Newsletter of the Theatre Library Association
L-R: The Petrified Prince costumes, Lucille Lortel dress, Shanghai Moon, and Die Mommie Die! Costumes; Lortel Awards, May 2, 2010
Inside this issue
President’s Roundabout Broadside Book Book/Media Report Theatre News Awards Reviews Company Archives Network
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
4 President‘s Report BROADSIDE (ISSN: 0068-2748) is published three times a year and distributed to all members in good standing. Contents ©Theatre Library Association 11 BROADSIDE News Network Access via login—Members contact [email protected] ([email protected])
17 Book/Media Reviews Editor: Angela Weaver ([email protected]), University of Washington
Book Review Editor: Catherine Ritchie ([email protected]), 23 Upcoming Events Dallas Public Library
3 TLA Board Regional News Editor: Robert W. Melton ([email protected]), University of California, San Diego 3 TLA Mission Statement
BROADSIDE PUBLICATION GUIDELINES 1 Front Cover BROADSIDE is the principal medium through which the Theatre Library Association communicates news, activities, policies, and procedures. Collectively, past issues also provide historical information about the organization and the profession of performing arts librarianship. BROADSIDE has no ambition to serve as a scholarly journal. Scholarly and other articles or monographs may be considered for TLA‘s other principal publication, Performing Arts Resources.
In addition, BROADSIDE serves as a means for the exchange among members of information that advances the mission of the organization. Examples of this include short news items about recent activities of both individual and institutional members; short reviews of relevant books and other resources; news of relevant exhibits, conferences, and other developments in performing arts librarianship, collections, and scholarship.
In keeping with the aims of a newsletter, and to help the Editor and the TLA Publications Committee to maintain fair and consistent editorial policies, the PHOTO CREDITS: Publications Committee has developed the following guidelines.
Cover and page 8, L-R: The Petrified 1. Priority in the publication of articles will be given to the Association‘s officers, Prince costumes;,Lucille Lortel dress, members of the Board, and chairs of committees. These articles provide the most Shanghai Moon, and Die Mommie Die!. important means by which the leadership of the Association communicates recent Lortel Awards, May 2, 2010; photo Board decisions, upcoming TLA-sponsored events, appeals for member courtesy of Ryan Donaldson. involvement, etc. 2. TLA members in good standing are encouraged to submit news items that are in Page 4, Kenneth Schlesinger in South keeping with the statement above. All submissions are subject to editing for length, Africa; Elizabeth Adkins, photographer. clarity, and factual confirmation. 3. Letters to the Editor are encouraged, but must be limited to 200 words, due to Page 8, L-R: Ryan Donaldson, Archivist space considerations. for the Durst Organization; June Reich, 4. Reviews of books or other resources are an excellent way for members to Archivist for BAM and Sesame contribute to TLA and the profession. Reviews should be limited to 500 words and Workshop; Tiffany Nixon, Archivist for should include a concise summary of the resource, a comparison of it to similar Roundabout Theatre Company; photo resources, and a brief evaluation. Suggestions and unsolicited reviews should be courtesy of Ryan Donaldson. sent to the Book Review Editor. 5. The copyright of all articles published in BROADSIDE will be owned by TLA. Page 9, Frederic Woodbridge Wilson; Permission to republish an article may be requested from the Editor. image taken from http://arcadia.org/ 6. Ideas for articles – other than brief news items, book reviews, or submissions from wilson/fww-sketch.html officers and committee chairs – should be submitted to the Editor in advance in order to allow sufficient time to plan layout, provide constructive suggestions, and Page 12, Gary Sinise and Terry Kinney occasionally seek guidance from the Publications Committee. Articles should relate in The Indian Wants the Bronx, to performing arts libraries, library resources, or related topics in performing arts Steppenwolf Theatre, 1976; Lisa Howe- scholarship, rather than to general performing arts topics. Ebright, photographer.
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ABOUT TLA
EXECUTIVE BOARD MISSION STATEMENT
Officers Founded in 1937, the Theatre Kenneth Schlesinger (President, 2009-2010) Library Association supports librarians and archivists affiliated [email protected] with theatre, dance, performance Susan Brady (Vice President, 2009-2010) [email protected] studies, popular entertainment, David Nochimson (Executive Secretary, 2008-2010) [email protected] motion picture and broadcasting Colleen Reilly (Treasurer, 2010-2012) [email protected] collections. TLA promotes professional best practices in Martha S. LoMonaco (Immediate Past President) [email protected] acquisition, organization, access and preservation of performing arts Board Members resources in libraries, archives, William Boatman (2008-2010) [email protected] museums, private collections, and Phyllis Dircks (2010-2012) [email protected] the digital environment. By producing publications, John Frick (2009-2011) [email protected] conferences, panels, and public Nancy Friedland (2009-2011) [email protected] events, TLA fosters creative and Stephen Johnson (2009-2011) [email protected] ethical use of performing arts Beth Kattelman (2010-2012) [email protected] materials to enhance research, live performance, and scholarly Stephen Kuehler (2010-2012) [email protected] communication. Francesca Marini (2009-2011) [email protected] Karen Nickeson (2008-2010) [email protected] Brook Stowe (2010-2012) [email protected] Angela Weaver (2010-2012) [email protected] Sarah Zimmerman (2010-2012) [email protected]
Ex-Officio Georgia Harper (Legal Counsel) [email protected] Brook Stowe (TLA/Freedley Book Awards Chair) [email protected] David Nochimson (Webmaster) [email protected] John Wagstaff (TLA listserv) [email protected] Marian Seldes (Honorary Member) Louis Rachow (Honorary Member/TLA Historian)
Theatre Library Association JOIN US! c/o The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Membership 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, New York 10023 (Annual dues: $30 personal, $40 institutional; $20 student/non- TLA website: http://www.tla-online.org/ salaried members. In order to defray the rising costs of international
postage, members with non-U.S. TLA listserv: To Subscribe: mailing addresses are now required 1) Send email (nothing in the subject) to: [email protected] to pay a $10 surcharge.) includes 2) in the body of the email message type the following line: Performing Arts Resources, SUBSCRIBE TLA-L your name published occasionally. For availability and prices of past issues of PAR and BROADSIDE, contact [email protected]
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Kenneth Schlesinger in South Africa
TLA‘s Board conducted its spring Author‘s Agreement has been Historian as Film Noir Detective. meeting at Hunter College. As a successfully implemented with PAR And the Board accepted John first for the organization, we 27 on Documenting: Costume Calhoun‘s Proposal for PAR 30 managed to Skype in three Board Design, which we hope you‘ll on Documenting: Scenic Design. members from Austin, Seattle, receive by the time you read this. We are beginning to brainstorm and Charleston, SC. We not only Nancy Friedland has done a on our upcoming 75th Anniversary achieved our quorum but this has splendid job compiling this volume. already proven an effective comprehensive volume with 34 solution to facilitate participation contributors, featuring a special Conference Planning from national members with insert with color illustrations. restricted travel funds. Susan Brady announced an Another strong feature is that we exciting roster for the TLA Publications have several PAR issues in the Plenary, Harnessing the Powers pipeline. Stephen Johnson has of Performance: Documentation The Board commended Rob already begun to receive proposals Strategies for Theater and Melton for his effective leadership for his PAR 28: A Tyranny of Dance. It is slated for the CORD/ of this active Committee. Our Documents: The Performance ASTR/TLA Conference in Seattle
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PRESIDENT’S REPORT on November 20, featuring Archives Initiative Arts Librarian Scholarship to scholars from Bucknell, Johns honor and support emerging Hopkins and University of Speaking of which, Vice President members of our profession. The Maryland. We‘re in the process Susan Brady is presently involved Board feels a strong responsibility of organizing an intriguing tour of in an initiative with ASTR to work to recruit, mentor and foster historic theatres in downtown with theatre companies on future members of our illustrious Seattle, which—as you know— organizing their archives. They are calling. We had considerable has the bluest skies you’ve ever seeking funding from the National discussion about creating seen . . . Endowment for the Arts to networking opportunities for our undertake a nationwide survey of newest members and facilitating Board member Brook Stowe is holdings, then identify specialists to appropriate professional putting finishing touches on his work with regional companies. TLA development. Nancy Friedland panel, Dress Me Up with Your is fully committed to supporting this generously volunteered to chair Research, for the ALA important program, long overdue the Scholarship Committee. We Conference in Washington, D.C. and sorely needed. look forward to honoring our first Set and costume designers from recipient in 2011. the nation‘s capitol will share their Book Awards research experiences of At any rate, you can begin to mounting historically-based As you‘re aware, several years ago sense the breadth and depth of productions. we restructured our annual Book activity of Theatre Library Awards to give more emphasis to Association and its committed Steve Kuehler and his committee the winning authors. With this in members in publications, updated us on Symposium III on mind, the Board supported Book conference planning, and Shakespearean Interpretation, Awards Chair Brook Stowe‘s recognition of excellence. It‘s a running the gamut from the proposal to reinstate the Special particularly exciting time to be traditional, to the exploded, to off Jury Prizes [honorable mentions]. leading this energetic the charts [we call this Rush Up We would like to broaden the field organization. But —beyond our Your Shakespeare]! Public of outstanding books that we noteworthy programs and Theater Artistic Director Oskar recognize and have more scholars offerings—the greatest strength Eustis has signed on to Keynote involved in this celebration. of TLA is you: our members. and Diane Paulus of ART will discuss her Shakespeare Awards and Scholarships Happy Summer, Exploded! Festival. You won‘t want to miss this. Please mark We‘re pleased to announce that Kenneth Schlesinger your calendars for April 22, 2011. this year‘s Distinguished Service President Award will go to Kevin Winkler, I‘ll be traveling to Munich this former TLA President and longtime summer to attend SIBMAS‘ 2010 Emcee of the Book Awards. Kevin Conference, Performing Arts recently left the Library for the Collections: Uniting Past and Performing Arts to accept a Future [expect a photo of me promotion as Deputy Director of from Germany!]