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NEWSLETTER OF THE THEATRE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Volume 12, Number 1 Summer 1984 New Series PROGRESS MADE IN EXPANSION OF LONDON'S THEATRE MUSEUM Theatre historians take heart. After sev- eral false starts, the transfer of London's Theatre Museum to its new quarters in Covent Garden is about to become a real- ity. Conversion of the old Flower Market bcgzn in jar?uary ?981,caking the ~cvc a work-in-progress and thereby removing the old threat that it is easier to cut funds from projects not yet begun. The newly renovated building will have many advantages. There will, at last, be ample space for the storage and use of the splendid collections; the new location will be far more accessible to theatre-goers than the distant Victoria and Albert Mu- seum in South Kensington; the study facil- ities will be greatly expanded; there will be exhibition areas devoted to British the- atre history, changing exhibitions, and, perhaps, paintings and imported exhibi- tions; there will be a small theatre for lec- tures and performances; and, a shop and a cafe will add to the ambience of a self- contained, well-integrated museum. These changes represent a mammoth im- provement over the few cramped, dingy rooms currently allotted to the Theatre The Theatre Museum's new home Museum in the V&A's main building. The collection that is the nucleus of the Theatre Museum was presented to the Some of the materials in the Theatre Cambridge CB5 8DT, England, or 623 Mar- V&A in 1925 by Mrs. Gabrielle Enthoven. Museum may be purchased on microfiche. tense Avenue, Teaneck, New Jersey. Many It consists of a considerable amount of Approximately 100,000 playbills and pro- prompt books and actor's copies are avail- printed and visual material illustrating the grams from Lcndon theatres ccvering the able from Ormonde Pub!ishing Ltd, 76 history of the English stage since the period 1801-1900 are available on archival- Clancarty Road, London SW6 3AA, Eng- seventeenth century and is kept up-to- ly permanent silver microfiche from Chad- land. date on a daily basis. In recent years the wyck-Healey Ltd, 20 Newmarket Road, Enthoven Collection has been comple- mented by many other acquisitions, in- cluding collections of books, prints, photographs, prompt books and designs, SIBMUS as well as material related to dance, opera, music hall, puppetry, the circus and The 16th Congress of the International Edwardian melodrama and pantomime. Association of Libraries and Museums of By early 1987, one will be able to view the Performing Arts will be held in Lon- these treasures in surroundings befitting don, England, from September 9 through their value, and the theatre capital of the 13, 1985. Registration will take place on world will have a theatre museum worthy September 8. The theme of the Congress of its heritage. will be "The Theatre and Theatre Collec- tions." All those who wish to present a paper should restrict it to the general theme and to about 20 minutes and inform @ the Organising Secretary of their intention by December 31, 1984. For further infor- mation contact Alexander Schouvaloff, as- Organising Secretary, Theatre Museum, -*- Victoria and Albert Museum, London SW7 2RL, England. TLA MEETING IN DALLAS ELECTION RETURNS BOOK REVIEWS On Monday, June 25, the Theatre Li- We are pleased to announce that the Musical Theatre in America: Papers and brary Association and the Cinema Librar- following members have been elected to Proceedings of the Conference on the ians Discussion Group of the American three-year terms (1984-1987) on the TLA Musical Theatre in America. Edited by Library Association cc-sponsored a highly Board of Directors: Geraldine Duclow, Glenn Loney. Westport, CT: Greenwood successful allday meeting, arranged by Curator, Theatre Collection, Free Library Press, 1984. 441 pp. $39.95. TLA member Robert Eason. The morning of Philadelphia; Anthony Ibbotson, Archi- session began with a talk on the Gloria vist, National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Can- In the Spring of 1981, the Theatre Li- Swanson Collection acquired a few years ada; Anne G. Schlosser, Director, Louis B. brary Association, the Sonneck Society ago by the University of Texas at Austin. Mayer Library, Los Angeles; and Wendy and the American Society for Theatre Re- Dr. Raymond Daum, Curator of the Collec- Warnken, Associate Curator, Theatre Col- search jointly sponsored a conference tion, described some of the 500,000 items lection, Museum of the City of New York. on the musical theatre in America. The in the archive - including photographs, papers and proceedings have now been film and television scripts, correspon- published and include an impressive list of dence and a few costumes and other three- over fifty contributors ranging from stu- dimensional articles. He also showed film The Theatre Library Association is dents and librarians to