Theater Collection, 1870-1982
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith College Northampton, MA
Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Hilary Buxton. 2010-10-19
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Theater Collection
Creation of Theater Collection
Time of Creation of Theater Collection
Materials in this subject collection were either purchased or given to the Sophia Smith Collection by various donors.
Scope and Contents of the Collection Tom Thumb, Mrs. Tom Thumb, and Tom Thumb's brother, undated The collection documents the work of women in the performing arts, especially American actresses, women playwrights, and dancers. There are biographical files on individuals such as Maude Adams, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Doris Day, Marlene Dietrich, Isadora Duncan, Cloris Leachman, Ida Lupino, Tatum O'Neal, Mary Pickford, Lillian Russell, Marlo Thomas, and Cicely Tyson, among others. Articles and dissertations include topics related to women in theater and dance, including biographical writings on Hallie Flanagan, Lillian Helman, Katherine Cornell, Eva LeGallienne, Olive Logan, Alla Nazimova, Cornelia Otis Skinner, and Ruth St. Denis. Also included are several contemporary plays by women, and printed material on women filmmakers and feminist theater.
Periodic additions are expected.
The collection is open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection with the following exceptions: Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies. This collection has not been fully processed; therefore it may be difficult to use. Material in this collection may be protected by copyright and it is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy all copyright holders. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Actors--United States--Biography--Sources
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Actresses--United States--Biography--Sources
Dancers--United States--Biography--Sources
Feminist theater--United States--History--Sources
Theater--United States--History--Sources
Women dramatists, American--Biography--Sources
Women in motion pictures--History--Sources
Women in the performing arts--History--Sources
Women in the theater--United States--History--Sources
Women motion picture producers and directors--History--Sources
Flanagan, Hallie, 1890-1969--Biography--Sources
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St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968--Biography--Sources
Hellman, Lillian, 1906- --Biography--Sources
Cornell, Katharine, 1893-1974--Biography--Sources
Le Gallienne, Eva, 1899- --Biography--Sources
Nazimova, 1879-1945--Biography--Sources
Skinner, Cornelia Otis, 1901- --Biography--Sources
series
General and miscellaneous
Bibliography and note cards circa 1975
American Women Playwrights and correspondence 1979
Chinoy: flyer, activities list, pamphlets, and newsletter 1975-82
Correspondence and mailing 1975-79
Dance: clippings and memo 1854-1982
Helen Duberstein: clippings 1972-76
Actors & Actresses: photographs 1888-90
Toulouse-Lautrec: postcards n.d.
Film
Catalogs
Serious Business Company, 1976
Women and their Sexuality in the New Film, by Joan Mellen 1973
Women's Films in Print, by Bonnie Dawson circa 1975
Workprint 1976
Flyers, pamphlets, and correspondence 1972-81
Flyers, newsletters, clippings, correspondence, and pamphlets 1962-73
Handbook, programs, and pamphlets 1972-75
Pamphlets, flyers, and articles 1973-81
Stage
Scrapbook: clippings and photographs 1929-31
Clippings 1969-79
General Articles 1855-1929
Newsletter and address labels 1975-81
Reviews, pamphlet, clippings, and scripts 1971-80
Guerilla Theatre: pamphlets n.d.
I Woman: stories, poster, scripts, and poems 1961-70
Feminist Theater
Pamphlets, play, and correspondence 1975-85
General: pamphlets, poster, articles, and programs 1972-75
Performers
Adams, Maude
Photographs, clippings, and correspondence 1900-57
Script n.d.
Anderson, Mary: photographs, clippings, correspondence, and book 1877-95
Barnett, Margo: pamphlet n.d.
Bernhart, Sarah: photographs, clippings, and pamphlets 1891-1922
Bloom, Claire: clippings 1971
Cayvan, Georgia: clippings 1884-86
Connard, Phyllis (with Lynn Fontanne)
Crabtree, Lotta: clippings n.d.
Crawford, Joan: photograph and clipping 1978
Davis, Bette: photograph and clippings 1978
Day, Doris: clipping n.d.
Dietrich, Marlene: photograph and clipping 1977
Draper, Ruth: clippings and correspondence 1954-57
Duncan, Isadora: clipping ,1927
Duse, Eleonora: articles, pamphlets, photograph, and clippings 1896-1924
Elssler, Franzisca (Fanny), Ballet dancer: "letters and journal" 1845
Enters, Angna: programs and clippings 1933-46
Espert, Nuria: clippings 1972
Faucit, Helen: scrapbook 1917
Fiske, Minnie Maddern: clippings, correspondence, and photograph 1924-32
Fonda, Jane: clippings 1970-71
Gerstenberg, Alice: articles 1947-48
Alice Gerstenberg Experimental Theatre Workshop: book 1958
Gordon, Ruth: clipping 1973-76
Gregory, Augusta Persse Lady: clippings 1860-1932
Hamlin, Joanne: pamphlets, programs, clippings, and photographs 1976
Harris, Julia Ann (Julie): clippings and magazine 1955-79
Havoc, June: photographs, Early Havoc, clippings 1959
Hayes, Helen: clipping 1975
Hellman, Lillian: articles and clippings 1975-76
Holzer, Adela: clippings 1975
Jackson, Glenda: clippings 1971
Kendal, Madhe: photograph 1889
Kennedy, Edith Wynne: correspondence n.d.
