Department of Theater Arts, 1955-2007, undated | Brandeis University
By Steven Butzel
Collection Overview
Title: Department of Theater Arts, 1955-2007, undated
Predominant Dates:1955-2007
ID: 00/MWalB00351A
Creator: Brandeis University. Dept. of Theatre Arts
Extent: 2.0 Linear Feet
Arrangement:
Arranged in three series: 1. Correspondence and Memoranda, 1955-2007, undated; 2. Curriculum, 1966?-2005, undated; 3. Photographs/Contact Sheets 1958-1972, undated. Materials are organized alphabetically. For more information about each series, please consult the series descriptions in the box and folder listing.
2 record center boxes.
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This collection has materials that date from 1955 through 2007. The collection includes correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes, photographs, contact sheets, reports, catalogs, newspaper and journal articles and brochures. The materials cover a wide variety of topics related to curriculum and program development, department administration and funding, theatrical productions, professional associations, community relations and awards.
Biographical Note
The theater program at Brandeis was founded in 1951 by visiting professor of dramatic art Louis Kronenberger and was part of the School of Creative Arts. In 1956, Assistant Professor John F. Matthews was named the first chairperson of the Theater Arts Department. Since then, seven other faculty members have chaired the department: John F. Matthews (1956-1958), Edwin B. Pettet (1958-1966), Howard Bay (1966-68), James H. Clay (1969-71, 1985), Martin Halpern (1972-75, 1982-84), Charles W. Moore (1976-1978), Theodore L. Kazanoff (1979-1981), and Michael Murray (1986-2003).
An Artists-In-Residence program was started in 1965-66, and the Master of Fine Arts Program was established in 1966. Mention of the M.F.A. program first appears in the 1967-1968 Brandeis University Bulletin. Concentrations within the M.F.A. program have included acting, directing, design, cinematography, and dramatic writing. In 2002-03, the department began offering a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a major or minor in Theater Arts, and a M.F.A. with concentrations in acting or design. The department also oversees the Nate and Frances Spingold Theater complex, which was completed in 1965.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions: Access to the collection is in accordance with the policies of the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department, Brandeis University. Some material is restricted. Please contact the department for more information.
Use Restrictions: Requests to reproduce or publish material from the collection should be directed to the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department, Brandeis University.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Correspondence and Memoranda, 1955-2007, undated],
[Series 2: Curriculum, 1966?-2005, undated],
[Series 3: Photographs, 1958-1972, undated],
[All]
- Series 1: Correspondence and Memoranda, 1955-2007, undated
- This series contains correspondence, memoranda and meeting minutes concerning a wide range of topics related to curriculum and program development, department administration and funding, professional associations, community relations and awards. One large subseries contains items pertaining to the department's involvement with the League of Professional Theater Training Programs from 1971-1984. The arrangement is alphabetical.
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Acting/Directing Committee, 1973-1977
- Folder 2: Affirmative Action, 1976-1978
- Folder 3: Alumni employment reports, 1979-1980
- Folder 4: Artists-in-residence, 1971-1972
- Folder 5: Bicentennial/Theater Arts Celebration, 1974
- Folder 6: Board of Overseers, 1969-1992, undated
- Folder 7: Board of Overseers, 1969-1992, undated
- Folder 8: Board of Overseers, 1969-1992, undated
- Folder 9: Board of Overseers, 1969-1992, undated
- Folder 10: Brandeis Repertory Company, 1988, undated
- Folder 11: Brandeis Theater Society, 1959
- Folder 12: Creative Arts Awards, 1970-1991
- Folder 13: Creative Arts Council, 1982-1990
- Folder 14: Creative Arts Council, 1982-1990
- Folder 15: Department chair memos, 1983-1985
- Folder 16: Encore Alumni Newsletter, 1997-1999
- Folder 17: Eugene O'Neill Memorial Theater Foundation, 1970
- Folder 18: Expressions dance series, 1966-1968
- Folder 19: Faculty salary history [R], 1970-1977
- Folder 20: Film Department, 1969-2007
- Folder 21: Fliers, 2005-2007
- Folder 22: Funding/staffing [R], 1977
- Folder 23: General, 1967-1989
- Folder 24: General, 1967-1989
- Folder 25: Grants and grant-funded hiring, 1969-1979
- Folder 26: Grants and grant-funded hiring, 1969-1979
- Folder 27: Herald Traveler, 1971-1972
- Folder 28: Irving Fine Memorial, 1963-1966
- Folder 29: Jubilee 350 Boston, 1979
- Sub-Series 1: League of Professional Theatre Training Programs
