Inventory of the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory Archives, 1942-1978
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
100 North West Quad
Davis, CA 95616-5292
Phone: (530) 752-1621
Fax: (530) 754-5758
Email: speccoll@ucdavis.edu
2004
©2004
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Note
Inventory of the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory Archives, 1942-1978
D-145
Department of Special Collections
General Library
University of California, Davis
Davis, California
Contact Information
- Department of Special Collections
- General Library
- 100 North West Quad
- University of California, Davis
- Davis, CA 95616-5292
- Phone: (530) 752-1621
- Fax: (530) 754-5758
- Email: speccoll@ucdavis.edu
- Processed by Levi Damon Phillips in 1994. Encoded by: Sara Gunasekara in 2004.
- Completed: 2004
©2004 The Regents of the University of California
Descriptive Summary
Title: Universal Movement Theatre Repertory Archives,
Date (inclusive): 1942-1978
Collection number: D-145
Creator:
Universal Movement Theatre Repertory
Extent:
20.1 linear feet
Repository:
University of California, Davis. General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.
100 North West Quad
Davis, California, 95616-5292
Abstract: The Universal Movement Theatre Repertory (U.M.T.R.), originally the Radical Theatre Repertory, was a New York based booking
agency. The purpose of this non-profit organization was to assist theatrical groups and individuals in finding outlets for
the presentation of their art and to encourage developments in new and experimental forms which did not find a place in the
commercial theatre. The Archives contain correspondence, financial papers, legal documents, photographs, programs, promotional
materials, scripts pertaining to U.M.T.R. and its predecessor, the Radical Theatre Repertory; and extensive documentation
of Mark Hall Amitin's activities as booking agent for experimental theatre groups during the 1970's.
Physical location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17 of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Universal Movement Theatre Repertory Archives, D-145, Department of Special Collections, University
of California Library, Davis, California.
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 1975-1977 from the company's executive director, Mark Hall Amitin.
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Levi Damon Phillips in 1994. EAD finding aid created by Sara Gunasekara in 2004.
Administrative History
History
The Radical Theatre Repertory, first envisioned by Ronald Davis of the San Francisco Mime Troupe and founded by Saul and Oda
Gottlieb in 1968, was a cooperative consisting of several American experimental theatre groups. Gottlieb concentrated his
efforts on the Living Theatre's 1968-1969 tour of the United States and was therefore unable to focus as much on the cooperative.
In 1970, after the Radical Theatre Repertory had ceased to function, Mark Hall Amitin, who had been the Living Theatre's road
manager, seeing the need for the work to continue, reorganized and incorporated it as a non-profit organization under the
name Universal Movement Theatre Repertory. Amitin expanded operations, encompassing not only American but also European groups
with high artistic standards and strong political commitment.
The purpose of the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory was to assist theatrical groups and individuals in finding outlets
for the presentation of their art and to encourage developments in new and experimental forms which did not find a place in
the commercial theatre.
Thus, the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory provided a central clearing bureau for booking and information on, about, from,
to, and between all the member groups and individuals. In addition, it organized performances, festivals, tours, lectures,
demonstrations, and workshops.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Universal Movement Theatre Repertory Archives offers extensive documentation of Mark Hall Amitin's activities as booking
agent for experimental theatre groups from 1970-1976. The Archives also includes items relating to its predecessor, the Radical
Theatre Repertory.
The audiovisual items include interviews with such notables as Julian Beck, Joseph Chaikin, Andre Gregory, John Lion, Charles
Ludham, Judith Malina, Richard Schechner, and Luis Valdex, among others.
The client files, taken together with the contract files, cover all aspects of agent/client relationships from pre-production
to post production concerns. The correspondence files further reveal booking strategy as well as day to day business practices.
Organized into eleven series: 1. Radical Theatre Repertory, 2. Business Correspondence, 3. Promotional Correspondence, 4.
Client Files/U.S., 5. Contracts, 6. Client Files/International, 7. Promotional Material, 8. Research Files, 9. Vital Records,
10. Audiovisual Material, 11. Festivals.
Related collections
Bread and Puppet Theatre Archives, D-136
Davis, Ronald G. Papers, D-065
Living Theatre Archives, D-187
San Francisco Mime Troupe Archives, D-061
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Universal Movement Theatre Repertory
Bread and Puppet Theater
Living Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
San Francisco Mime Troupe
Amitin, Mark Hall
Experimental theater
Theatrical agencies
Box 1
Series 1
Radical Theatre Repertory, 1966-1971
Physical Description:
0.75 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Client files, clippings, correspondence, ephemera, and research files of the Radical Theatre Repertory.
Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by document type.
Box 2
Series 2
Business Correspondence, 1970-1976
Physical Description:
1 linear foot
Note
Scope and Content Note
Incoming letters, postcards, telegrams, and photocopies of outgoing letters relating agency business.
Arranged alphabetically by country, then chronologically.
Box 3-4
Series 3
Promotional Correspondence, 1970-1976
Physical Description:
2 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Incoming letters and photocopies of outgoing letters relating agency business.
Arranged alphabetically by state, then alphabetically by organizations within that state. With few exceptions, correspondence
is with colleges and universities.
Box 5-8
Series 4
Client Files/U.S. 1970-1976
Physical Description:
3.25 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Agency business, clippings, correspondence, ephemera, photographs, promotional material and scripts pertaining to performing
groups and individuals indigenous to the U.S. and associated with the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory.
Arranged alphabetically by client.
Box 8-9
Series 5
Contracts, 1970-1975
Physical Description:
1.75 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Contracts and other agreements negotiated by the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory on behalf of its clients. Many of these
items are accompanied by financial papers, cover letters, and other correspondence.
Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by client.
Box 15-16
Series 6
Client Files/International, 1969-1977
Physical Description:
2 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Agency business, clippings, correspondence, ephemera, photographs, programs, and promotional material pertaining to performing
groups and individuals from outside the U.S. and associated with the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory.
Arranged alphabetically by client, then alphabetically by document type.
Box 1, 10-14
Series 7
Promotional Material 1970-1978
Physical Description:
1.85 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Catalog layouts, catalogs, mailers, periodicals, photographs, posters, press releases, and programs relating to various Universal
Movement Theatre Repertory clients.
Arranged alphabetically by client.
Box 17-18
Series 8
Research Files 1942-1976
Physical Description:
2 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Clippings, correspondence, ephemera, photographs, programs, promotional materials, published materials, and scripts pertaining
to topics which include the following: the environment, festivals, funding the arts, minority groups, producing groups, street
theatre, theatre conferences, university arts programs, and war in Latin America.
Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by document type.
Box 18
Series 9
Vital Records, 1970-1974
Physical Description:
0.1 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Agency business, correspondence, legal papers, and working notes concerning incorporation, by-laws, and the board of directors.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 13, 19-23
Series 10
Audiovisual Material, 1970-1977
Physical Description:
5.07 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Audio and video tapes. These include recordings of performances as well as interviews and formal group discussions with prominent
experimental theatre personalities.
Arranged alphabetically by client, then chronologically.
Box 21
Series 11
Festivals, 1970-1976
Physical Description:
0.33 linear feet
Note
Scope and Content Note
Agency business, clippings, correspondence, ephemera, financial papers, programs, and promotional material pertaining to festivals
in which groups and individuals represented by the Universal Movement Theatre Repertory participated.
Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by festival titles, then alphabetically by document type.