. TLA is currently Public Service at New York Public in discussions with SIBMAS Library. We believe this is the about co-presenting their 2012 optimal year to acknowledge Conference at the Harry Ransom Kevin‘s ongoing contributions to the Center in Austin. A current performing arts research field as a theme being explored is the scholar, teacher and practitioner. relationship of theatre companies with research institutions. Following from this, I proposed a new Brooks McNamara Performing
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FEATURE STORY
Roundabout Theatre Company Archives
Building the Roundabout’s the much-needed seed money to the administrative building, the Archives initiate the archive. Consultants room was re-appropriated and were brought in to prepare outfitted to house the archives. Approaching its 45th season, collection assessments and provide After a major cleaning effort and Roundabout Theatre Company the company with a suggested the installation of shelving and an has a great story to tell. With such phasing plan to begin the long task archives-compliant HVAC a long history—beginning with the of building the archives. I was system, Roundabout‘s archives now-legendary basement theatre hired in December 2008 as the were up and running by mid- in the Chelsea grocery store on company archivist and, working as 2009. A dedicated archives West 23rd Street to its current role a lone arranger, have had the server was installed in the managing four theatre houses in pleasure each day of maintaining— company‘s IT server room and a and around the Times Square and making further acquisitions commercial-grade flatbed corridor, including legendary toward—the Roundabout Theatre scanner and two computers were Studio 54—it might come as a Company Archives. installed. Surveyed materials surprise to learn that the housed in offices, theatre spaces, company archives were begun While much of the early and off-site storage sites were only one short year ago. documentation is lost to company brought to the basement moves and regularly scheduled archives, thus creating the core While the company understood purges, significant documentation collection. the need to form an archive to is intact. Production materials house its ever-growing production including playbills, photographs, The Core Collection and institutional history, its role as window cards, scripts, contracts, a large not-for-profit theatre budgets, and artistic The core collection consists of company, often with four correspondence are in place approximately 600 linear feet productions running concurrently, representing productions dating (growing rapidly daily) of forced it to focus on staging back to the mid-1960s. The materials, including historic upcoming productions rather than archives are far from having a solid theatre renovation documentation maintaining materials generated chronology of materials but efforts on three major theatres, from past productions. Managing are continually made to recover extensive production files such high-volume seasons left materials in the hands of past (budgets, performance reports, little time for mobilizing an archive designers, photographers, artistic contracts), institutional files but the company had strong collaborators, and private (Board Minutes, staff meetings, internal advocates—Julia C. collectors. etc.), correspondence files, Levy, Executive Director, External marketing materials, costumes, Affairs, and Julie D‘Andrea, Housing the Roundabout play reading workshop materials, former Director of Institutional Archives and development files (annual Giving—who worked to solidify galas, fundraising events). A earmarked funds to initiate a Roundabout‘s archives are located large collection of media—both permanent archive. in the basement of a midtown office audio and video—exists in older building. The space consists of one formats that in time will be Their vision was realized in 2008 main room with five smaller migrated for full digital access. when the Leon Levy Foundation, adjoined rooms. Historically the Included in the media collection a strong proponent of funding space was used for scenic building are artist interviews, opening initiatives at arts institutions, and storage, with the smaller night photos, press footage, etc. recognized the need for rooms dedicated to rehearsal Due to the nature of the space—a preserving Roundabout‘s history costumes and small props storage. basement facility with a less-than- and provided the company with With a space already carved out in ideal environment—measures
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FEATURE STORY were taken to stabilize the archives move into a more public 10-6 and by special appointment. temperature and decrease phase, codes, restrictions, and The archives plans to mount humidity. An air-conditioning unit forms for external access will be small exhibitions showcasing was researched, purchased and initiated. Also at that time, it is costumes, photographs, and installed to maintain a consistent hoped that the archives space will other theatre ephemera over the 68 degrees with relative humidity be reevaluated both in terms of course of the next few years and at 43 percent. Humidity and water long-term sustainability and spatial is presently conducting oral leaks were a problem prior to the limitations. history interviews with many key room being outfitted for the artists and employees whose archives, but work was done to Digital Records and Using work greatly shaped the history of seal off waterways and move Collective Access as a the company. shelving and thus far water Cataloging Tool problems have been a non-issue. Much gratitude is given to the All materials in the core collection In order to manage the collection in Leon Levy Foundation whose are stored in size- and material- the digital realm, the archives support, enthusiasm, and care appropriate Hollinger boxes on consulted with Seth Kaufman, a has enabled the running of the density shelving through the database engineer whose open- Roundabout Theatre Company archives. Our non-archives source software, Collective Access Archives and has helped shape costume stock is housed on racks (www.collectiveaccess.org), is the spirit of its collection. in a separate room with humidity effectively used by many maintained and monitored. institutions to manage their special Tiffany Nixon, Archivist Archival costumes are removed collections. Applying Collective Roundabout Theatre Company from circulation and Access, with individualized Archives photographed, cataloged, and templates aimed at Roundabout‘s tissue-wrapped in flat 38x24x6 varied collection, we are in the polypropylene boxes. process of cataloging at folder level every detail of the collection, The archives consultants including objects that often fall identified materials in need of outside the range of traditional restoration (mainly production cataloging packages such as multi- posters and photographs), but media and textiles. In the future, a thankfully much of the materials front end will be designed and in the collection are in good significant portions of the archives condition making minor tears will go live. easy to repair. To date, all identified backlog materials have What’s Next For Roundabout’s been accounted for and are on Archives schedule for processing, cataloging, and scanning projects As already stated, the archives is on an on-going basis. yet to be fully processed/cataloged, making access by outside It is relevant to note that much of researchers a distant goal; in the the core collection is considered meantime, the collection serves as ―active,‖ as the production files a significant resource for the contain materials reviewed and company‘s staff and artistic consulted on a regular basis. collaborators who look to the many Access to these materials is aspects of past productions for granted to staff on request, with inspiration and reference. The access forms utilized to loan and collection is open to staff Monday track the materials. As the through Friday during the hours of
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EXHIBIT
Lortel Awards - 25th Anniversary Archives Exhibit
The 25th annual Lortel Awards took place on May 2, 2010 at the Manhattan music venue, Terminal 5. In order to celebrate this milestone year, a small exhibit was mounted to showcase past productions, designers, and the countless Off Broadway companies which have received awards throughout the years. By all accounts, the exhibit was a success and brought much- needed attention to the need for proactive measures in the collection and preservation of Off Broadway ephemera.