- Folder 30: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 31: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 32: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 33: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 34: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 35: Alliance for the Development of the Arts, 1978-1979, undated
- Folder 36: Annual meetings, 1972-1983
- Folder 37: Annual reports from Brandeis, 1971-1984
- Folder 38: Annual reports from Brandeis, 1971-1984
- Folder 39: Audition statistics for BFA/MFA, 1981-1983
- Folder 40: Board meetings, 1978-1981, undated
- Folder 41: Design portfolio review, 1975-1984
- Folder 42: Establishment of League, 1971-1973
- Folder 43: Executive Committee, 1974-1980
- Folder 44: Finances, 1972-1982
- Folder 45: Funding, 1973-1981
- Folder 46: Funding, 1973-1981
- Folder 47: Grants Review Committee, 1974-1983
- Folder 48: Information Bulletins, 1974-1981
- Folder 49: Membership Committee, 1976-1982
- Folder 50: Membership problems, 1974-1984
- Folder 51: Membership problems, 1974-1984
- Folder 52: Membership problems, 1974-1984
- Folder 53: Programs and purpose, 1974-1979, undated
- Folder 54: Promotional materials, 1980
- Folder 55: Theatre company, 2009-2010
- Folder 30: Actor presentations, 1977-1983, undated
- Folder 56: Master of Fine Arts curriculum and catalogs, 1970-1977, undated
- Folder 1: Acting/Directing Committee, 1973-1977
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Mobile theater, 1967
- Folder 2: Morevski Foundation, 1968-1975, undated
- Folder 3: Morevski Foundation, 1968-1975, undated
- Folder 4: Pettet, Edwin (Bob), 1957-1959
- Folder 5: Pettet, Edwin (Bob), 1957-1959
- Folder 6: Pettet, Edwin (Bob), 1957-1959
- Folder 7: Prizes and awards, 1969-1971
- Sub-Series 1 : Program Evaluation
- Folder 11: Report to the President, 1966
- Folder 12: Rogers and Hammerstein Award, 1967-1971, undated
- Folder 13: Rossum's Universal Robots, 1989-1993
- Folder 14: Sheepwell performance, 1982
- Folder 15: Spingold, Nate and Frances, 1955-1957, 1968-1984, undated
- Folder 16: Spingold, Nate and Frances, 1955-1957, 1969-1984, undated
- Folder 17: Spingold, Nate and Frances, 1955-1957, 1968-1984, undated
- Folder 18: Student/Faculty Committee, 1979-1980
- Folder 19: Summer drama workshop in Israel, 1975
- Folder 20: Technical/design area, 1970-1992, undated
- Folder 21: Technical/design area, 1970-1992, undated
- Folder 22: Touring company, 1977-1979
- Folder 23: Workshops and guest artists, 1982, undated
- Folder 24: Spingold, Frances and Abram Sachar correspondence [R], 1968-1984
- Folder 1: Mobile theater, 1967
- Box 1
- Series 2: Curriculum, 1966?-2005, undated
- This series contains materials related to curriculum and program development. A large portion of the items pertain to guest artists and visiting faculty, some of whom offered master classes. Two notable visitors who led master classes in the 1990s were Olympia Dukakis and Marvin Hamlisch. The arrangement is alphabetical.
- Box 2
- Folder 24: Acting program, 1992, undated
- Folder 25: Bachelor of Arts Degree Program brochures, 1997-2000
- Folder 26: Course descriptions/declarations, 1993, undated
- Folder 27: Department of Theater Arts courses of study, 2005
- Folder 28: Design program, 1992, undated
- Sub-Series 1: Graduate Program in Theater Arts
- Folder 32: Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty, 1982-1996
- Folder 33: Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty, 1982-1996
- Folder 34: Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty: Albee, Edward, 1978-1986
- Sub-Series 2: Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty: Master Classes
- Folder 40: M.F.A Professional Theater Training Program brochures, 1976, 1991, 1997-2001
- Folder 24: Acting program, 1992, undated
- Box 2
- Series 3: Photographs, 1958-1972, undated
- This series contains photographs and contact sheets of theatrical productions and cultural events at Brandeis, and perhaps other venues. Several photographs are of Edwin (Bob) Pettet (a faculty member in the 1950s and 1960s) participating as an actor in rehearsals and performances of his own. In addition, there are several photographs of unidentified theatrical productions. The arrangement is alphabetical.
- Box 2
- Folder 41: "50 Year Game of Gin", undated
- Folder 42: African Night, 1968
- Folder 43: Creative Arts Festival, 1967, undated
- Folder 44: "Diary of Anne Frank", 1972
- Folder 45: "Georgy Porgy", 1970
- Folder 46: "The Importance of Being Earnest", 1968
- Folder 47: Israeli plays, 1967
- Folder 48: "Laughter's a Funny Business", circa 1958
- Folder 49: Pettet, Edwin (Bob), undated
- Folder 50: Pettet, Edwin (Bob), undated
- Folder 51: "Tiger", 1967
- Folder 52: Unidentified, undated
- Folder 53: Wien Reception, 1966
- Folder 41: "50 Year Game of Gin", undated
- Box 2
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Correspondence and Memoranda, 1955-2007, undated],
[Series 2: Curriculum, 1966?-2005, undated],
[Series 3: Photographs, 1958-1972, undated],
[All]