Newsletter of the Theatre Library Association

Inside this issue

Executive Broadside Book/DVD Review of Setting Board Meeting News Network Reviews the Stage: at John Jay Twentieth-Century College in Theater Models Manhattan

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 6 Exhibition Review Access via login—Members contact David Nochimson ([email protected]) 8 BROADSIDE News Network Editor: Angela Weaver ([email protected]), University of Washington

10 Announcements Book Review Editor: James Fisher ([email protected]), University of North Carolina at Greensboro 13 Book/DVD Reviews Regional News Editor: Robert W. Melton ([email protected]), University of California, San Diego 19 Books Received

20 Upcoming Events BROADSIDE PUBLICATION GUIDELINES

BROADSIDE is the principal medium through which the Theatre Library Association 3 TLA Board 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. 3 TLA Mission Statement Scholarly and other articles or monographs may be considered for TLA’s other principal publication, Performing Arts Resources.

1 Front Cover 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 Publications Committee has developed the following guidelines.

1. Priority in the publication of articles will be given to the Association’s officers, members of the Board, and chairs of committees. These articles provide the most PHOTO CREDITS: important means by which the leadership of the Association communicates recent

Board decisions, upcoming TLA-sponsored events, appeals for member Front cover, Gudonov involvement, etc. Julian F. Dové 2. TLA members in good standing are encouraged to submit news items that are in Set model for Boris Gudonov, 1923 keeping with the statement above. All submissions are subject to editing for length, The Historical Scenic Collection, clarity, and factual confirmation. Northern Illinois University/Lyric Opera of 3. Letters to the Editor are encouraged, but must be limited to 200 words, due to Chicago. space considerations.

4. Reviews of books or other resources are an excellent way for members to Page 3, Mephisto, University of contribute to TLA and the profession. Reviews should be limited to 500 words and Washington School of Drama production, should include a concise summary of the resource, a comparison of it to similar Frank Rosenthein, photographer. resources, and a brief evaluation. Suggestions and unsolicited reviews should be

sent to the Book Review Editor. Page 5, Old Havana, Kenneth 5. The copyright of all articles published in BROADSIDE will be owned by TLA. Schlesinger, photographer. Permission to republish an article may be requested from the Editor.

6. Ideas for articles – other than brief news items, book reviews, or submissions from Page 6, Anything Goes officers and committee chairs – should be submitted to the Editor in advance in Tony Walton order to allow sufficient time to plan layout, provide constructive suggestions, and Set model for Anything Goes, 1987 occasionally seek guidance from the Publications Committee. Articles should relate Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln to performing arts libraries, library resources, or related topics in performing arts Center, NY, NY. scholarship, rather than to general performing arts topics.

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 2 Table of Contents

ABOUT TLA

EXECUTIVE BOARD MISSION STATEMENT

Officers Founded in 1937, the Theatre Kenneth Schlesinger (President, 2009) [email protected] Library Association supports librarians and archivists affiliated Susan Brady (Vice President, 2009) [email protected] with theatre, dance, performance David Nochimson (Executive Secretary, 2009) [email protected] studies, popular entertainment, Angela Weaver (Treasurer, Interim) [email protected] motion picture and broadcasting collections. TLA promotes professional best practices in Board Members acquisition, organization, access William Boatman (2008-2010) [email protected] and preservation of performing arts Phyllis Dircks (2007-2009) [email protected] resources in libraries, archives, John Frick (2009-2011) [email protected] museums, private collections, and Nancy Friedland (2009-2011) [email protected] the digital environment. By producing publications, Stephen Johnson (2009-2011) [email protected] conferences, panels, and public Beth Kerr (2007-2009) [email protected] events, TLA fosters creative and Stephen Kuehler (2007-2009) [email protected] ethical use of performing arts Francesca Marini (2009-2011) [email protected] materials to enhance research, live performance, and scholarly Tobin Nellhaus (2007-2009) [email protected] communication. Karen Nickeson (2008-2010) [email protected] Ellen Truax (2007-2009) [email protected] Angela Weaver (2008-2010) [email protected]

Ex-Officio Georgia Harper (Legal Counsel) [email protected] Martha S. LoMonaco (Past-President) [email protected] Brook Stowe (TLA/Freedley Book Awards Chair) [email protected] Ellen Truax (Webmaster) [email protected] John Wagstaff (TLA listserv) [email protected]

Theatre Library Association c/o The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 40 Lincoln Center Plaza JOIN US! New York, New York 10023 Membership TLA website: http://tla.library.unt.edu (Annual dues: $30 personal, $40 institutional; $20 student/non-salaried TLA listerv: To Subscribe: members) includes Performing Arts 1) Send email (nothing in the subject) to: [email protected] Resources, published occasionally. For 2) in the body of the email message type the following line: availability and prices of past issues of SUBSCRIBE TLA-L your name PAR and BROADSIDE, contact the Executive Secretary ([email protected])

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 3 Table of Contents

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

W elcome to BROADSIDE! I’m honored and delighted to be serving as TLA’s President for the next two years. As you may be aware, I’ve served as Vice President for the past four years, having a wonderful working partnership with President Marti LoMonaco. I’m also blessed with excellent Officers: Vice President Susan Brady, who has served as a former President of TLA; Secretary David Nochimson, whom I’m convinced can do anything; and Interim Treasurer Angela Weaver, also the Editor of this fine publication.