Tiffany Nixon (Archivist for Roundabout Theatre), Ryan Donaldson (Archivist for the Durst Organization) and June Reich (Archivist at Brooklyn Academy of Music and Sesame Workshop) curated the exhibit salon style, and included costumes, window cards, playbills, and photographs in the display. All materials were borrowed from the respective Off Broadway companies and a generous loan of six dress forms from the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (thanks to curator Barbara Cohen-Stratyner) ensured that the borrowed costumes were well displayed.
Included in the materials were three lovely costumes designed by L-R: Detail of exhibit. The Petrified Prince costumes, Lucille Lortel dress, Judith Dolan for the 1995 production of The Petrified Prince at the Shanghai Moon, and Die Mommie Die! Public Theater (costumes courtesy of Luke McDonough/The Public costumes. Lortel Awards, May 2, 2010 Theater); two outstanding costumes designed by Michael Bottari and Ronald Case for the productions Die Mommie Die! (2008) and Shanghai Moon (2003) (costumes courtesy of Michael Bottari and Ronald Case); and a dress suit worn by Lucille Lortel (circa 1990) (costume courtesy of the Lortel Foundation). Other Off Broadway ephemera on display featured productions and awards from Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Tectonic Theatre Project, Roundabout Theatre Company, Classic Stage Company, and many others.
Tiffany Nixon, Archivist Roundabout Theatre Company Archives
L-R: Ryan Donaldson, Archivist for the Durst Organization; June Reich, Archivist for BAM and Sesame Workshop; Tiffany Nixon, Archivist for Roundabout Theatre Company
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IN MEMORIAM
Fredric Woodbridge Wilson, Curator of the Harvard Theatre Collection
opened in April 2009, was a High School and at several local centenary celebration of Serge colleges. While in graduate Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. school in musicology at New York University, he began conducting Several of his exhibitions traveled choirs in New York, including the to other institutions. His Hirschfeld Washington Square Chorus, the was shown at the Morgan Library choir of the Faculty of Arts and and Museum in New York and at Sciences, and several early the McNay Museum in San music groups. Over a period of Antonio, and his centenary twelve years he conducted more exhibition on the Harvard Theatre than 500 choral performances, Collection was also shown at the most of unaccompanied music Grolier Club in New York. from all periods.
Mr. Wilson was born at Point Mr. Wilson was also fascinated Pleasant, New Jersey, on by computer programming, September 8, 1947. He was raised having been one of the earliest on the New Jersey Shore, where purchasers of an IBM personal he had a home until 2008. His computer — whose cost in 1981 father, Fred W. Wilson, Jr., was a was exactly equal to his school teacher, and his mother, accumulated pension from ten Fredric Woodbridge Wilson, Ruth Chapman Wilson, was a years of school teaching. Self- Curator of the Harvard Theatre homemaker. His early interests taught in assembly language and Collection, died on May 15th of were music, science and C+, he developed computer pancreatic cancer. He was 62 mathematics. An ambitious applications for arts and and lived in Watertown, Mass. science hobbyist, in his freshman humanities, especially a suite of year of high school he won a text processing utility programs In thirteen years at Harvard, Mr. nationwide contest to design a two- called "DataKit," which was Wilson curated more than forty stage model rocket, sponsored by widely distributed in academic exhibitions, on such diverse the National Association of and library circles in the 1980s. aspects of theater as Paul Rocketry and Estes Industries, the For several years he was Robeson's famous production of largest industry sponsor of model president of the Northeast Othello, early 20th century rocketry. Association for Computers in the American musical theater, the Humanities, based in New York. crossover between 19th century He attended Lehigh University, museums and theaters, and the initially as a physics major but While conducting choirs, Mr. artwork of Al Hirschfeld. Many of ultimately as its first-ever music Wilson had also been working as his exhibitions explored his major, graduating in 1969. At an editor and arranger for several favorite corner of theatrical Lehigh he developed a deep music publishers, and published history: 19th century British interest in choral music, having more than 50 arrangements of theater, including British served as assistant conductor and choral and early music. In 1981 Theatrical Caricatures, British then as a manager of the he and a friend, Timothy Broege, Pantomime, British Toy Theater, university's esteemed glee club. a New Jersey-based composer, and Gilbert and Sullivan Operas, Upon graduation, he returned to his formed an independent a subject on which he was widely own high school to become its publishing company called Allaire considered an expert. His last choral director. He spent the next Music Publications. In 1982, he (and largest) exhibition, which ten years conducting choirs at Wall was awarded four first-place
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IN MEMORIAM awards for excellence in editing Sullivan, on the Renaissance Association, the Signet Society at early music by the American composer Jacob Handl, the Ballets Harvard, and the Senior Common Choral Directors Association and Russes, and most recently on the Room of Lowell House, and a the Music Publishers Association. British theatrical photographer proprietor of the Boston Angus McBean, which was Athenaeum. He had served on In 1981, Mr. Wilson was published in the spring of 2009 by the board of directors of the appointed to the staff of the David R. Godine. He had made a Dance Heritage Coalition, the Pierpont Morgan Library, now the special study of the history of Theatre Library Association, and Morgan Library and Museum, theater and theaters in Boston, and the Music Publishers Association, after having become a familiar over the past decade he led many among other organizations. presence there as a researcher in walking tours of the city's historical music and opera. He was the theater sites. He is survived by a sister, Elaine Curator of the Morgan's Chapman Mazzara, a brother-in- renowned Gilbert and Sullivan In addition to producing exhibitions law, Walter Mazzara, of Brick, Collection, the largest archive and and exhibition checklists, he New Jersey, and two nieces. collection in the world related to lectured widely and organized a Arrangements are private. the Savoy Operas, a collection number of academic conferences. that also included music, poetry, In 1989 he organized a conference journalism, and artwork of the on nineteenth-century British Nena Couch Victorian period. At the Morgan musical theatre, co-sponsored by Curator and Professor Library, Mr. Wilson curated the Morgan Library and New York The Jerome Lawrence and several exhibitions, most University. At Harvard he Robert E. Lee Theatre importantly a show in 1989 on the organized major symposia on the Research Institute Gilbert and Sullivan Operas that choreographer George Balanchine The Ohio State University was one of the library's largest- in 2004 and, in the spring of 2009, ever exhibitions. on Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. In 1999, 2002, and 2005, he Mr. Wilson left the Morgan Library convened roundtable meetings of in 1996 to become the Curator of the curators of the principal the Harvard Theatre Collection, institutional theatre collections, all the world's oldest collection of held at Harvard. In the 1970s he theatrical material and still one of organized two festivals for chamber the largest, founded in 1901. He choirs performing a cappella was the sixth curator of the repertoire. collection, responsible for all acquisitions for the collection from Mr. Wilson was a familiar figure at the fields of theatre, dance, Boston arts performances, having musical theatre, opera, and all attended more than 150 forms of popular entertainment performances in many seasons. from magic to circus to minstrel He was a subscriber to many of the shows. A week after being city's major music, opera, ballet, invited to Harvard, he received and theatre organizations, and the news that he had been attended most Harvard student awarded a fellowship by the productions and plays as well as Guggenheim Foundation for his operas and concerts presented by research in the history of other universities and theatrical publishing. conservatories. He was an active member of the Society of Printers, Mr. Wilson's publications included the Harvard Musical Association, books and articles on Gilbert and the Old Cambridge Shakespeare
