. Her contributions made Dr. Webb a nationally recognized leader in the Children’s Theatre Association of America. In 1992, she received the Sara Spencer Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education which honors artistic theatre practice of long duration and wide recognition. When given to an individual, the award recognizes meritorious achievement in the field of theatre for young audiences. It has been awarded only five times to individuals since its founding in 1978. In 1997, Dr. Webb was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre for her work in advancing theatre for young audiences.
In 1991, the School of Liberal Arts sustained heavy budget cuts and could no longer support University Theatre which lost two staff members, the business director and the technical director. However, with student activity money and residual ticket money from previous productions, the students continued theatrical productions at a rate of one show per semester instead of the usual two shows.
Citing fiscal restraints, university administration informed students who were majoring in theatre that they had two years to complete their degrees. Substantial cuts in the curriculum were made and the number of courses offered was cut by one third. The department moved from the Mary Cable Building to offices on the third floor of Cavanaugh Hall. Theatre courses were still offered, but the theatre major was eliminated from the Liberal Arts degree.
In 1993, University Theatre ceased operation. The final play was a reproduction of the first show produced by University Theatre in 1968, A Streetcar Named Desire. By the time of its closing, University Theatre had presented more than 98 productions.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
University Theatre Records consist of five series: University Theatre Productions, Children’s Theatre Productions, National Children’s Theatre Playwriting Symposium, Grants and Administrative. The records cover the period of time from the 1968 creation of University Theatre to its close in 1993, with the bulk of information focused on both adult and children’s plays presented by the theatre and the playwriting competition and symposium begun in 1983.
University Theatre Productions Files, 1968-1993, in chronological order, include information, memorabilia and photographs of the productions presented by University Theatre.
Children’s Theatre Productions Files, 1977-1990, also in chronological order, provide information regarding the theatre productions presented to school-age children and include study guides, photographs and touring information.
National Children’s Theatre Playwriting Symposium Records, 1985-1993, include information on the planning and presenting of the competitions and symposiums. In chronological order, the files include photographs and scripts of the winning plays.
Grant Files, 1977-1991, in chronological order, include applications, accounting and final reports of grants from such organizations as the Indiana Arts Commission, the Indiana Committee on the Humanities, Lilly Endowment and Melvin Simon & Associates.
Administrative Records, 1973-1995, in alphabetical order, contain information regarding administrative matters such as annual reports, correspondence and fundraising.
SERIES LIST
CONTENTS | BOX | FOLDER | |
University Theatre Productions Files | |||
Streetcar Named Desire 1968 | 01 | 01 | |
Blithe Spirit 1969 | 01 | 02 | |
Slow Dance on the Killing Ground 1970 | 01 | 03 | |
Night Must Fall 1970 | 01 | 04 | |
Bus Stop 1971 | 01 | 05 | |
What Every Woman Knows 1971 | 01 | 06 | |
The Crucible 1972 | 01 | 07 | |
The Rainmaker 1973 | 01 | 08 | |
You Can’t Take It With You 1973 | 01 | 09 | |
Diary of Anne Frank 1973 | 01 | 10 | |
Hedda Gabbler 1973 | 01 | 11 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1973-1974 | 01 | 12 | |
I Never Sang For My Father 1974 | 01 | 13 | |