Kenneth Schlesinger

Winter Board Meeting and lists diligently maintained by Rob Melton [[email protected]] previous Chair Dick Wall. if you’re interested. The Executive Board met Friday, The Board had a lengthy February 13 at John Jay College We did a post-mortem of last discussion about our vendor in Manhattan. Due to the recent October’s Book Awards. There contracts with EBSCO and financial crisis, however, was consensus that our new format ProQuest for Performing Arts attendance was down – and we with the two winning authors Resources. Working in tandem are exploring alternate ways to making presentations about their with legal counsel Georgia conduct meetings. books is effective and engaging. Harper, we must address Thus, we hope to offer another complex digital rights issues for As President, I would like to place valuable program this October 9 at images. Georgia also helpfully strong emphasis on our Lincoln Center. reviewed our contracts and made publications and conference recommendations to clarify TLA’s programming. In addition, we Publications ownership of our intellectual need to strengthen our standing property, as well as a means to Committees, so I requested Performing Arts Resources 25, migrate towards a more open Board members to volunteer their Documenting: Lighting Design, has access model for content. services. Further, we must proven so popular it has sold out! solidify our membership – and Editor Susan Brady successfully Conference Planning make a renewed pitch for solicited Board approval for an fundraising. Economic additional print run. New Board American Society for Theatre sustainability is going to become member Nancy Friedland provided Research’s Annual Conference an issue. an update on PAR 27, will be held this November in San Documenting: Costume Design, Juan, Puerto Rico. TLA Plenary Book Awards which will feature critical Chair Colleen Reilly has been commentary and profiles of reviewing proposals submitted for New Book Awards Chair Brook prominent theatrical and film TLA’s program, ―Playing‖ the Stowe joined us for the meeting. costume collections within the U.S. Pilgrim: Scholars, Collections, He is making an early effort to It should also be richly illustrated. and Archival Destinations. contact publishers to make Publication is slated for late 2009. Further, we plan to host a Career certain our Jurors have a broad We are seeking an Editor for the Session on ―Navigating the range of titles to evaluate. third part of this series, Archive,‖ and will organize a tour Critically, he has also automated Documenting: Scenic Design. to a prominent Puerto Rican arts many of the previous card files Please contact Publications Chair archival collection.

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 4 Table of Contents

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Board member Stephen Kuehler Angela Weaver has proposed a redesign for BROADSIDE, incorporating submitted a preliminary draft for more multimedia and interactive aspects. She hopes for release of this our proposed Symposium III on revised format for the Summer issue. Shakespeare Interpretation (authenticity vs. accessibility). Havana International Book Fair Several Board members signed on to assist Steve to further On a personal note, the evening after the Board meeting, I flew to develop this proposal. There Toronto en route to Havana, Cuba to attend their International Book Fair. were initial discussions about the It was a life-changing experience. In additional to this phenomenal Fair, possibility of offering it as part of our group visited the National Library of Cuba, as well as affiliate TLA’s proposed joint 2012 libraries of Casa de las Americas and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. conference with SIBMAS in Austin, Texas. The tour had a strong cultural component as well. We visited Hemingway’s house, attended an amazing flamenco version of Lorca’s Membership and Finance House of Bernarda Alba, and took mambo lessons on a rooftop in Old Havana. One of my plans is to partner with colleagues from Canadian David Nochimson gave an libraries, so we can route books through them to replenish libraries in updated Membership Report. As Cuba. of January 2009, TLA has 222 members, including four new Brazos, members. However, there are still 117 members who have not Kenneth Schlesinger renewed for 2009 (you know who President you are!). Please take a few moments to renew your TLA membership. As you know, you can renew online via PayPal at http://tla.library.unt.edu/ membership.html

Angela Weaver submitted her Treasurer’s Report. Our current balance stands at $42,259.04 and our CD Endowment is now worth $5,082.61.

Website and BROADSIDE Redesigns

David presented to the Board an updated template for the new TLA website design, first conceived last summer by Brook Stowe. While David currently has a lot on his plate and a learning curve for making future changes, he does pledge to apply himself on finishing this template during the spring months. Old Havana, 2009

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 5 Table of Contents

EXHIBITION REVIEW

Review of “Setting the Stage: Twentieth-Century Theater Models” November 22, 2008 through March 15, 2009 Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT

question ―Are theatrical stage sets could gaze into these enchanting A s a longtime theatre director- artworks?‖ and concludes, after wonderlands. Although the designer team, we ventured rhapsodizing over the lighting of the models did not in together to see ―Setting the ―extraordinary beauty, any way emulate the original Stage: Twentieth-Century sophistication and creativity of lighting designs, the subtle Theater Models‖ exhibition in theatrical set designs,‖ with an interplay of light and shadow on nearby Greenwich, CT. New York unequivocal yes. That opinion was the miniature stages leant an Times art critic, Benjamin echoed by our fellow museum- aura of depth, mystery, and Genocchio, gave the show a goers on February 15 who sublime theatricality to the pretty splendid review in the verbalized their enjoyment at displays. Patrons were especially Connecticut section of the peering into the lovely shadowbox thrilled to see models for Sunday Times on January 11, so presentations of the stage sets productions they had seen, we had high hopes for an recessed into special-built wall including Tony Walton’s set for engaging experience. Genocchio units and hoisted their young Anything Goes (1987), Robin opens his review with the children aloft so that they, too, Wagner’s Young Frankenstein

Anything Goes —Tony Walton Set model for Anything Goes, 1987 Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center, NY, NY