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NEWS
THE BROADSIDE NEWS NETWORK quality for use in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in contributor and author Anthony Simi Valley. They were delivered Please send news items relating Slide was held on April 29; film by GE‘s CEO Jeff Immelt to critic and USC lecturer Leonard former First Lady Nancy Reagan to new collections, exhibits, staff Maltin provided opening on June 16 as part of the two- transitions, etc. at your remarks. In addition to year celebration of the late institution , or news of TLA contributions from Mr. Slide, the President's 100th birthday. GE is members’ professional activities exhibition showcases items from also donating money for the and publications, to your regional more than ten USC Libraries construction of a new General reporter: collections. The exhibit closes on Electric Theater that will focus on July 30. A virtual exhibit, featuring Reagan‘s career in radio, Stephen Kuehler (Northeast, two dozen fan magazine covers, television and film. [email protected]) can be visited here: http://www.usc.edu/libraries/about/ Connecticut: Fairfield Phyllis Dircks (Mid-Atlantic, programs_exhibitions/hollywood/ Marti LoMonaco, TLA member [email protected]) swf/hollywood-fan-magazine.swf and Immediate Past President, Catherine Ritchie (South & UCLA University Librarian Gary E. recently published a fascinating Strong, who appointed a task force article on Mormon outdoor Southwest, last fall to examine the future of the pageants, based primarily on her [email protected]) UCLA Arts Library, has determined research in Nauvoo, Illinois. The for the time being to keep the Arts article is in the 2009 edition (vol. Sarah Zimmerman (Midwest & Library open in its present space. 17) of Theatre Symposium, the Plains, [email protected]) "It is clear that we will need more journal of the Southeast Theatre time to examine this complex, Conference. Rob Melton (West Coast & multifaceted subject further and to Rockies, [email protected]) gather input from constituencies Connecticut: Storrs including administrators, faculty, students, and donors," Strong The Ballard Institute and Museum California: Los Angeles wrote to colleagues. "The UCLA of Puppetry, located on the Library's primary objective in University of Connecticut‘s Depot ―Inside the Hollywood Fan undertaking this review and Campus in Storrs, currently has Magazine,‖ an exhibit at the assessment is to provide on exhibit ―Punch and Judy: Doheny Memorial Library at the participants in UCLA's acclaimed Handpuppets, Politics, and University of Southern California, programs in the visual and Humor,‖ which traces the charts the development of the fan performing arts with the world-class development of the handpuppet magazine from the golden years collections, services, and facilities tradition through its many forms: when Motion Picture Story they need." English (Punch and Judy), Magazine and Photoplay first French (Guignol), German appeared in 1911 to its transition California: Simi Valley (Kasperl), and several American into provocative headlines and exponents including Charles sensationalism in the 1960s and All 208 episodes of television's Ludlam and Edward Gorey. (On a afterward. The fan magazine has "General Electric Theater" (1954- related note, Frank Ballard, the often been viewed as a publicity 1962), hosted by then-actor Ronald namesake of the museum, tool, an arbiter of good and bad Reagan, most believed to be passed away on June 4 after a taste, a source of knowledge, and damaged or lost, were recently long battle with Parkinson‘s a gateway to the fabled land of uncovered in the General Electric/ Disease.) Hollywood. The opening NBC Universal Archives. They reception with exhibition have been restored to broadcast
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NEWS
At UConn‘s main campus, the interest to TLA members. Homer Babbidge Library is Through August 21 in the Vincent displaying ―Epic Shadows,‖ an Astor Gallery, ―The extensive collection of shadow Peregrinations and & Pettifoggery puppets from the Andhra Pradesh of W.C. Fields‖ highlights the life region of India, which documents and work of one of America‘s the popular tradition of itinerant great cultural figures. The exhibit puppeteers who performed is organized by the Academy of episodes from Hindu epics in Motion Picture Arts and Sciences shamanist ritual performances. and draws heavily on posters, More information on both exhibits photographs, correspondence, is at http://www.bimp.uconn.edu/ and family memorabilia held by exhibits.html Gary Sinise and Terry Kinney in the Academy‘s Margaret Herrick The Indian Wants the Bronx, Library in Beverly Hills. The Steppenwolf Theatre, 1976 District of Columbia: exhibit is accompanied by Washington Tuesday afternoon screenings of Chicago theater playbills. The Fields‘ films. For details, see Although grounds for its own digitized playbills will be made http://www.nypl.org/events/ facility have not yet been broken, available for research through exhibitions/peregrinations- the new National Museum of ContentDM on CPL‘s website pettifoggery-w-c-fields African American History and (http://www.chipublib.org/). Culture (part of the Smithsonian Highlights include playbills for On the third floor, in the Katharine Institution) has opened an exhibit productions starring Edwin Booth, Cornell-Guthrie McClintic Special celebrating the 75th anniversary Joseph Jefferson and Sarah Collections Reading Room of the of the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Bernhardt. The project will be Jerome Robbins Dance Division, Titled "Ain't Nothing Like the Real completed in 2011. is the exhibit ―Celebrating Anna Thing: How the Apollo Theater Sokolow,‖ the great American Shaped American Also at CPL: The exhibit ―Capturing choreographer who was born 100 Entertainment," the exhibition Chicago Theater: 35 Years of years ago. The exhibit features explores the Apollo‘s seminal Theater Photography by Lisa How- an installation inspired by impact on American popular Ebright (1974-2009)‖ features Sokolow's major works by Robin culture. The exhibit uses graphic photographs of productions from Meems, with assistance by images, film, costumes, music the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Melissa Birnbaum. This exhibit scores, playbills, instruments and Northlight, and Columbia College will be on display through July 24. artist interviews to recreate the theaters among others. The exhibit http://www.nypl.org/events/ experience of those individuals is mounted in the Special exhibitions/celebrating-anna- who visited the iconic building on Collections Exhibit Hall on the 9th sokolow 125th Street in Manhattan over its floor of the Harold Washington 75-year history. The exhibit is on Library Center, 400 South State New York: Rochester display in the Smithsonian‘s Street. The exhibit will be up National Museum of American through October 3. For more The Rare Books and Special History through August 29. information: Collections Department of the http://www.chipublib.org/ Rush Rhees Library at the Illinois: Chicago eventsprog/programs/exhibits.php University of Rochester is . currently exhibiting ―Claude The Chicago Public Library has New York: New York Bragdon and the Beautiful received a generous grant from Necessity,‖ a selection of papers, the Gaylord and Dorothy The New York Public Library for the drawings, and designs by the Donnelley Foundation to digitize Performing Arts at Lincoln Center is modernist architect who was also over 2000 of its pre-1922 historic currently mounting two exhibits of known for his Song & Light
