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Guide to the Collection of Chinese Theater Images in California
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Title: Collection of Chinese theater images in California,
Date (inclusive): 1883-2004
Date (bulk): (bulk ca. 1920-1983)
Collection number: Consult repository
Collector:
Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Librarym
Extent:
401 items
401 online items
Repository:
Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library.
San Francisco, California 94102
Abstract: The Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library's collection of images related to Chinese Theater in California
ranges from 1883-2004, although the majority of the photographs document performers and productions from the 1920s to late
1940s. The photographs depict scenes from plays such as "Heavenly Kings" and "Princess Cheung Ping," staged at the Great China
Theatre, Great Star Theatre, and other venues, shots of actors and actress such as Mei Lan-fang, Dai Ngow Lok, Ma Shi-tsang,
Kwan Duk Hing, Sew Jow Lee, and Hall Fay Jing in costume, in the studio, or on stage portraying various characters such as
Kuan Kung, Chu Ko-liang, and Sun Yat-sen, interiors and exterior shots of different theater buildings, and ceremonies and
banquets honoring performers such as Mei Lan-fang. A number of the photographs were taken by May's Studio. The materials were
selected from four main sources -- the Wylie Wong Collection, Lois Rather Papers, Jack Chen Papers, and the Library's own
Chinese Theater Collection.
Language:
Chinese.
Entire collection is open for research.
Vary with material. Please contact the Librarian.
[Collection name], Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library
This collection was created by the Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library staff from 2003-2004 as part of
the Digital Archive of Chinese Theater in California project.
Project Information: Digital Archive of Chinese Theater in California
This collection was created by the Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library staff from 2003-2004 as part of
the Digital Archive of Chinese Theater in California project funded in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Service
under the provision of the Library Services and Technology Act administered in California by the State Librarian and by the
Zellerbach Family Foundation.
The goal of the project was to provide online access to rare and historic images of Chinese theater in California. Digitization
was done in-house using an Epson 1640XL-SE flatbed scanner or a Minolta DiMage Scan Multi Pro film scanner and full-level
MARC records were created for each item.
The materials are accessible through MPD's online catalog at
http://www.mpdsf.org/PAGES/LIBRARY/catalog.html .
Scope and Content of Collection
The Museum of Performance & Design, Performing Arts Library's collection of images related to Chinese Theater in California
ranges from 1883-2004, although the majority of the photographs document performers and productions from the 1920s to late
1940s. The photographs depict scenes from plays such as "Heavenly Kings" and "Princess Cheung Ping," staged at the Great China
Theatre, Great Star Theatre, and other venues, shots of actors and actress such as Mei Lan-fang, Dai Ngow Lok, Ma Shi-tsang,
Kwan Duk Hing, Sew Jow Lee, and Hall Fay Jing in costume, in the studio, or on stage portraying various characters such as
Kuan Kung, Chu Ko-liang, and Sun Yat-sen, interiors and exterior shots of different theater buildings, and ceremonies and
banquets honoring performers such as Mei Lan-fang.
A number of the photographs were taken by May's Studio. The materials were selected from four main sources -- the Wylie Wong
Collection, Lois Rather Papers, Jack Chen Papers, and the Library's own Chinese Theater Collection.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Great China Theatre (San Francisco, Calif.)
Great Star Theatre (San Francisco, Calif.)
May's Photo (Firm : San Francisco, Calif)
Ma, Shi-tsang
Mei, Lanfang, 1894-1961--Photographs
Chinatown (San Francisco, Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
Actors--California--San Francisco--Photographs
Actors--China--Photographs
Actresses--California--San Francisco
Chinese Americans--California--San Francisco--Photographs.
Costume--China--Photographs
Dance--China--Photographs
Dresses--Photographs
Fans--Photographs
Female impersonators--Photographs
Gardens--China--Photographs
Nightclubs--California--San Francisco
Opera, Chinese
Soldiers--China
Theaters--California--San Francisco
Photographic prints
Portrait photographs