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 6 Table of Contents

EXHIBITION REVIEW

(2008), and Scott Pask’s designs wondered if patrons knew enough As we were leaving, we for two recent Roundabout about design to be able to discern overheard another couple revivals: Les Liaisons that original and subsequent commenting that they were glad Dangereuses (2008), and the productions of a particular play or they came because ―this is an current revival of Pal Joey. opera are very different animals. interesting exhibit.‖ We concluded Further confusion was reinforced that, if despite its inadequacies, Unfortunately, for theatre by a general history of theatre that the Bruce’s exhibition introduced professionals, historians, or made us squirm with such the world of scenic design to its anyone interested in statements as ―by the thirteenth many patrons, eliciting ―oohs‖ and understanding the practical century, theatres began to ―aahs‖ of happy appreciation, it function of set models towards resemble typical theatres of the was ultimately a worthwhile realizing production, this twentieth century.‖ venture. exhibition had little to offer beyond being pretty. It was an Placards for more recent designs odd assemblage of maquettes were more detailed and drawn from early twentieth presumably more accurate but still Marti LoMonaco and century holdings of the Historic lacked the continuity of information Karl Ruling Scenic Collection at Northern that would have afforded a stronger Illinois University, a few mid- historical context to the work. Some twentieth century Metropolitan maquettes were displayed next to Opera designs from the Lincoln preliminary sketches or production Center archives, and Broadway, photographs that were helpful in opera, and regional theatre understanding how models function models of the past decade by within the design process. It was John Conklin, Heidi Ettinger, not until we reached the very end Ming Cho Lee, Scott Pask, Robin of the exhibition, displayed on a flat Wagner, and Tony Walton, wall that we initially missed since it courtesy of the designers. If there was set apart from the rest of the was a concerted selection work, that there was an explanation beyond what was attractive and of how designers work, from initial available, it was not apparent. conception through the completed Accompanying wall text was design. This interesting maddeningly incomplete, documentation of Scott Pask’s confusing, or simply erroneous. design for the Metropolitan Opera’s For instance, for a model for the 2008 production of Benjamin 1923 production of Boris Britten’s Peter Grimes would have Godunov at Chicago Civic Opera, worked brilliantly at the beginning there was an accompanying of the exhibit to help viewers production photograph dated contextualize the entire exhibition; 1872 (the approximate date that instead, it seemed to be an Mussorgsky completed the afterthought. The opening room of revised version of his opera the exhibit was baffling albeit which actually premiered in beautiful, with early twentieth Russia two years later). Other century avant-garde studies by placards provide the title, what Giorgio de Chirico and Paul Colin ostensibly is the premiere date, from the Lifar Collection at the the composer and librettist’s Wadsworth Atheneum of Art in names, and a story synopsis with Hartford, that had nothing to do little information on the design or with the rest of the show. designer being showcased. We

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 7 Table of Contents

NEWS

THE BROADSIDE NEWS NETWORK Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library presents companies are still active, these ―Paper Trail: Documenting 20th- archives will continue to grow. The Please send your brief news item Century Film in the Archive‖ UCLA PASC website is at through March 31. The exhibition to one of the following http://www.library.ucla.edu/ features scripts, notes, BROADSIDE News Network specialcollections/performingarts/ scrapbooks, and printed matter stringers: index.cfm. documenting the work of filmmakers including H. D. and Stephen Kuehler (Northeast, Connecticut: Greenwich Bryher, Boris Kaufman, Mary [email protected]) Ellen Bute, Stan Brakhage, and ''Setting the Stage: Twentieth- Gerard Malanga. From late April Phyllis Dircks (Mid-Atlantic, Century Theater Models'' at the through June, the Beinecke will [email protected]) Bruce Museum of Arts and exhibit Carl Van Vechten’s color Science in Greenwich. The photographs of African Catherine Ritchie (South & exhibition brings together 20 small- Americans, including many Southwest, scale models of sets designed for figures in the performing arts. [email protected]) Broadway, dance, opera and other Among his subjects were a very theatrical productions. Also on young Diahann Carroll, Billie Sarah Zimmerman (Midwest & hand are production photographs Holiday in tears, Paul Robeson of the actual stage sets and original as Othello, and a procession of Plains, [email protected]) set design sketches by artists and opera stars, composers, authors, Rob Melton (West Coast & designers, including Giorgio de musicians, and others who made Chirico and Paul Colin. 1 Museum notable contributions to the Rockies, [email protected]) Drive, Greenwich, through March cultural life of the country. See 15. Information: (203) 869-0376 or http://www.library.yale.edu/ California: Los Angeles http://www.brucemuseum.org. beinecke/brblevents/ brblexhibits.html for more details. UCLA’s Performing Arts Special Connecticut: New Haven Collections has recently acquired At Yale’s Sterling Memorial the following Los Angeles theater The Seton Art Gallery at the Library, a recent exhibit of ―Arabic archives: Actors’ Gang (founded University of New Haven is Cinema Posters‖ displayed a in 1981 by Tim Robbins and presenting ―Flight of a Firebird,‖ an selection of some of the 1,200 several other ―renegade theatre exhibition of textile works by movie posters recently acquired artists‖); Center Theatre Group Russian artist Marina Sokolova, by the Near Eastern Collection (CTG produces theatrical works who designed sets and costumes and housed within the Library's at the Ahmanson Theatre and the for more than 100 productions at Department of Manuscripts and Mark Taper Forum at the Los the Bolshoi Theatre and other Archives. The exhibit was on view Angeles Music Center, and in the prestigious theater companies through March 6. A press release Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver throughout the former Soviet about the exhibit at City), and Cornerstone Theater Union, Europe, and the United http://opa.yale.edu/news/ Company (the company is a multi States. Sokolova’s work is on view article.aspx?id=6331 provides -ethnic, ensemble-based theater from March 5 through April 16. For additional information. company which commissions and more information, go to produces new plays, both original http://www.newhaven.edu/18391/ . District of Columbia: works and contemporary Washington adaptations of classics, Visitors to the Yale University combining the artistry of campus have had several Stephen Enniss has been professional and community opportunities to view exhibits named the Eric Weinmann collaborators. As all three related to film and theater. The Librarian of the Folger