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NEWS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Festivals and his role in theater‘s acquired under his direction ―valuable record of old Key New Stagecraft. Drawn from the included the archives of Robert West.‖ Department‘s comprehensive DeNiro, Tom Stoppard, David Bragdon Family Papers, the Mamet, David Hare, Arnold Vermont: Shelburne exhibition includes Bragdon‘s Wesker, and many others. Staley graphic designs, architectural also spearheaded the Center‘s Shelburne Museum presents drawings, plans for and 2003 multimillion dollar renovation, ―Circus Day in America‖ through ephemera from Song & Light which included a newly constructed October 24. Featuring objects festivals, and theater designs. It public space for galleries, an from the collections of the will be open to the public until auditorium, and a reading room. museum and the John and Mable October 16. For more Ringling Circus Museum, the information, including details of Texas: Dallas exhibit recreates the Golden Age the exhibition catalog, see of the Circus in America (1870- http://www.lib.rochester.edu/ The National Film Preservation 1950) through posters and other index.cfm?page=2273#649 Foundation has provided funding to memorabilia. Music, sound the G. William Jones Collection of effects, and scent stations let the Texas: Austin the Hamon Arts Library at Southern visitor experience the sounds and Methodist University for restoration smells of a day at the circus. For Thomas F. Staley, director of the and preservation of the 1957 film more information, see Harry Ransom Center at the Carib Gold, starring Ethel Waters, http://shelburnemuseum.org/ University of Texas at Austin for Cicely Tyson and Geoffrey Holder exhibitions/circus-posters/ 22 years, will retire on August 31, in a predominantly African- 2011. During his tenure, the American cast. The story of shrimp —This issue’s BNN items have Ransom Center substantially fisherman confronting sunken been contributed by Stephen expanded its literary and artistic treasure, the film was shot on Kuehler, Rob Melton, Catherine holdings. Theatrical collections location in Florida and represents a Ritchie, and Sarah Zimmerman.
Hold the Date for TLA's Symposium III: "Holding Up the Mirror: Authenticity and Adaptation in Shakespeare Today"
Join your TLA colleagues on April 22, 2011 for a fascinating day of presentations by the leaders of four of America's most celebrated theatre organizations: Oskar Eustis (The Public Theater), Ralph Alan Cohen and Colleen Kelly (American Shakespeare Center), Jeffrey Horowitz (Theatre for a New Audience), and Diane Paulus (American Repertory Theater)
All these artists are renowned for the originality of their approaches to staging Shakespeare‘s works. But whether they seek to recreate historical performance conditions or adapt Shakespeare's plays in terms of contemporary culture and politics, these theatre practitioners all make use of the kind of documents and artifacts held in libraries and archives. Using performance excerpts, both live and on film, our presenters will show how theatre libraries and special collections can enrich the continuing vitality of Shakespeare on the 21st century stage.
The Symposium will take place in New York City. Registration will begin later this summer. Watch the TLA listserv and future issues of BROADSIDE for more information as plans take shape. If you'd like to volunteer to help with arrangements and with coordinating the Symposium, contact Steve Kuehler, Chair of the Symposium Planning Committee, at [email protected]
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
2010 Freedley and Wall Memorial Book Award Winners & Finalists
Each year, the Theatre Library Association honors two exceptional scholarly publications published the previous year, one with the George Freedley Memorial Award and one with the Richard Wall Memorial Award (formerly the Theatre Library Association Award).
The George Freedley Memorial Award was established in 1968 in honor of the first Curator of the New York Public Library‘s Theatre Collection and first President of the Theatre Library Association. The Award is presented annually to one English-language book of exceptional scholarship published or distributed in the United States during the previous calendar year that examines some aspect of live theatre or performance.
The Richard Wall Memorial Award, established in 1973, honors one English-language book of exceptional scholarship in the field of recorded performance published or distributed in the United States during the previous calendar year. Formerly known as the Theatre Library Association Award, the prize was renamed in 2010 to honor the memory of the late Richard Wall, longtime TLA member and Book Awards Chair.
In addition to the Award winners, the 2010 Freedley and Wall juries designated one additional title in each category as a Special Jury Prize winner. A cash award accompanies both the Winning and Special Jury Prize selections in both categories.
For the 2010 Freedley and Wall Awards, more than 150 academic and commercial publishers were invited to participate, with nearly 350 titles nominated by TLA members and publishers.
The 42nd Annual Theatre Library Association Book Awards will be held at Lincoln Center in New York City on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 6:00pm in the Bruno Walter Auditorium of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (enter at Amsterdam Avenue and 65th Street). Doors open at 5:30. A champagne reception will follow. Please visit us on the web at: http://www.tla-online.org/awards/bookawards.html
Following is the listing of the 2010 Freedley and Wall Award and Special Jury Prize winners and finalists.
Brook Stowe, Book Awards Chair
2010 George Freedley Memorial Award Jurors 2010 Richard Wall Memorial Award Jurors Rob Melton, University of California, San Diego John Calhoun, New York Public Library Susan Peters, University of Texas Charlotte Cubbage, Northwestern University Don B. Wilmeth, Brown University Catherine Ritchie, Dallas Public Library
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Winner: 2010 George Freedley Memorial Award
The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi: Laughter, Madness and the Story of Britain’s Greatest Comedian (Canongate) by Andrew McConnell Stott
As iconic a presence to late-18th and early 19th century audiences as Charles Chaplin was to those of the early 20th, Joseph Grimaldi was the most celebrated of English clowns. Freedley juror Don B. Wilmeth took special note of author Stott‘s degree of ―detail devoted to the Georgian theatre as an institution in London,‖ insight which provided a ―wonderful context for Grimaldi‘s considerable contributions over such a short lifetime.‖ In addition to Stott‘s scholarship, juror Rob Melton appreciated the physical characteristics of the book itself, noting particularly the ―high quality of the paper, font (and) layout.‖ Melton predicted that Stott‘s volume will be ―one of those fairly rare books that will find readers in both academic and public libraries.‖
Special Jury Prize Winner
The American Play: 1787-2000 (Yale University Press) by Marc Robinson
Freedley juror Don B. Wilmeth hailed Robinson‘s sweeping study as ―far more than an overview of American play texts of the past 200-plus years,‖ citing the work as ―the most original and revolutionary assessment of American plays and their context in our generation.‖
2010 George Freedley Memorial Award Finalists (listed alphabetically by Author; all titles published 2009)
The Freedley jurors found the following titles to be of particular stand-out note in their category.