Long Day’s Journey Into Night 1974 | 01 | 14 | |
The Glass Menagerie 1974 | 01 | 15 | |
A Lion in Winter 1975 | 01 | 16 | |
Rebels With A Cause 1975 | 01 | 17 | |
A Man for All Seasons 1976 | 01 | 18 | |
The Beautiful People 1976 | 01 | 19 | |
The Chalk Garden 1976 | 01 | 20 | |
Girl Crazy 1977 | 01 | 21 | |
Joan of Lorraine 1977 | 01 | 22 | |
See How They Run 1978 | 01 | 23 | |
The Promise 1978 | 01 | 24 | |
The Hollow 1978 | 01 | 25 | |
A Marriage Proposal / The Boor 1978 | 01 | 26 | |
A Doll House 1978 | 01 | 27 | |
Finishing Touches 1979 | 02 | 01 | |
Creation of the World and Other Business 1979 | 02 | 02 | |
The Quiltmaker 1979 | 02 | 03-05 | |
A Hatful of Rain 1980 | 02 | 06 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1980-1981 | 02 | 07 | |
Barefoot in the Park 1980 | 02 | 08-09 | |
Hasty Heart 1980 | 02 | 10 | |
Nightwatch 1981 | 03 | 01 | |
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds 1981 | 03 | 02 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1981-1982 | 03 | 03 | |
Whose Life Is It Anyway (canceled) 1981 | 03 | 04 | |
Cerberus 1981 | 03 | 04-07 | |
The Children’s Hour 1982 | 03 | 08 | |
A View From The Bridge 1982 | 03 | 09 | |
The Subject Was Roses 1982 | 03 | 10 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1982-1983 | 03 | 11 | |
Play It Again Sam 1982 | 03 | 12 | |
Dark of the Moon 1982 | 03 | 13 | |
The Owl and the Pussycat 1983 | 04 | 01 | |
The Rape of the Belt 1983 | 04 | 02 | |
Our American Cousin 1983 | 04 | 03-04 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1983-1984 | 04 | 05 | |
The Three Musketeers 1983 | 04 | 06 | |
The Passion of Dracula 1983 | 04 | 07 | |
The Runner Stumbles 1983 | 04 | 08 | |
Liberty Taken 1984 | 05 | 01-04 | |
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 1984 | 05 | 05 | |
Theatre Season 1984-1985 | 05 | 06 | |
Same Time Next Year 1984 | 05 | 07 | |
Fifth of July 1984 | 05 | 08 | |
A Raisin in the Sun 1985 | 06 | 01 | |
Misalliance 1985 | 06 | 02 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1985-1986 | 06 | 03 | |
Working 1985 | 06 | 04 | |
Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander 1985 | 06 | 05 | |
Talking With 1985 | 07 | 01 | |
And a Nightingale Sang 1986 | 07 | 02 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1986-1987 | 07 | 03 | |
Whose Life Is It Anyway 1986 | 07 | 04 | |
Family Sunrise 1986 | 07 | 05-06 | |
Master Harold and the Boys 1987 | 08 | 01 | |
1940's Radio Hour 1987 | 08 | 02 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1987-1988 | 08 | 03 | |
Miss Firecracker Contest 1987 | 08 | 04 | |
The Bridge 1987 | 09 | 01-06 | |
The Miracle Worker 1988 | 10 | 01 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1988-1989 | 10 | 02 | |
Towards Zero 1988 | 10 | 03 | |
Beyond the Horizon 1988 | 10 | 04 | |
Ladyhouse Blues 1989 | 10 | 05 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1989-1990 | 10 | 06 | |
Rope 1989 | 10 | 07 | |
The Glass Menagerie 1990 | 11 | 01 | |
Good-bye Charlie 1990 | 11 | 02 | |
Theatre Season Brochure 1990-1991 | 11 | 03 | |
The Bad Seed 1990 | 11 | 04 | |
Look Homeward Angel 1991 | 11 | 05 | |
Coastal Disturbances 1991 | 11 | 06 | |
The Good Doctor 1991 | 11 | 07 | |
Mother Hicks 1992 | 11 | 08 | |
The Trickeries of Scapin 1992 | 11 | 09 | |
A Streetcar Named Desire 1993 | 11 | 10 | |
Children’s Theatre Productions Files | |||
Reynard the Fox 1977 | 12 | 01-02 | |
Androcles and the Lion 1978 | 12 | 03 | |
A Toby Show 1979-1980 | 12 | 04 | |
The Land of the Dragon 1980 | 12 | 05 | |
The Mirrorman 1981 | 12 | 06-07 | |
Rumpelstiltskin 1981 | 12 | 08 | |
The Sleeping Beauty 1981 | 12 | 09 | |
Mean To Be Free 1982 | 13 | 01 | |
Step on a Crack 1982-1983 | 13 | 02 | |
Puppet Capers 1982-1983 | 13 | 03 | |
Cinderella 1984 | 13 | 04-06 | |
Ride a Blue Horse 1985 | 14 | 01 | |
The Magician’s Nephew 1985-1986 | 14 | 02 | |