current creators of clips from several Swanson movies which pleased to announce a new series of an- musical theatre. The papers are arranged demonstrated her singing ability -Ms. nual monograph publications, Performing chronologically and begin with pre-revolu- Swanson had started out to be an opera Arts Documents. Designed to augment the tionary America. singer-as well as her acting ability. annual Performing Arts Resources, Per- The keynote address was made by The second speaker wa: educator and forming Arts Documents will cover a noted Broadway conductor Lehman Engel, film producer Barbara Bryant. She de- broad range of topics, such as theatre, author and guiding light of the BMI Work- scribed a cache of over 100 films, includ- popular entertainment, dance and the shop for Composers and Lyricists. He dis- ing black feature films and newsreels, broadcast media: The neiv series.'will tie cussed the development in the books of which were found "in a mess" in a ware- issued in paperback format with illustra- musicals, and expressed his feeling that house in Tyler, Texas, and were acquired tions, beginning in 1986. Editors Ginnine early shows such as the Pulitzer Prize- by Dr. C.William Jones for the Southwest Cocuzza and Barbara Naomi Cohen-Strat- winning Of Thee I Sing are unrevivable Film Archives at Southern Methodist Uni- yner will consider abstracts for manu- today. The summing up of the conference versity. The films, written by black authors scripts of up to 150 pages, typed and dou- was by Gerald Bordman, author and au- for a black audience, are an important ble-spaced in MLA format. Letters of in- thority on the American musical, who was contribution to both cinema history and quiry may be sent to Performing Arts encouraged and excited about such con- black culture because they give an in- Documents, c/o Barbara Naomi Cohen- ferences as this one despite the problems sider's view of social conditions-cloth- Stratyner, Apt. 11B, 300 Riverside Drive, of Broadway today. ing, language, life-styles, attitudes, etc. New York, NY 10025. In addition to an index and notes about Ms. Bryant demonstrated this thesis with the contributors, there are numerous illus- film clips from luke loint, a 1947 comedy, trations and a bibliography. Of particular and Murder in Harlem, a 1935 drama. interest to me was a panel discussion on In the afternoon, the group visited four how musicals are created, with compos- Dallas theatres: the Plaza Theatre, renc- POSITION AVAILABLE ers, authors, directors and performers all vated for legitimate stage use after serving joining in. But anyone interested in the in the recent past as a porno movie house; There is an entry-level position for a subject will find a great deal of fascinating the Dallas Theater Center, now under the theatre librarian in the General Library information in this volume. Did you know artistic direction of Adrian Hall, where we and Museum of the Performing Arts, The that the Continental Congress passed a toured both the Frank Lloyd Wright the- New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. resolution in 1776 suspending theatrical atre and the Center's downtown theatre; For information telephone Mr. Antonio presentations? and the New Arts theatre in the warehouse Medina, (21 2) 930-0545. - Richard C. Lynch district. Representatives of each institu- tion gave the group a brief introductory talk, took us onstage and backstage, and Musicals! A Directory of Musical Proper- answered a barrage of questions about the ties Available for Production. By Richard physical plant and artistic policy. The day UNITED STATES MEMBERSHIP C. Lynch. Chicago: Amer~can'Library ASSO- ended on a festive note with a truly gour- IN UNESCO ciation, 1984. 197 pp. $19.50. met reception in the Fine Arts Division of the Dallas Public Library, hosted by Mr. President Reagan has announced that Both Mr. Lynch and his publisher are and Mrs. Eason. the United States will withdraw from the entirely too modest. They claim that this -Dorothy L. Swerdlove United Nations Educational, Scientific reference work is for those who are look- and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at ing for a musical to produce. That's a bit the end of 1984 on the grounds that it has like saying the Empire State Building is an become heavily politicized, mismanaged office building or Niagara Falls provides and over-budgeted, and that its activities drinking water. undermine U.S. interests. Many observers True, interested producers or groups, have expressed dismay over this action as amateur or professional, can find such im- a blow to the international flow of ideas portant information as the licensing agent, and a threat to the existence of important the cast requirements, the availability of non-governmental organization constitu- librettos or recordings and more. A brief ents of UNESCO such as the International plot summary is included and the lagni- Theatre Institute1U.S.