Bigsby, Christopher. Arthur Miller (Harvard University Press) Butler, Martin. The Stuart Court Masque and Political Culture (Cambridge University Press) Koegel, John. Music in German Immigrant Theater: New York City 1840-1940 (University of Rochester Press) Nathans, Heather S. Slavery and Sentiment on the American Stage, 1787-1861: Lifting the Veil of Black (Cambridge University Press) Rogerson, Margaret. The York Mysteries, 1951-2006 (University of Toronto Press) Savran, David. Highbrow/Lowdown: Theater, Jazz, and the Making of the New Middle Class (University of Michigan Press) Schweitzer, Marlis. When Broadway Was the Runway: Theater, Fashion, and American Culture (University of Pennsylvania Press) Stern, Tiffany. Documents of Performance in Early Modern England (Cambridge University Press)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Winner: 2010 Richard Wall Memorial Award
Film, A Sound Art (Columbia University Press) by Michel Chion; Translated by Claudia Gorbman
Spanning the full history of sound‘s relationship to cinema, encompassing even the ―deaf films‖ of the silent era, French scholar Chion‘s masterful study became available in English in 2009 through Claudia Gorbman‘s translation. Wall juror John Calhoun noted that Chion ―provides the reader with a fresh way of seeing (and hearing) movies, and does so with cinephilic passion.‖ Fellow juror Charlotte Cubbage pointed out that Chion‘s ―multi-level analyses include all aspects of sound within movies and incorporate film theory, the effects of technology, auteur techniques and styles and audience response.‖ Juror Calhoun added that the preservation of Chion‘s ―eloquent prose style‖ in English is ―a tribute to translator Claudia Gorbman.‖
Special Jury Prize Winner
The Fun Factory: The Keystone Film Company and the Emergence of Mass Cul- ture (University of California Press) by Rob King
Wall juror Charlotte Cubbage called King‘s work ―an in-depth and convincing analysis of the ways the Keystone Film Company reflected major social changes of its era,‖ noting in particular the author‘s ―scholarly responses to popular entertainment of the time pe- riod.‖
2010 Richard Wall Memorial Award Finalists (listed alphabetically by Author; all titles published 2009)
The Wall jurors found the following titles to be of particular stand-out note in their category.
Bernstein, Matthew H. Screening a Lynching: The Leo Frank Case on Film and Television (University of Georgia Press) Hilderbrand, Lucas. Inherent Vice: Bootleg Histories of Videotape and Copyright (Duke University Press) Keating, Patrick. Hollywood Lighting from the Silent Era to Film Noir (Columbia University Press) Mayer, David. Stagestruck Filmmaker: D.W. Griffith and the American Theatre (University of Iowa Press) McGee, Kristin A. Some Liked it Hot: Jazz Women in Film and Television, 1928-1959 (Wesleyan University Press) Nystrom, Derek. Hard Hats, Rednecks, and Macho Men: Class in 1970s American Cinema (Oxford University Press) Tropiano, Stephen. Obscene, Indecent, Immoral, and Offensive: 100+ Years of Censored, Banned and Controversial Films (Limelight Editions) Vieira, Mark A. Irving Thalberg: Boy Wonder to Producer Prince (University of California Press)
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Senelick, Laurence, ed. The represented by more than one The significance of most American Stage: Writing on essay) from all walks of American ―contributors‖ featured is obvious, the Theater from Washington literary culture, ranging from the but among the most pleasing Irving to Tony Kushner. New subtitled figures of Washington aspects of this entertaining and York: Library of America, Irving in the early 19th century to engrossing collection is that 2010. 850pp. Tony Kushner in the 21st. Senelick includes a broad ISBN 978-1598530698. spectrum of popular culture within Senelick has masterfully merged his definition of theatre. As such, the most well-known essays on the there are essays on minstrel stage in America with a collection shows, burlesque, vaudeville, of little-known meditations on stage musical theatre, street theatre, art by such significant writers as and media, and plays of all Alexis de Tocqueville, Edgar Allan stripes, from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Poe, Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Abie’s Irish Rose, and Hello, Henry James, Ezra Pound, Willa Dolly! to Our Town, A Streetcar Cather, and Langston Hughes, to Named Desire, and A Touch of
The quality and writing styles vary across the volume, but most are engaging and frequently provocative in surprising ways...
name a few. (Curiously, most tried the Poet, not to mention profiles their hand at dramatic writing at of notable figures and some point, but without much explorations of topics including success). Major drama critics, race and sexuality. The quality among them William Winter, Stark and writing styles vary across the Young, Alexander Woollcott, volume, but most are engaging T he venerable Library of Dorothy Parker, George Jean and frequently provocative in America has been unusually Nathan, Brooks Atkinson, Eric surprising ways; some evoke the attentive to American theatre in Bentley, Walter Kerr, John Lahr, era in which they were written recent years, issuing complete or John Simon, and Frank Rich, are and others, like Thornton Wilder‘s near-complete collections of amply represented, as well as ―Some Thoughts on Playwriting‖ plays by Eugene O‘Neill, playwrights including Thornton or Arthur Miller‘s ―The American Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Wilder, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Theater,‖ provide timeless Williams, Arthur Miller, and Miller, Edward Albee, Lorraine wisdom on the art of theatre. George S. Kaufman (and his Hansberry, Ed Bullins, Wendy collaborators). These most Wasserstein, and David Mamet. The American Stage, which is welcome volumes, affordable and Eugene O‘Neill is not represented enhanced by a detailed index and handsomely bound, provide by an essay, but is present in brief, well-written introductions to access to many of the greatest selections by George Jean Nathan each writer, is a collection to be American plays without taking up and Gore Vidal writing about his cherished. Its nearly 900 pages too much shelf space for libraries, work. Other theatre practitioners will provide endless pleasure for both institutional and personal. featured include an array of theatre lovers at all levels. The latest addition is not a directors (Elia Kazan, Harold collection of plays but a treasure Clurman, and Anne Bogart), along trove of essays. The American with designers (Lee Simonson), Stage, astutely edited by and actors (Olive Logan, William Laurence Senelick, is an elegant Gillette, Fred Allen, and Charles collection of short and long Ludlam). James Fisher essays by 78 writers (some University of North Carolina- Greensboro
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Mamet, David. Theatre. New describes as ―unimplementable, His conclusions are buttressed by York: Faber & Faber, Inc., 2010. and thus useful for the actor‖. years of theatrical practice and 157 pp. Stanislavski‘s major achievement, survival of the Neighborhood ISBN 978-0865479289. according to Mamet, is his Playhouse‘s reading list. His case promotion of the plays of Anton against drama as an intellectual Chekhov. or academic pursuit is strongest when comparing enjoyment- Mamet feels that the essence of based popular entertainment with the acting profession lies in the old its drier, institutionally-based Spencer Tracy adage about counterparts. The ruminations of showing up on time, knowing your a master dramatist on theatrical lines, and not bumping into the technique are bound to be furniture. As for expressing a fascinating and valuable reading, character‘s emotional life, don‘t and even more so when the
He [Mamet] regards arts subsidies, subscription audiences, most direction, rehearsals, and actors training as toxic to theatre...
