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Ensemble Theatre archives
PA Mss 47
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Table of contents
Title: Ensemble Theatre archives
Identifier/Call Number: PA Mss 47
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Language of Material:
English
Creator:
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara
Physical Description:
7.67 linear feet
(15 document boxes, 1 flat box, 12 videocassettes, 2 flat files)
Date (inclusive): 1979-2005
Abstract: Organizational records of the Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara, including administrative and production files, as well as
press releases, playbills, clippings, and photographs.
Physical Location: A portion of the collection is located at the Southern Regional Library Facility (SRLF).
The collection is open for research. A portion of the collection is stored offsite. Advance notice is required for retrieval.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
[Identification of Item], Ensemble Theatre archives, PA Mss 47. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara
Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Donated by Ensemble Theatre, October 2002.
In 1979, a group of local actors and designers teamed up to present a production of George Bernard Shaw's classic comedy,
Candida, at the assembly hall at Trinity Episcopal Church located at Micheltorena and State Streets. The response they received
from the audience over two weekends of performances inspired the troupe to produce two more shows that year, Stoppard's The
Real Inspector Hound and Shaw's A Pound On Demand, and thus, the Ensemble Theatre was created.
It wasn't until 1981 that the company moved to its current location at 914 Santa Barbara Street. The site, the Alhecama Theatre,
is part of the Presidio State Park, which is run by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. The theatre, which
is over 80 years old, was named after the four daughters of Alice and Max Schott, who donated the land and the surrounding
buildings for community use. The first two letters of each daughter's first name was used to create the theatre name (AL-HE-CA
MA. - Alice, Helen, Catherine and Mary).
During the 1985-86 season, Robert Grande-Weiss, took over the helm of Artistic Director, and has subsequently led the company
to its current success. Mr. Grande-Weiss is responsible for selecting plays and the overall artistic philosophy of the company.
Under his leadership, and that of Managing Director, Patricia Baldwin, Ensemble Theatre Company has experienced tremendous
growth, and is proving to be an invaluable cultural resource to the community.
--Ensemble Theatre Web Site (http://www.ensembletheatre.com/history.html)
Organizational records of the Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara, including administrative and production files, as well as
press releases, playbills, clippings, and photographs. Series III and Series IV contain duplicate and supplemental material.
The collection consists of the following series: Series I, Administrative files; Series II, Videotapes; Series III, Production
files; Series IV, PA.2013.011.
Note that many of the production files in Series IV cover, and supplement, the same productions listed in Series III. No attempt
has been made to weed duplicate material.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Community theater -- California -- Santa Barbara
Theaters -- California -- Santa Barbara
Administrative records
Clippings (information artifacts)
Photographs
Playbills
Press releases
Videotapes
Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara -- Archives