Lamb, Myrna: articles, clippings, and pamphlet 1970-71
Lasser, Louise: clipping 1976
Leachman, Cloris: clipping 1975
Leontovich, Eugenie: clipping 1972
Loden, Barbara: clipping 1970
Logan, Olive
Lupino, Ida: clippings 1974
Marlowe, Julia: photograph, article, and correspondence 1892
Marsh, Jean: clipping 1974
Mather, Margaret: photograph n.d.
Meader, Clara Fisher: clipping 1897
Mercouri, Melina: clippings 1971
Morris, Clara
O'Neal, Tatum: clippings 1973
Pavowa, Anna: clippings 1931
Pickford, Mary: clippings and correspondence 1937-79
Rachel (Elisa Felix): correspondence and clippings 1843-1913
Rehan, Ada: correspondence and A Daughter of Comedy 1891
Robinor, Hanna: photograph n.d.
Russell, Anna: The Power of Being a Positive Stinker with LP record 1955
Russell, Lillian: clippings 1922
Seeback, Marie: memoir 1891
Siddons, Sarah: photograph, clipping, and article 1845
Terry, Ellen: articles and clippings 1907-58
Thomas, Marlo: clippings 1975
Tyson, Cicely: clipping 1978
Ward, Genevieve: memoir 1863
Webster, Margaret: programs 1964
Audio tapes
#1 Cheryl Crawford
#2 Celeste Holm, Ann Burr
#3 Megan Terry
#4 Ann Burr, Vinie Burrows, Ethyl Barrymore Colb, Dorothy Olim
Microfilm
#1. Humble, A.L.: Matilda Heron, American Actress, 1959
#2. James Walton Swain, Dept. of Theatre & Speech, Tulane University: Mrs. Alexander Drake, A Biographical Study 1970
#3. Loganbill, G. Bruce: Cornelia Otis Skinner and her Art Form of Monologue
Articles and pamphlets
General, 1961-76
Matriarchs of the Regional Theatre 1975
A Salute to Women in Theatre, the Charles Macarthur Center for American Theatre
Drama for Health, by E. Macer Story
Mattack, Cynthia S.: On the Affinity Between the Historiography of Theatre History and Women Studies 1974
Settlement House Theatre: Community & Theatrical Transformations, Sonja Enloe 1982
PhD theses
Rosamond Gilder and the Theatre, by C. Dodge 1975
A Study of Character in Selected Plays of William Inge: Come Back…J. Epolito 1974
The Career of Rachel Corothers in the American Drama, by I. Abrahmson 1956
The Development of the Leading Feminine Character in Selected Librettos of American…, by E. Klein 1962
A Descriptive Study of the Acting of Alla Nazimova, by M. McKerrow 1974
The Role of Ruth St. Denis in the History of American Dance, 1906-1922, by C. Schlundt 1958
Hallie Flanagan: Her Role in American Theatre, 1924-1935, by B. Mendoza1976,volume I
Dancing Ground: An Approach to the criticism of the Modern Dance, by N. Hitchcock II
Lillian Hellman and Her Critics, by M. L. McPherson
Hallie Flanagan: Her Role in American Theatre, 1924-1935, by B. Mendoza1976, volume II
Women In Focus in Major Plays and Productions of Rachel Corothers, by Z. Kaplan 1979
Leontovich/Chinoy Interview: IBM belts 1968
Plays, contemporary
Asher, Sandra Fenichel
Afterthoughts in Eden 1974
How I Nearly Changed the World, but Didn't (Not Yet, Anyway)
Focus On Me, by Bobbi Ausubel 1974
Boesing, Martha
The Gelding 1974
Pimp 1977
Penelope, by Sophy Burnham 1976
Can You Hear Their Voices?, Vassar Experimental Theatre.
Aunt Ealdygyth is Coming Today! Stand Back!, by Anita Gustafson 1975
Both Ancient and Modern, by J. Gates n.d.
Susan LaTempa
A Play of One's Own…The Story of Virginia Woolf 1974
Wanda Winner 1975
Minnie's Last Jig, by L. Morris 1976
Love from the Madhouse: A One-Act Play, by E. Nass 1972
Stars in a Person's Backyard, by Jay Presson
Approaching Simone, by M. Terry 1973
Impression of Loving, by Louise Thompson
Donna Wilshire
A Revolution is a Circle 1976
Daughters of Liberty 1976
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
Portraits reproduced from the Sophia Smith Collection: Great Ladies of the Theatre n.d.
Miscellaneous photographs of actors, playbills, and circus bills 1851, 1858, n.d.
BOOKS ON SHELF
Havoc, June, Early Havoc 1959
Logan, Olive, Before the Footlights and Behind the Scenes 1870
Margetts, Ralph E., A Study of the Theatrical Career of Julia Dan Hayne 1959
Moffat, Marjorie, The One Woman Show 1935
Moss, Linda T., A Historical Sketch of Katharine Cornell as an Actress-Producer, 1931-1960 1974, (2 copies)
Schanke, Robert A., Eva Le Gallienne: First Lady of Repertory 1975
Small, Miriam R., Charlotte Ramsay Lennox 1935
Stephens, Judith L., The Central Female Characters in the Pulitzer Prize Plays, 1918-1949 1977