bother, because ―the character is master in question spends the only a few words of speech better portion of his volume delineated on the page‖. Diction denigrating the value of writing and a basic understanding of stage such ruminations. action are the actor‘s only necessary skills. I n his latest collection of short essays, playwright David Mamet Rehearsal and direction are even puts forth a compelling case for bigger wastes of time for the most what can be best described as a part. Actors who know how to be free market theatre. He regards seen and heard when they‘re arts subsidies, subscription supposed to be seen and heard audiences, most direction, can figure that out for themselves. rehearsals, and actors training as Directors (and set designers for toxic to theatre as a vital that matter) serve mainly to place enterprise whose lifeblood is a themselves between the actor and paying audience that derives the text because those who cannot enjoyment from the dramatic act or write obstruct. experience and is thus motivated to support it at the box office. Audiences that don‘t specifically decide to come to a particular play Stanislavski and his method are dismissed as inauthentic, as apostles come in for a particularly the attraction to a production and forceful kick in the pants. Mamet the anticipation in attending are lost describes the Russian theatre in subscription-based enterprises. guru as a failed actor (apparently As for theatre subsidized by photographs of him onstage anything but box office receipts, the make this evident to those in the necessity for audience enjoyment know) whose frustrated love for is removed, making the interaction the dramatic arts bears fruit in his (in Mamet‘s eyes) at best corrupt. volumes on acting that Mamet The essays are brief and readable. John Frank Los Angeles Public Library
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Hill, Constance Valis. Tap Brotherhood in Rhythm (Oxford in early accounts of jigging Dancing America: A Cultural University Press, 2000), which won competitions forces a History. New York: Oxford the Deems Taylor Award. Placing consideration of gender in the University Press, 2010. 441 the 60-year dancing career of evolution of tap dance…‖ (3) pp. ISBN 978-0195390827. Fayard and Harold Nicholas within the context of ―what is ‗classical‘ By book‘s end, the reader will about the Nicholas Brothers‘ come away with an dancing,‖ Hill traces the history of understanding of tap dance in the jazz dancing from its roots in Irish way one would expect from a jigs and West African gioube similar study on American through minstrel shows to early painting, opera or jazz. Hill writes Broadway theater. ―It is first with authority, yet in a voice that necessary to inquire about the welcomes readers at all levels of nature of classical dance,‖ she knowledge. Her forte is thrusting writes. Hill‘s meticulous care in the reader into the midst of a placing tap dancing within the buck dance challenge, into a broader and deeper aesthetic of hundred years‘ worth of tap‘s American dance is carried over to musical styles and steps, and into
By book’s end, the reader will come away with an understanding of tap dance in the way one would expect from a similar study on American painting, opera or jazz.
Tap Dancing America, which also the verve of women tap dancing begins with an overview that seeks into American cognizance. to distinguish this study from previously held notions of the Just as Brotherhood in Rhythm foundations from which tap dancing brought long-overdue attention to A sterling presentation of this has evolved. Hill draws our the accomplishments and long-awaited study, Tap attention to issues often skirted by contributions of the Nicholas Dancing America provides a other tap dance scholars: Brothers (who seemed always to chronological analysis of a truly be given less media attention American art form. Its strength ―The conceptualization of tap than white dancers), Tap Dancing grows from a preface centered dance as an Afro-Irish fusion, America will bring the on a personal approach to the fueled by the competitive interplay conversation around to tap, and research and the writing, which of a challenge in a battle for perhaps even bring another proves the epitome of what tap virtuosity and authority, puts into generation into the tradition dancing was, is, and will be—a focus issues of race and ethnicity; it Savion Glover most recently has highly personal expression inevitably takes on the history of spotlighted. aching to connect with whoever race, racism, and race relations in is within earshot and sight. America. In addition, class was historically an issue in tap dance. For Tap Dancing America, Considered mostly a popular Constance Valis Hill draws from entertainment seen on the her own experiences as an vaudeville and variety stage and in acclaimed jazz tap dancer, the movies, tap dance has been choreographer, teacher, and placed in the category of ‗low‘ art performance scholar and builds unworthy of the concert stage. Rita Kohn upon her previous book, Moreover, the absence of women Freelance Writer
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Leon, Mechele. Molière, the lower classes were as often his theatrical figures in national French Revolution, and the target satire as was the aristocracy. theatre history.‖ Both are Theatrical Afterlife. (Studies Furthermore, Molière‘s close accomplished brilliantly in this in Theatre History and relationship with Louis XIV—so well-researched, accessible, and Culture). Iowa City: valuable in his lifetime—could have affordably priced study. University of Iowa Press, been seen as a liability by the Recommended for collections 2009. 184 pp. republicans, especially after supporting graduate-level study ISBN: 978-1-58729-821-9. legislation in early 1791 struck and research in French theater, down the exclusive license to literature, and political and social perform his plays long held by the history. Comédie-Française, enabling all classes of French society to see them performed.
For prerevolutionary French dramatists, the very survival of their works and reputations—their “theatrical afterlife” in Mechele Leon’s words—was threatened by the radical reevaluation of the entire French cultural legacy by the revolutionaries of 1789.
For these and other reasons, Leon (Professor of Theatre and Film, University of Kansas) argues that Molière‘s reputation was very much at risk during the last decade of the 18th century. Making considerable use of archival and other contemporary sources, she first documents a thorough accounting of all productions of Molière‘s plays M any, if not most, writers and in the years 1791-99, then explores artists are affected by perceptions how his reputation was saved and of their ―political correctness‖ (or even enhanced through various lack thereof) during their lifetimes. strategies, including the extensive For prerevolutionary French rewriting of the ending of Tartuffe dramatists, the very survival of and parts of other plays, the their works and reputations—their revision of the historical narrative (if ―theatrical afterlife‖ in Mechele not the facts) of his career, and Leon‘s words—was threatened finally the exhumation and patriotic by the radical reevaluation of the reburial of (what was thought to be) entire French cultural legacy by his body in 1792. the revolutionaries of 1789. Whatever his personal political Although her immediate project is views may have been, much of to show how the Father of French the comedy of Molière‘s plays Comedy was revalorized 120 years was derived from his depiction of after his death in a particularly class structures in both his plots extreme period of social turmoil, and characters, and he was an Leon‘s larger aim is ―to contribute Rob Melton equal opportunity satirist: the to the understanding of the role of University of California, San Diego
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Menefee, David W. George early love for the outdoors and his during WWII, and his various O’Brien: A Man’s Man in natural physical prowess, skills that decorations for bravery for Hollywood. Georgia: Bear would serve him well in his future outstanding Navy military service. Manor Media, 2010. 436 pp. Hollywood career, first as a stunt ISBN 9781593934736. double for Rudolph Valentino and Menefee has a tendency to gloss later as a leading man for such over his hero‘s flaws, flaws that Westerns as Robber’s Roost may have played a major role in (1932) and Smoke Lightning troubles affecting O‘Brien‘s (1933). personal life. Surprisingly, there are scarce clues in Menefee‘s Film historians will appreciate detailed account of what marital Menefee‘s chapters portraying problems may have led to O‘Brien‘s inauspicious beginnings O‘Brien‘s eventual divorce from as an assistant cameraman, actress Marguerite Churchill in stuntman, and an extra/bit player 1948. Despite this omission, he for Fox Studios. His big break succeeds in conveying O‘Brien‘s finally came when he was picked particular brand of bravery and
This touching tribute pays homage to an actor popular with directors and audiences alike...