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 8 Table of Contents

NEWS

Shakespeare Library. In addition holdings in late nineteenth century calendar/exhib/lpa/ to overseeing library operations French books and periodicals. For lpaexhibdesc.cfm?id=487 for and acquisitions, Enniss will lead more information, including an more information. digitization initiatives to expand audio tour, go to access to rare materials in the http://www.clarkart.edu/exhibitions/ Texas: Dallas Folger’s collections. During his 15 toulouse-lautrec/ . years at Emory University’s The G. William Jones Film and Manuscript, Archives, and Rare New Jersey: New Brunswick Video Collection at Southern Book Library, Enniss led the Methodist University’s Hamon library in acquiring important Jeff Friedman, PhD, Assistant Arts Library has been awarded a papers of major American, Professor in the Department of National Film Preservation British, and Irish writers—among Dance, Mason Gross School of the Foundation grant to be used in them Ted Hughes, Salman Arts, Rutgers University, has the preservation of Spencer Rushdie, Alice Walker, Seamus received a Senior Lecturing and Williams’ 1941 film, The Blood of Heaney, and Flannery O’Connor. Research Fulbright Fellowship for Jesus, the popular African- the academic year 2009-2010. He American salvation drama. The Massachusetts: Cambridge will be teaching at University of funds have allowed the library to Music and Performing Arts in create a new negative, prints and As reported in the Fall 2008 Frankfurt. The courses will include video, and the resulting materials Broadside News Network, the oral history and performance, and will be available for teaching, Harvard Theatre Collection is theory, method and practice of research, and to the general sponsoring a symposium (April dance reconstruction. public via special screenings. The 15 through 17) and exhibition Blood of Jesus was the first celebrating the centennial of the New York: New York feature by writer/direction founding of Serge Diaghilev’s Williams, later a star of Ballets Russes. The exhibition of The New York Library for the television’s Amos „n‟ Andy, and more than 200 original Performing Arts is currently was named to the National Film documents and art works, drawn hosting (through May 9) the Registry in 1991. almost entirely from the Theatre exhibition ―40 Years of Firsts: The Collection’s own holdings, is Dance Theatre of Harlem‖ in the West Virginia: Morgantown curated by the Collection’s Vincent Astor Gallery. The exhibit, curator, Fredric Woodbridge which is mounted in collaboration A gift of Don Knotts memorabilia Wilson. For additional with DTH, will later travel to several has been donated to the West information, go to http:// museums and performance centers Virginia University Libraries by hcl.harvard.edu/info/exhibitions/ across the country. For more the comedian’s widow, Frances index.html#diaghilevs_ballets . information, go to Yarborough-Knotts. Included http://www.nypl.org/research/ among the items are playbills Massachusetts: Williamstown calendar/exhib/lpa/ from Knotts’ many stage lpaexhibdesc.cfm?id=503 . Also on performances, articles and The Library of the Clark Art display at NYPLPA, in the Donald promotional materials, personal Institute has organized ―Tha-Ma- and Mary Oenslager Gallery letters and writings, television Ra-Boum-Di-Hé: Women and through May 2, is the exhibit scripts, scrapbooks, and the Entertainment in Paris,‖ ―Curtain Call: Celebrating a much-prized gold watch he celebrating the women Century of Women Designing for received when he retired from the entertainers of fin-de-siècle Live Performance‖ featuring works Andy Griffith Show. This was the Montmartre as depicted by by 110 distinguished designers of third such gift from Knotts’ widow Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard, T.A. scenery, costumes, lighting, props, to the Libraries since his death in Steinlen, and other artists. All the and projections from various February 2006. items, on view through May 1, are performing arts genres. See drawn from the Library’s rich http://www.nypl.org/research/

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 9 Table of Contents

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Now in its second printing!

Documenting: Lighting Design Performing Arts Resources Volume 25

Edited by Nena Couch and Susan Brady

The first of a series of PAR volumes investigating performance design, Documenting: Lighting Design provides a wealth of information for curators, archivists, librarians, and collectors, as well as designers and students and faculty of design. The volume reviews the history of the art as well as the history of the teaching of stage lighting; using archived lighting designs as part of the design curriculum; and the technological changes that have impacted the development of the field. Also included are essays on major archival collections of lighting designers and manufacturers, with examples of materials found within those collections, and a bibliography of related publications.

With a preface by Tony Award-winning lighting designer Jennifer Tipton, the volume’s essays include:

A PRIMER FOR THE HISTORY OF STAGE LIGHTING Linda Essig, Chair and Artistic Director, Department of Theatre, Arizona State University

THEATRE LIGHTING BC AND AC Karl Ruling, Technical Standards Manager, Entertainment Services and Technology Association

THOUGHTS ON THE HISTORY OF STAGE LIGHTING EDUCATION William Warfel, Architectural and Entertainment Lighting Designer, Warfel Lighting and Theater Design

USING ARCHIVES TO TEACH LIGHTING DESIGN Mary Tarantino, Professor of Lighting Design, Ohio State University

Available from Theatre Library Association http://tla.library.unt.edu/

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 10 Table of Contents

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

TLA is asking for your nominations for the Distinguished Achievement Award. We want to honor and publicize the accomplishments of outstanding members of our profession through this award, which will be presented at the TLA Annual Meeting in New York in October 2009. We would like to identify persons whose vision, energy, and knowledge have extended the boundaries of librarianship and performance-related scholarship; they may be performing arts librarians, curators, archivists, scholars or others in related professions. Please take a moment to nominate those individuals whose contributions have made a difference to all of us. We ask that you send us their names, with a short bio and appropriate documentation by April 15, 2009, so that their achievements may be duly celebrated.

