Melcena Burns Denny Plays: Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Mitchell W. K. Toda, January 13, 2003.

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Manuscripts Department

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2129

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Overview of the Collection

Title: Melcena Burns Denny Plays

Dates (inclusive): 1946-1966

Bulk dates: 1946-1949

Collection Number: mssHM 65643-65679

Creator: Denny, Melcena Burns.

Extent: 37 pieces in 2 boxes.

Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Manuscripts Department

1151 Oxford Road

San Marino, California 91108

Phone: (626) 405-2129

Email: reference@huntington.org

URL: http://www.huntington.org

Abstract: This small group consists mainly of materials dealing with the production of two plays by California writer Melcena Burns Denny (1876–1974): "Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras" and "Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer"

Language: English.

Access

Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.

Administrative Information

Publication Rights

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item]. Melcena Burns Denny Plays, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Provenance

Gift of Estate of Mrs. Melcena Burns Denny, August 29, 1974.

Related Material

The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, has a copy of each of the plays represented in this collection as well (BANC MSS C-H 21).

Biographical Note

Melcena Burns Denny (1876–1974) was a member of the San Diego Writers' Club, the Authors' League of America, and the Dramatists' Guild. She was a native of California and a graduate of San Jose State Teachers College. In addition to her short stories and poems purchased by Collier's, Woman's Home Companion, and Youth's Companion magazines, Denny was the author of two plays, "Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras" and "Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer."

Scope and Content

This small group consists mainly of materials dealing with the production of two plays by Melcena Burns Denny (1876–1974). There are multiple copies of each of these plays, but each has slight variations. "Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras," was performed at California's First Theatre by the Troupers of the Gold Coast in 1946 and 1952, then at the Balboa Park Puppet Theatre in San Diego by the Junior Theatre Summer Work Shop in 1950, and finally in 1961 by the Triangle Club at the three-day Apple Festival in Julian, California. Included are scripts of her play and an essay written by Denny about Black Bart (born 1829). Her other play, "Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer," was performed at California's First Theatre in 1948 and 1949 by the Troupers of the Gold Coast; and included are scripts of the play, an incomplete short story about Lola Montez (1818-1861), song lyrics, and the music written by Edward C. Hopkins.

Arrangement

This small group is organized as follows:

1. Manuscript material – arranged by genre as follows; letters (correspondence), scripts of plays, essay, short story, and notes (Box 1)

2. Lyrics, music, and other materials – arranged by genre as follows; lyrics, music, ephemera, clippings, and posters (Box 2)

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.

Subjects

Black Bart, 1829-

Denny, Melcena Burns.

Montez, Lola, 1818-1861.

Melodrama.

Popular culture -- California.

Women authors, American -- 20th century -- Archives.

Forms/Genres

Scripts (documents) -- California -- 20th century.

Indexing: Subjects

Black Bart, born 1829

1946, Jan. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65646.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65647.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, the Lone Robber.” HM 65648.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, essay: “Who was Black Bart?” HM 65651.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, notes on Black Bart, b. 1829. HM 65653.

Montez, Lola, 1818-1861

n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65649.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65650.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, short story: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65652.

Melodrama

1946, Jan. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65646.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65647.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, the Lone Robber.” HM 65648.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65649.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65650.

Popular culture – California

1946, Jan. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65646.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras.” HM 65647.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Black Bart, the Lone Robber.” HM 65648.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65649.
n.d. Melcena Burns Denny, play: “Lola Montez, The Spider Dancer.” HM 65650.

Box 1

Manuscript material

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. To Dene Denny and Hazel Watrous San Gabriel, Calif. 1949, June 8 HM 65643

Denny, Melcena Burns. To Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins San Gabriel, Calif. 1949, Nov. 23 HM 65644

Denny, Melcena Burns. To Helen de Fremery Pasadena, Calif. 1966, July 16 HM 65645

Denny, Melcena Burns. Play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras” San Diego, Calif. 1946, Jan. HM 65646

Denny, Melcena Burns. Play: “Black Bart, The Lone Robber of Calaveras” [San Diego, Calif.]. Undated HM 65647

Denny, Melcena Burns. Play: “Black Bart, the Lone Robber” [San Diego, Calif.]. Undated HM 65648

Denny, Melcena Burns. Play: “Lola Montez The Spider Dancer” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65649

Denny, Melcena Burns. Play: “Lola Montez The Spider Dancer” San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65650

Denny, Melcena Burns. Essay: “Who was Black Bart?” Pasadena, Calif. Undated HM 65651

Denny, Melcena Burns. Short story: “Lola Montez, the Spider Dancer” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65652

Denny, Melcena Burns. Notes on Black Bart, b. 1829 Pasadena, Calif. Undated HM 65653

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Notes on Edward C. Hopkins [Pasadena, Calif.]. 1967, July 19 HM 65654

Box 2

Lyrics, music, and other materials

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Cabbage song” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65655

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Duet, Max and Lola” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65656

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Egg song” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65657

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Flower girls’ song” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65658

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Forty-niner miners” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65659

Denny, Melcena Burns. Lyrics for “Have you seen a spider dance?” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65660

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “I flash my eyes” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65661

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Life is glorious adventure” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65662

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Lola’s palace” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65663

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Love is a pipe” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65664

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Oh California mine” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65665

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “The porpoise” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65666

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Roarin’ Bill Yucca” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65667

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “The snappin’ turtle of the Sacramento” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65668

[Denny, Melcena Burns]. Lyrics for “Wheat song” [San Gabriel, Calif.]. Undated HM 65669

[Hopkins, Edward C.]. Lyrics for “Lola’s parting song” [Monterey, Calif.]. Undated HM 65670

Hopkins, Edward C. Music for “Duet: Chi-chi and Lola,” “Group song: Gold- digging girls,” and “Duet: Max and Pearl” [Monterey, Calif.]. Undated HM 65671

Hopkins, Edward C. Music for “Egg song” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65672

Hopkins, Edward C. Music for “Flower girls” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65673

Hopkins, Edward C. “Incidental music for Lola Montez” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65674

Hopkins, Edward C. Music for “Lola’s palace” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65675

Hopkins, Edward C. Music and lyrics for “Lola’s parting song” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65676

[Hopkins, Edward C.]. Music for “Max and Lola” [Monterey, Calif.]. Undated HM 65677

Hopkins, Edward C. Music for “Tarantella the spider dance” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65678

Hopkins, Edward C. Music and lyrics for “Whip song” [Monterey, Calif.]. 1949 HM 65679

Ephemera. 25 pieces. 1946-1961

Clippings. 60 pieces. 1946-1961

Poster: “Black Bart.” 1946

Poster: “Lola Montez.” Undated