by John Ford for the lead in Iron endless sense of tenacity as the O ne can‘t help but envision Horse (1924), the director‘s first sort of everyday heroism that George O‘Brien as anything less box office sensation which made O‘Brien such a remarkable than a hero in life as well as on launched O‘Brien to overnight person for so many fans over the screen when reading David W. stardom. O‘Brien‘s work with years. Menefee‘s richly detailed Howard Hawks in Fig Leaves biography. This touching tribute (1926), his fateful casting by Other key features for pays homage to an actor popular Murnau in Sunrise: A Song of Two researchers are the extensive with directors and audiences Humans (1927), and the grueling filmography, along with rare alike, best known today as the production of Michael Curtiz‘s photos, newspaper leading man in F.W. Murnau‘s Noah’s Ark (1928) are also well advertisements, and lobby cards masterpiece, Sunrise. O‘Brien covered. for each of O‘Brien‘s films; a successfully transitioned from comprehensive bibliography; and silent films to talkies, starring in Researchers will marvel at a portrait gallery that includes various Westerns before enlisting Menefee‘s ability to seamlessly daring portraits of the actor by in the Navy to serve during WWII. interweave absorbing narratives of photographer Max Munn Autry. the lives of those who crossed This book will prove a rich O‘Brien‘s early years take us to paths with O‘Brien or helped him resource for film historians his birthplace of San Francisco. along his way to stardom, including interested in the silent era and Menefee meticulously recreates Tom Mix, Wallace Reid, Richard the development of the Western the events leading to the 1906 Dix, and Lou Tellegen as well as genre. San Francisco earthquake and his leading ladies, Olive Borden fire, where the O‘Brien family‘s and Janet Gaynor. Menefee also courageous survival during and explores other lesser-known after the catastrophe left indelible aspects of O‘Brien‘s life, such as Cynthia Tobar impressions upon George. We his devotion to physical culture, his Mina Rees Library also get a glimpse of O‘Brien‘s training as a boxer while serving CUNY Graduate Center
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BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS
Euell, Kim, ed. (with Robert the preface to her ―Thieves in the performance piece, notes on Alexander). Plays from the Temple: A Spoken-Word, Hip-Hop specific staging choices, and, at Boom Box Galaxy: Theater from Theater Performance Piece,‖ "Text times, some theoretical or the Hip-Hop Generation. New is not sufficient to communicate the historical underpinnings to the York: Theatre Communications richness of the final story." (307) work. Group, 2009. 400 pp. While that is true to a degree for ISBN 978-1559362924. play texts of any style, the inability Stylistically, the plays are varied, of the written word to capture the ranging from solo performance musicality and movement of hip- pieces to large-scale productions hop performance is keenly felt complete with ensembles of when reading this collection. All dancers. Linking the nine texts
Much like reading the book of a musical without a sense of the musical score, something is lacking.
that aside, however, Plays from the are the poeticized nature of the Boom Box Galaxy is a richly language and explorations of valuable collection of an identity formation, specifically in increasingly prolific, uniquely regards to race, gender, American (yet rootedly diasporic) stereotypes and history. Brief style of theatre. biographical information on the authors follows each text and Euell opens her collection with an demonstrates the breadth of their introduction that offers a brief careers and the relevancy of their "W elcome to the spoken history of the cultural context of work at this time. world / The living word" (267) early hip-hop music, tracing its begins the "Invocation" to Marc influences on both African- Plays from the Boom Box Galaxy Bamuthi Joseph's ―Word American and contemporary hip- serves as an integral artifact of a Becomes Flesh: Performed hop theatre. Euell does not offer a contemporary theatrical genre. Letters from Father to Unborn fixed definition of hip-hop theatre, More importantly, however, it Son,‖ one of the nine but employs the motif of pastiche to serves to encourage the reader to performance texts included in this sample a variety of definitions from witness firsthand the profound collection. Hip-hop theatrical other artists and scholars. The nine impact of hip-hop theatre in performances are "spoken performance texts that she has performance. While the poetry on worlds" and "living words," selected for inclusion are united by the page is stunning, the contingent upon the virtuosic solo their connection to African suggestion of how that poetry is and ensemble performers that diaspora, elements of hip-hop embodied on stage should inspire collectively author these pieces, culture (including the use of "the each reader to seek out a live as well as the musicians and DJs Beat"), the thematic thread of performance. that bring the beats to life with fractured families, and the age them. Thus, an anthology of hip- range of the artists who grew up in hop performance scripts cannot the era of hip-hop. The nine texts help but be somewhat partial and are divided into three categories: fragmented. Ruminations on Identity, Cautionary Tales, and Much like reading the book of a Transformations. Prior to each musical without a sense of the script, an "Author's Statement" musical score, something is serves as a preface, offering Christine Woodworth lacking. As Aya de Leōn notes in background on the creation of the University of North Carolina- Greensboro
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UPCOMING EVENTS
July 2010 November 2010
26-30 18-21 CORD/ASTR/TLA Conference The 28th Congress of the Embodying Power: Work Over International Association of Time Libraries and Museums of the Renaissance Seattle Hotel Performing Arts (SIBMAS) Seattle, Washington Connecting Points: Performing Arts Collections Uniting Past and Future TLA Plenary: ―Harnessing the Staatliches Museum für Power of Performance: Völkerkunde (Ethnological Documentation Strategies for Museum) Theater and Dance‖ Maximilianstraße Munich, Germany Throughout history, capturing performance through various media has been challenging. Performance historians have June 2010 October 2010 based their work on archeological artifacts, paper records, oral 26 8 history and memory, audio TLA@ALA Program: ―Dress Me Board Meeting recordings, and film Up With Your Research‖ Lincoln Center Seminar Room [3rd documentation of dance and American Library Association floor] theater performances. Each Annual Conference method—in itself ephemeral— Washington, D.C. TLA Annual Business Meeting and presents challenges due in part to 1:30-3:30pm Book Awards limitations inherent in its physical Room Location TBA Bruno Walter Auditorium of the characteristics: images fade, New York Public Library for the paper crumbles, and memory Set and costume designers from Performing Arts fails. Washington DC-area theaters 5:30pm share their experiences in the This session will address and research process of mounting assess past, current, and future period or time-shifted methodologies for harnessing the productions, including re-creating power of performance—and the specific locales and/or time extent to which these approaches periods onstage. The panel will and strategies support or impede discuss the process of research research. and the resources involved in realizing past and/or imaginary worlds and the
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