By nominating a colleague, you are not only recognizing the achievements of that person, but you are also helping to raise public awareness of the vitality of our entire profession.

Nominations may be sent to: [email protected] .

You will find below a list of distinguished awardees of previous years, cited alphabetically for each year:

2007: Richard Wall

2006: Maryann Chach, Mary C. Henderson, Madeline Fitzgerald Matz

2004: Annette Fern, Don Wilmeth

2002: Betty L. Corwin, Richard M. Buck

2000: Rod Bladell, Don Fowle, Maryann Jensen, Louis Rachow

1996: Dorothy Swerdlove

1994: Paul Myers.

Awards Committee

Phyllis Dircks, Chair Maryann Chach Don Wilmeth

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 11 Table of Contents

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Legacy Oral History Program Museum of Performance & Design

Be Part of History

Oral History Training Workshop San Francisco: June 11-13, 2009

led by Jeff Friedman, Ph.D. and Basya Petnick

This stimulating and informative three-day workshop will provide the training necessary for participants to launch their own oral history projects. While drawing on references and examples in the performing arts, the workshop is designed to be equally appropriate for those involved in anthropology, cultural studies, institutional history, social history, regional history, family history, master’s or doctoral studies, or other projects.

The 14th Annual Oral History Training Workshop will be carefully designed to match the experience levels of all participants— beginning, intermediate, or advanced. The lecture/discussion format will include opportunities to apply the material presented. The workshop will cover:

Project Design Legal/Ethical Issues Technology and Funding Interviewing Transcription and Editing: producing research- quality documents or other final products

Fee: $300 (Early registration: register by May 1, 2009) $350 (After May 1) Pre-registration required. Major credit cards accepted.

Fee includes a 200-page syllabus/guidebook containing all the material taught in the workshop, special readings, and other vital information. In order to give personal attention to each participant and project, the workshop is strictly limited to 22 participants.

Contact: [email protected]; or call (415) 255-4800, ext. *823 for information and registration.

Workshop Leaders:

Jeff Friedman, Ph.D. founded Legacy in 1988 and continues as senior advisor to the program. He is a member of the faculty of Rutgers University and contributes to scholarly conferences and publications on oral history theory, method, and design.

Basya Petnick is Legacy Program Manager, seasoned interviewer, and published journalist. She is also experienced in the technology and funding of oral history projects.

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 12 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

Leonard Jacobs. Historic 200 of its 254 pages to pre-World Life With Father, in full costume Photos of Broadway: New York War II Broadway. On first glance, and onstage, purchasing war Theatre, 1850-1970. Nashville, there appears little rhyme or reason bonds or doughboys from a prior TN: Turner Publishing to the images included, but closer war lined up outside the Company, 2008. 254 pp + illus. inspection reveals that Jacobs Broadhurst Theatre in 1918. For ISBN 978-1596523623. manages to work in the most teachers and scholars, it is worth representative stage figures, noting that more than ninety theatre spaces, plays, and percent of the images are given a playwrights of this golden era of full page with very few spread New York theatre. Beginning with across the book’s seam, making an 1850 photograph of Junius reproduction for classroom Brutus Booth, Sr., and his young especially viable. son, Edwin, soon to become nineteenth century America’s finest A brief bibliography is included,

A majority of the photographs will be unfamiliar to even the most serious scholar.

actor, the cast of characters also and Jacobs’s short texts includes a diverse and impressively accompanying each image are complete sampling of vintage entertaining; however, it is the Broadway, from Lydia Thompson, images that make this book an Olga Nethersole, and Lillian unmitigated joy. Hopefully, it is Russell to George M. Cohan, Clyde the first of many – perhaps L avish collections of theatrical Fitch, and the Ziegfeld girls (not to Jacobs, who undoubtedly had to production stills and portraits mention ―Ziggie‖ himself in a pass over many images he would appear in print on occasion, but striking portrait). Some images are have liked to include – could too often these feature familiar strictly formal poses, others exude create decade-by-decade images seen often in other books a fetching informality conjuring an volumes or focus on specific and on book covers and glossy illusion of live performance (note a genres or eras. Please say yes! calendars, coffee mugs, and full stage shot of William Saroyan’s accompanying scholarly and pulp The Time of Your Life with Julie articles. It is a rarity to find a Haydon and Gene Kelly that collection chock full of the convinces the viewer of the scene’s unfamiliar and, better yet, with ―liveness‖). images reproduced crisply and accompanied by informative text. A majority of the photographs will Leonard Jacobs offers just such a be unfamiliar to even the most volume and it is certain to please serious scholar. For example, in the most exacting scholars as representing Tennessee Williams’ much as the casual theatre buff. debut play The Glass Menagerie, For American theatre historians, it Jacobs eschews the most iconic should be noted that Jacobs photos to include a rare still of chooses to emphasize the Laurette Taylor with Julie Haydon, historic, reaching back to the providing the viewer a delightful dawn of photography itself. shock of recognition in seeing the Despite the date range in its title, familiar in a most unfamiliar way. Jacobs’ book expends more than Page after page offers similar James Fisher delights (such as one of the cast of University of North Carolina at Greensboro

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 13 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

