Festival of Firsts Collection, 1977-1997

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Title:: Festival of Firsts Collection
Dates:: 1977-1997
Creators:: Sunset Center Norberg, Gunnar, 1907-1988
Abstract:: The Festival of Firsts Play Writing Competition was conceived by Mayor Gunnar Norberg in 1976 to recognize and encourage the art of playwriting. This collection contains programs and scripts for plays that won the Festival of Firsts Playwriting competition from 1977 to 1997.
Extent:: 2 boxes (collected papers)
Language:
Preferred citation:: Festival of Firsts Collection, Henry Meade Williams Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library, Carmel, CA

Scope and content:: This collection contains programs and scripts for plays that won the Festival of Firsts Playwriting competition from 1977 to 1997.
Biographical / historical:: The Festival of Firsts Play Writing Competition was conceived by Mayor Gunnar Norberg in 1976 to recognize and encourage the art of playwriting. Between June and August each year, the Festival received scripts from all over the nation. The scripts had to be original, unproduced, full-length stage plays. Each play was read and evaluated, then selected plays received further readings and an extremely competitive evaluation. A play was then selected as the year’s winner and usually afforded a production with a prize of $1,000. Selected runners-up received a stage reading as part of the Festival’s activities.
Acquisition information:: Donated by the City of Carmel
Processing information:: Revised 7/1/2013 and Inventoried 3/16/2020 by Katie O’Connell.

Subjects:: Theater
Theater Programs
Scripts
Collected papers
Names:: Festival of Firsts (Carmel, Calif.)
Festival of Firsts Play Writing Competition, The (Carmel, Calif.)
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Norberg, Gunnar, 1907-1988
Places:: Carmel (Calif.)

Collection Guide Author:: Finding aid created by Harrison Memorial Library staff.
Date Prepared:: 1977-1997
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using Record Express for OAC5 on July 14, 2025, 2:54 p.m.

Access and use

Restrictions:: Materials are open for research.
Terms of access:: The Henry Meade Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library does not hold copyright to these items. Permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder by the user.

Preferred citation:: Festival of Firsts Collection, Henry Meade Williams Local History Room, Harrison Memorial Library, Carmel, CA

Location of this collection:: Harrison Memorial Library

P.O. Box 800

Mission St & 6th Ave

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921, US