The Arkansas Bear 1986-1987 | 14 | 03-06 | |
Huck Finn’s Story 1987-1988 | 15 | 01-05 | |
Androcles and the Lion 1988-1989 | 15 | 06 | |
Scraps the Ragtime Girl From Oz 1989-1990 | 15 | 07 | |
East of the Sun West of the Moon 1990 | 15 | 08 | |
Ride a Blue Horse 1990 | 15 | 09 | |
National Children’s Theatre Playwriting Symposium Records | |||
Symposium 1985 "Setting Critical Standards" | 16 | 01-02 | |
Hallelujah Hopscotch (winner) | 16 | 03-09 | |
Symposium 1987 "Articulating Critical Standards" | |||
Requests for applications | 17 | 01 | |
Publicity 1986-1987 | 17 | 02 | |
Correspondence 1987 | 17 | 03 | |
Producers and Critics Panel | 17 | 04 | |
Directors Panel | 17 | 05 | |
Speeches | 17 | 06 | |
Playwriters Panel | 17 | 07 | |
Publishers Panel | 17 | 08 | |
"Proceedings" contents | 17 | 09 | |
"Proceedings" published | 17 | 10 | |
Reservations | 18 | 01 | |
Finances | 18 | 02 | |
Becca (winner) | 18 | 03-05 | |
Symposium 1989 "The Play and the Playwright" | |||
General | 18 | 06 | |
The Devil’s Orphan (winner) | 18 | 07-08 | |
Symposium 1991 "The Play and the Playwright" | |||
General | 18 | 09 | |
Symposium 1993 "Spotlight on Process" | |||
| General | 18 | 10 |
Grant Files | |||
Indiana Arts Commission 1977-1982 | 19 | 01-02 | |
Indiana Committee for the Humanities 1983 | 19 | 03 | |
Indiana Arts Commission 1983-1984 | 19 | 04 | |
Indiana Committee for the Humanities 1984 | 19 | 05 | |
IUPUI Project Development Program 1984 | 19 | 06 | |
Indiana Committee for the Humanities 1984-1985 | 19 | 07 | |
McDonald’s Corporation 1984-1985 | 19 | 08 | |
Melvin Simon & Associates 1984-1985 | 19 | 09 | |
Target Stores 1984-1985 | 19 | 10 | |
Penrod Society 1985 | 19 | 11 | |
Lilly Endowment 1985 | 19 | 12 | |
Indiana Arts Commission 1985-1986 | 19 | 13-16 | |
Melvin Simon & Associates 1986 | 19 | 17 | |
Arthur Jordon Foundation 1986 | 19 | 18 | |
William C. Griffith Foundation Trust 1986 | 19 | 19 | |
Inland Container Corporation Foundation 1986 | 19 | 20 | |
Penrod Society 1986-1987 | 19 | 21 | |
Indiana Theatre Association 1986-1987 | 19 | 22 | |
IU President’s Council on Humanities/ | |||
Children’s Theatre Foundation | 19 | 23 | |
Indiana Arts Commission 1986-1987 | 20 | 01-02 | |
IUPUI Project Development Program 1986-1987 | 20 | 03 | |
Indiana Committee for the Humanities 1987 | 20 | 04-05 | |
Indiana Arts Commission 1987-1988 | 20 | 06-12 | |
Junior League of Indianapolis 1988 | 20 | 13 | |
Indiana Committee for the Humanities 1988-1989 | 21 | 01 | |
Lilly Endowment 1988-1989 | 21 | 02 | |
Indiana Arts Commission 1988-1989 | 21 | 03-09 | |
IUPUI President’s Council on Humanities 1990-1991 | 21 | 10 | |
Administrative Records | |||
Advisory Board Committee 1984-1990 | 22 | 01-02 | |
Annual Reports 1981-1991 | 22 | 03-10 | |
Awards 1985-1988 | 22 | 11 | |
Budgets 1988-1991 | 22 | 12 | |
Correspondence/Della Pacheco 1983-1984 | 22 | 13-14 | |
Correspondence/Della Pacheco 1984-1988 | 23 | 01-04 | |
Correspondence/Rene Trischler 1989-1991 | 23 | 05-07 | |
Children’s Theatre Tour | 24 | 01 | |
Development Plan 1987 /Speech & Theatre Dept. | 24 | 02 | |
Development Plan 1988/SLA with Theatre response | 24 | 03 | |
Development Plan 1988-1989/ Theatre Dept. | 24 | 04 | |
Fundraising/Donors 1985-1991 | 24 | 05-06 | |
Fundraising/1990 | 24 | 07 | |
Fundraising/Promenade of Players Benefit 1989 | 24 | 08-09 | |
Histories ca. 1983 | 24 | 10 | |
Legal Issues 1986 | 24 | 11 | |
Newsletters 1980-1986 | 25 | 01 | |
Physical Plant of Theatre 1973-1990 | 25 | 02-09 | |
Publicity 1983-1990 | 25 | 10-15 | |
Special Programs/Seminars 1979-1990 | 26 | 01-13 | |
Student Related Projects and Activities 1972-1995 | 27 | 01-07 | |
Technical Theatre Guidelines and Equipment | 27 | 08-09 | |
Visiting Artists | 27 | 10-14 | |
Webb, Dr. Dorothy/ Webb, Dr. J. Edgar General Information, some correspondence | 27 | 15-17 | |
Miscellaneous programs, brochures, and posters | 28 |