Philip C. Kolin, ed. The author of six previous works on sisters who could pass for Influence of Tennessee Williams and he has enticed fifteen progeny of Williams’ greatest Williams: Essays on Fifteen noted scholars to address the wide- heroines, or Tony Kushner, who American Playwrights. ranging impact of Williams’ work on has frequently acknowledged a Jefferson, NC: McFarland, his near-contemporaries (William debt to Williams and even quoted 2008. 229 pp. Inge, Neil Simon, Edward Albee, Williams dialogue in his finest ISBN 978-0-7864-3475-6. Lorraine Hansberry) to subsequent work, Angels in America. generations of dramatists to the However, readers may be present. In addition to these surprised to encounter essays on essays, the volume features an Sam Shepard, Christopher original David A. Crespy interview Durang, John Guare, and A. R. with Albee (Crespy also contributes Gurney (not to mention Neil his own essay on Williams and Simon) among those identified as Albee), who aptly notes that he and significantly indebted to Williams’

...editor Kolin and his collaborators have succeeded in opening fertile new fields in the study of Williams...

Williams wrote characters with a forerunning achievements. In this, ―tragic sense of life.‖ editor Kolin and his collaborators have succeeded in opening fertile Emphasizing the confessional style new fields in the study of and wide-ranging subject matter of Williams, not to mention those Williams’ drama, most of the acknowledged as inspired by his S ince the beginning of his essays stress his concerns with work. Kolin’s introduction, ―The playwriting career in the 1940s, gender (most notably, his liberation Panoptic Tennessee Williams,‖ scholars have written much of sexuality as a stage topic) and astutely sums up Williams as ―a about the many influences on particularly his influence not only powerful voice in the artistic Tennessee Williams and the on Southern writers, but also on the representation of the politics of creation of his singular plays. breakthrough generation of African gender and race,‖ adding that the These influences most American playwrights post-1960, essays record Williams’ voice in famously include his own including Adrienne Kennedy, ―different genders, tones, personal life and family August Wilson, Anna Deveare dialects, and degrees of affinity background, not to mention his Smith, and, most recently, and separation.‖ Williams’ voice Southern heritage. Along with Suzan-Lori Parks. Among the will surely continue to influence these, the rich theatrical culture particular pleasures of this volume the most probing of America’s of his youth and a range of is the overall quality of the writing, future generations of playwrights. literary figures as diverse as which is consistently outstanding Hart Crane, D. H. Lawrence, across the essays. The For those with an interest in and Anton Chekhov, among contributors, including Kolin Williams or any of the diverse many others, also mattered himself, offer a depth and American dramatists he is greatly to his development, as seriousness of analysis worthy of credited with influencing, this did his Broadway collaborators. their subject. well-edited volume will be a Less scholarly attention has necessity. been focused on Williams’ Kolin’s collection also offers influence on other playwrights. tantalizing surprises – one might Philip C. Kolin, editor of The expect to find an essay on Beth Influence of Tennessee Henley, whose most famous play, James Fisher Williams, is a distinguished Crimes of the Heart, features three University of North Carolina at Greensboro

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 14 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

William Baker. Harold Pinter. ostracization for stealing a friend’s His adaptations of John Fowler’s New York: NY: Continuum girlfriend, an obsession with playing The French Lieutenant‟s Woman, International Publishing cricket and professional cricket Fitzgerald’s The Last Tycoon, Group, 2008. 166 pp. ISBN players, and using his Bar Mitzvah and Anthony Shaffer’s Sleuth are 978-0-8264-9971-4. money to buy a copy of Joyce’s shown to be every bit as Ulysses. personally revealing as his stage works. Of particular interest to the Pinter’s theatre career starts with a Pinter completist is Baker’s scholarship to the Royal Academy consideration of the playwright’s of Dramatic Arts that he abandons unproduced screenplays for to join a series of repertory Lolita, The Trial and perhaps companies, playing Bassanio in most intriguing, King Lear. The Merchant of Venice, Jack

Baker, like his subject, has an eye for the single detail that paints an entire picture.

Worthing in The Importance of Michael Billington’s Pinter Being Earnest, and the Tyrone biography, Mel Gussow’s Power role in Witness for The Conversations With Pinter and Prosecution. Martin Esslin’s The Peopled Wound cover much of the same His first play, The Room, is written ground in greater depth. for a friend’s Master’s thesis However, for a concise and directing project. Pinter follows this sophisticated introduction to T his densely packed entry in up with a series of innovative, but Pinter’s life and works, Baker’s Continuum’s Writers‟ Lives series tepidly received plays culminating Harold Pinter is without peer. deftly combines a biography of with the success of The Caretaker. the late Harold Pinter with Baker’s selection of contemporary discussions of his works as critical reaction is amusing in light playwright, poet, director, actor, of Pinter’s subsequent acclaim. screenwriter and public figure in Particularly noteworthy is Kenneth 166 pages. William Baker’s Tynan’s about face between his examination of Pinter’s many loathing of The Birthday Party and facets is of necessity concise but his admiration of The Caretaker. never slight. Baker, like his subject, has an eye for the single As Pinter’s subsequent theatrical detail that paints an entire picture. works drift further and further from traditional plotting, Baker’s task of The book employs a summarizing each play’s action chronological structure, save for a becomes more and more daunting. final section devoted to Pinter’s He gives as good a description of poetry elegantly restating the Landscape or Silence as anyone relationship between his life and can, but neither of those pieces his art. The first chapter details really lends themselves to that formative experiences such as treatment. brushes with anti-Semitism, evacuation to the countryside Where Baker really shines is in his John Frank during the Battle of Britain, analysis of Pinter’s screenplays. Los Angeles Public Library

