Stephen Cobbett Steinberg Papers

Title: Stephen Cobbett Steinberg Papers

Dates: 1976-1993

Collection Number: 991.12

Creator/Collector: Steinberg, Stephen Cobbett

Extent: 14 Boxes. 5 linear feet.

Repository: Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library

Abstract: Stephen Stainberg (1949-1991) was a dance scholar, historian, film maker and program coordinator for the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum, now the Museum of Performance and Design. He edited and wrote for many entertainment journals and books throughout his time in San Francisco at organizations such as the San Francisco Sentinel and the San Francisco Review of Books. During the 1980s, Steinberg commenced several collaborative projects on dance with KQED-TV, the American Ballet Theatre, the San Francisco Ballet, and other arts groups. He also wrote scripts for several T.V. documentaries on dance companies and performers. The 1980s also marked the beginning of Steinberg's collaboration with the Archives for the Performing Arts. Hired as a Program Coordinator in 1983, Steinberg oversaw the establishment of programs in publishing, exhibiting, and lecturing at the archives. In addition to all of these activities, Steinberg served on the Board of Trustees of the Theater Rhinoceros and the Ellen Webb Dance Co. and as a member of the nominating panel for the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards. This collection provides insight into Steinberg’s life and scholarly research through photos, correspondence, clippings, proposals, research notes, interview transcripts, press materials, and publications organized into series on T.V. & Film Projects, Dance Projects, and Writing Projects.

Language of Material: English

Entire Collection is open for research.

Reproduction of these materials can occur only if the copying falls within the provisions of the doctrine of fair use. Copyright varies by item.

[Identification of item]. Stephen Cobbett Steinberg Papers. Collection Number: 991.12. Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library

The bulk of these papers were donated to S.F. PALM by Stephen Cobbett Steinberg before his death. The remainder of the materials were transferred to S.F. PALM after his death by Richard MacIntyre on October 8, 1991.

Stephen Cobbett Steinberg was born in 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Emanuel and Virginia Steinberg. He attended Temple University and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English and American Literature. In 1970, he moved to San Francisco to attend graduate school at Stanford University. Along with winning research fellowships from Stanford's Department of English between 1971 and 1976, Steinberg also passed his Ph.D exam with honors in 1974. He taught courses in creative writing, introductory literature, advanced literature, and twentieth century aesthetics while at Stanford. Steinberg began editing and writing for entertainment journals and books in 1976. He served as an arts editor for the San Francisco Sentinel from 1976-80 and as an associate editor for the San Francisco Review of Books from 1978-80. In 1978, he compiled and published Reel Facts, a collection of statistical data, essays, and lists on the history of the American film industry. He followed this book with the publication of two other reference works, The Dance Anthology and T.V. Facts, in 1980. Steinberg also composed librettos for two ballets performed by the Pacific Ballet, Angel Fire and Buddy's Song. During the 1980s, Steinberg commenced several collaborative projects on dance with KQED-TV, the American Ballet Theatre, the San Francisco Ballet, and other arts groups. He wrote scripts for seven T.V. documentaries on dance companies and performers, including Lew Christensen: The Triumph of American Dance (1983) and Nijinska: A Legend in Dance (1989). In 1983, Steinberg was invited to write the script for SFB's 50th Anniversary Gala. As a result of his efforts, he was asked to write and co-produce five mini-documentaries on the history of ABT for its 50th Anniversary Gala in 1990. Many other organizations utilized Steinberg's writing talents for commemorative publications, including the Hotel Tax Fund, the Ethnic Dance Festival, the Oakland Ballet, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Stern Grove Festival. The 1980s also marked the beginning of Steinberg's collaboration with the Archives for the Performing Arts. Hired as a Program Coordinator in 1983, Steinberg oversaw the establishment of programs in publishing, exhibiting, and lecturing at the archives. Between 1984 and 1991, Steinberg curated twelve exhibitions of archival materials. Steinberg also helped to co-direct two highly acclaimed conferences in San Francisco for the Dance Critics Association, Why a Swan? (1988) and On the Edge: Challenges to American Dance (1989). Steinberg also coordinated the preparation of funding proposals and of publicity campaigns for the archives. He drafted proposals for the establishment of a Dance Research Center and a Dance Video Library at the archives and prepared long-range plans which assisted the archives in its expansion and move to the facility at 399 Grove St. In addition to all of these activities, Steinberg served on the Board of Trustees of the Theater Rhinoceros and the Ellen Webb Dance Co. and as a member of the nominating panel for the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards. He also acted as a researcher for a Mellon Foundation study on dance documentation and served on an NEA Choreography Fellowships panel. Between 1976 and 1991, Steinberg contributed 200 reviews and essays to such journals as the San Francisco Ballet Magazine, Cineaste, San Francisco Review of Books, and Dance Magazine. Steinberg died of complications from AIDS on August 21, 1991.

The Stephen Cobbett Steinberg Papers provide insight into Steinberg's life and scholarly research between 1976 and 1991. His contributions to dance scholarship are well-documented in planning and production files on film, television, and writing projects, as well as in samples of reviews and essays written for various performing arts journals. The papers encompass photos, correspondence, clippings, proposals, research notes, interview transcripts, press materials, and publications relating to Steinberg's role as a dance historian, archivist, and filmmaker. These papers focus upon a selection of activities that Steinberg felt constituted his most significant contributions to dance scholarship. The papers were partially organized by Steinberg into series on T.V. & Film Projects, Dance Projects, and Writing Projects. These series have been maintained with sub-divisions for each different project. A great deal of information is available on Steinberg's activities as an historian. Files are present on his production of documentary films for the ABT 50th Anniversary Gala and for commemorative films on Lew Christensen, Nijinksa, and Beach Blanket Babylon. The papers also include research files on an NEA/Mellon Foundation-sponsored dance documentation study. Steinberg's research on dance is also evident in lecture notes for classes given at Stanford University and in articles he wrote for the San Francisco Ballet Magazine and New West and for Dance Critics Association conference proceedings. The papers also reveal Steinberg's contributions as an arts administrator. Files are present on the organization of two international dance critics' conferences hosted by the Archives for the Performing Arts, as well as on the archives' long-range plans and efforts to establish a Dance Resource Center and a Dance Video Library. Steinberg's participation on an NEA panel for selection of choreography fellows and on the nominating committee for the Isadora Duncan Awards is well-documented in correspondence and minutes. In addition, the papers include documentation on publicity campaigns Steinberg conceived of and produced for WNET-TV, KQED-TV, and the archives. One aspect of Steinberg's career which is poorly documented is his organization of twelve exhibits for the Archives for the Performing Arts. The papers also do not contain documentation for Steinberg's research and production of San Francisco Ballet: the First Fifty Years.