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 15 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

Ronald L. Davis. Mary Martin, Martin eventually sought film work Richard.‖ Halliday struggled with Broadway Legend. Norman, in California. While appearing at a alcoholism, and died in 1972. In OK: University of Oklahoma Los Angeles nightclub, she was adjusting to life without his Press, 2008. 312 pp + illus. discovered by a theatrical arguably domineering hand, ISBN 9-780806139050. producer. In 1938, she debuted on Martin nevertheless stayed Broadway in Cole Porter’s Leave It professionally active while To Me, where her unique rendition strengthening ties with friends of ―My Heart Belongs to Daddy‖ and family. She died of colon became an overnight sensation. In cancer in 1990. 1940, she married Richard Halliday, soon to become her Davis’ text is engrossing and devoted manager. seemingly uncolored by his own friendship with Martin in her later

He aptly conveys the affection Martin inspired in co-stars and audiences alike, while not minimizing her faults and foibles.

Martin won a Donaldson Award in years. (He even briefly addresses 1943 for Kurt Weill’s One Touch of the persistent whispers of her Venus. She also stamped her lesbianism, stating said rumors personality on Irving Berlin’s Annie have neither been substantiated Get Your Gun by touring the show nor disproved.) He aptly conveys nationally to much acclaim. Martin’s the affection Martin inspired in co- T he cover photo says it all – iconic, Tony-winning roles in South stars and audiences alike, while Mary Martin as Peter Pan, ever Pacific and The Sound of Music not minimizing her faults and youthful, radiating pure joy in followed. She cherished her foibles. Perhaps most inspiring is performance. For nearly five audiences and always maintained his depiction of Martin’s decades, Martin shared that high standards, rarely missing a widowhood years, during which same exuberance with theatre- performance. she bravely tackled several failed goers everywhere. In the star’s stage projects with characteristic first full-length biography, Ronald Martin’s later career took her to spirit and determination. L. Davis brings readers her television, perhaps most remarkable life. memorably in the 1960 recreation The book is illustrated with a of her earlier Broadway hit Peter small selection of photographs Mary Martin was born in 1913 in Pan. During the 1980s, Martin co- primarily from Martin’s stage Weatherford, Texas and always hosted a syndicated talk show for work. It is recommended both for maintained hometown ties, along seniors, Over Easy, until she and general readers and theatre with an occasional Southern friend Janet Gaynor were critically aficionados. Watching Mary twang. Her drive to perform injured in a 1987 automobile Martin as Peter Pan on television surfaced early. At age 17, she accident. inspired me to aim high and enjoy married Ben Hagman. Their the ride. As Ronald Davis’ union was short-lived, but While Martin’s stardom flourished, biography shows, the woman produced son Larry, who became her personal life proved herself could do nothing less. a television legend as Dallas’s challenging. Richard Halliday ―J.R. Ewing‖. Due largely to became her fierce protector from all Martin’s career demands, mother/ non-stage-related distractions. son relations were strained for When asked if Martin was in any decades. way a ―killer,‖ a friend remarked, Catherine Ritchie ―She doesn’t need to be: she has Fine Arts Division Dallas Public Library

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 16 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

Joe Deer and Rocco Dal Vera. premise that all musical comedy book can be used for individual Acting in Musical Theatre: A actors would do well to implement study, the numerous exercises Comprehensive Course. New – that is, the overt ―bigness‖ and and the condensed nature of York: Routledge, 2008. 448 pp. ―theatricality‖ that musicals demand some of the sections are more ISBN: 978-0-415-77318-8 does not mean the performer ideally suited for the classroom. (hardback); 978-0-415-77319-5 should sacrifice truth. To that end, Indeed, the relative speed with (paperback). Deer and Dal Vera offer numerous which the authors set up musical exercises designed for the comedy history and differentiate performance class that treat not between operettas, musical only the mechanics of performing comedies, ―Golden Age‖ musical songs, but the breaking down of dramas, and rock musicals, songs into the same beats and virtually necessitates the moments of discovery that actors of guidance of a knowledgeable

...the overt “bigness” and “theatricality” that musicals demand does not mean the performer should sacrifice truth.

―straight plays‖ use. Wisely, the instructor to flesh out the authors’ authors do not necessarily impose quick sketches. Each of their their values of what constitutes sketches, it should be noted, is ―great‖ musical comedy, but rather rich in information concerning they guide the reader/student to the performance style, and, to some task at hand – examining the music extent, historical context. and the lyrics of such diverse fter an impressive array of A songs as ―I Remember Air‖ from The most serious errors in the theatre practitioners, performers, Sondheim’s Evening Primrose and book arise when the authors try and scholars have already the perhaps inevitable ―I Dreamed to sketch the history a bit too proclaimed Acting in Musical a Dream‖ from Les Miserables to quickly – they mistakenly identify Theatre: A Comprehensive determine the characters’ Tchaikovsky as the composer of Course to be ―the book we have objectives, obstacles, and ―Peter and the Wolf,‖ for example, all been waiting for‖ (this courtesy motivations. The authors guide the and they mislabel a number of of Tony-winning actress Victoria student toward using the carefully musicals as Princess Musicals. Clark), is there anything left for a chosen words and sounds of lyrics, Nevertheless, as a practical book reviewer to say? Authors as well as the corresponding rises, textbook for the musical comedy Deer and Dal Vera state their falls, and breaks in the music, as student at any level, Acting in case with consummate key signifiers of thought, feeling, Musical Theatre is indeed a book confidence and authority in their and motivation. that will fulfill the needs of many introduction – their musical theatres and classrooms. comedy performance textbook is, The structure of the book lends they claim, ―comprehensive,‖ itself well to the authors’ intentions ―easy to understand,‖ ―flexible,‖ – starting with fundamental and ―fun‖ (xxviii-xxix). As it Stanislavski-based ideas that many happens, with a few reservations, actors use, and then adapting the the book lives up to all the principles to parsing songs. (One glowing evaluations – even the wonders about the possibility of ones the authors give musical comedy performance themselves. books rooted in other, less

traditional acting systems.) While Acting in Musical Theatre Deer and Dal Vera note that the Michael Schwartz establishes and proceeds from a Independent scholar

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 17 Table of Contents

BOOK/DVD REVIEWS

The Boys in the gay men and many stress what the changed since the 1960s as Band (DVD). Film film means for them today, noting depicted in Brokeback Mountain, version of the Mart that things have not changed much and all the more reason to study Crowley play, since 1970. Several use a variation The Boys in the Band as a ―gay directed by William Friedkin. of Honey’s comment during the classic.‖ Second, to many young One disc (119 mins); ―Get the guests‖ game in Who‟s gay people today, this is a Paramount. Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: ―I know cautionary tale to remind them these people.‖ that even though they may be ―out,‖ there are hazards even in ―These people‖ are a group of this enlightened society. Third, as upscale gay friends throwing a a breakthrough and a milestone, birthday party for one of them in the The Boys in the Band should be apartment of the host, Michael. The studied in relation to current plays arrival of his old roommate upsets and films to compare its honesty the already jittery equilibrium, and and courage with what is being eventually culminates in the ―truth produced now. Indeed, the play is game,‖ reminding many included in the curriculum of

...should be studied in relation to current plays and films to compare its honesty and courage with what is being produced now.

commentators of the games in numerous sociopolitical courses Virginia Woolf. In fact, some refer along with several online study to The Boys in the Band as the guides (one 77 pages long!). ―gay Virginia Woolf;” I think of Virginia Woolf itself as the gay There are four extras on this disc; Virginia Woolf, but Albee three with Crowley, Friedkin, disagrees. In any case, there is Tony Kushner, and two surviving ―M asterwork. . .milestone. . . hope of a positive renewal at the members of the cast, and a rather touchstone. . .breakthrough. . . end of Albee’s play, but very little, long audio track by Friedkin, genre classic. . .cult classic. . . at least for the host, in The Boys in which does not add much except gay classic...‖ and the beat goes the Band. to emphasize how pleased he is on. These are just some of the with this film. Recommended for descriptors used in commenting So why does The Boys in the Band all audiovisual collections in all on the film version of The Boys in still resonate with much of the gay sizes and types of libraries. the Band, both on VHS since community today, and why are at 2000 and on DVD in 2008 in a least some of the strongly newly restored print for the affirmative comments still relevant? fortieth anniversary of the Off- First, things have not changed as Broadway opening of the play, much as some believe. I knew which ran for over 1000 ―those people‖ then, and I still know performances, most after the them; they are part of a gay Stonewall riot of 1969. Ninety community in urban enclaves in customer comments on Amazon many parts of this country, and and sixty user comments on indeed the rest of the world. Not in IMDB, the large majority of which the Bible belt, nor in the Mid and Richard M. Buck are favorable, use one or more of Mountain West, regions little New York Public Library for the these descriptors. Most are from Performing Arts (retired)

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 18 Table of Contents

BOOKS RECEIVED

*Baker, William. Harold Pinter. New York: Continuum, 2008.

*Demastes, William W. Comedy Matters: From Shakespeare to Stoppard. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.

*Demastes, William W. Spalding Gray‟s America. Foreword by Richard Schechner. New York: Hal Leonard, 2008.

Firestone, Paul A. The Pulitzer Prize Plays: The First Fifty Years, 1917-1967: A Dramatic Reflection of American Life. New York: Limelight Editions, 2009.

Haenni, Sabine. The Immigrant Scene: Ethnic Amusement in New York, 1880-1920. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2008.

*Hawley, John C., ed. LGBTQ America Today: An Encyclopedia. Three volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008.

Iball, Helen. Sarah Kane‟s Blasted. Modern Theatre Guides. New York: Continuum, 2008.

*Vance, Jeffrey. Douglas Fairbanks. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2008.

Whitmore, Michael. Shakespearean Metaphysics. New York: Continuum, 2008.

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 19 Table of Contents

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 2009 May 2009

13 22 TLA at the American Library Association TLA Board Meeting Baruch College Annual Conference in Chicago New York, NY

Chicago Public Library/Video Theater Harold Washington Library Center June 2009 400 S. State Street Chicago, IL 60605 12 10:30 – 12:00 Noon Deadline for BROADSIDE submissions The Play’s the Thing: From Page to Stage to Archive In Chicago Theatres October 2009

The Chicago theater community, well known for its ensemble approach 9 toward production, generates new plays every year and has yielded TLA Board Meeting, Annual Tony award winners Grapes of Wrath, Metamorphoses, and Business Meeting, and Book August: Osage County. This panel will showcase representatives from Awards Steppenwolf Theater, the Goodman Theatre and other local companies The New York Public Library for discussing new play development through workshops and rehearsals, the Performing Arts how the "definitive" script is identified, and how that script and other materials related to the productions are maintained. November 2009

11-15 ASTR-TLA Annual Conference Condado Plaza Hotel and Casino San Juan, Puerto Rico

36/2 Winter/Spring 2009 20 Table of Contents