Lewis Segal Collection of Dance and Theater Materials, 1902-2011; Bulk, 1970-2009

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Summary

Creators:
Segal, Lewis
Abstract:
Lewis Segal is a performing arts critic who has written on various topics related to the performing arts, from ballet to contemporary dance and musicals. He began working as a freelance writer in the 1960s for a number of publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Performing Arts magazine, the Los Angeles Free Press, Ballet News, and High Performance magazine. He joined the staff of the Los Angeles Times in 1976. From 1996 to 2008 he held the full-time position of chief dance critic, writing full features and reviews on dance companies and performing arts organizations from around the world. Included in the collection are programs Segal collected from the various dance shows, movies, and musicals he has attended, as well as a set of 8mm early film reels, and VHS/DVD recordings of concerts and television features on dance-related topics.
Extent:
24 record cartons (24 linear ft.)
Language:
Finding aid is written in English. and Materials are in English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection primarily consists of programs and promotional materials from dance companies and performing arts venues from around the world, spanning the years 1922 to 2011. In addition to the vast collection of materials from ballet companies, international folk ensembles, and contemporary dance groups, there are souvenir programs from both movies and musicals, often containing detailed cast lists, production credits, and synopses. The video recordings include 8mm films from as far back as 1902, as well as VHS and DVD recordings of dance concerts and television features on performing arts groups and individual artists.

Biographical / historical:

Lewis Segal was born in Los Angeles in 1941. He attended UCLA and graduated with a BA in Language/Arts, an MA in Theatre History and Criticism, and an MFA in Theatre Directing. After graduating, he began working as a freelance writer for a number of publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Performing Arts magazine, the Los Angeles Free Press, Ballet News, and High Performance magazine. During the first half of the 1970s, he worked as a music publicist, first at Mercury Records, and later at ABC and Capitol Records. In 1976, he joined the staff of the Los Angeles Times as an assistant editor in the Book Review section, while continuing his freelance work for Calendar, the arts and entertainment section. In 1984, he was promoted to the position of Dance Writer, eventually becoming the chief dance critic for the newspaper in 1996. Regarding his professional accolades as a writer, he was one of two American critics participating in the 1990 India International Dance Festival, one of five American critics dubbed “Lord of the Dance” in Brills Content magazine in 2001, and the only American critic invited to submit a critical essay to Nina Alovert’s exhaustive study of Bolshoi Ballet star Nikolai Tsiskaridze, published in Moscow in 2010.

Although the Los Angeles Times downsized its arts section in 2008, Segal has continued to publish performing arts features and reviews as a freelancer. Aside from his work as a writer, he taught as an adjunct professor in the Department of Theater at the University of Southern California (USC) from 1999-2008.

Acquisition information:
The collection was donated in 2011 by Lewis Segal.
Arrangement:

Arranged in two series:

  1. Programs, 1922-2011
  2. Video Recordings, 1902-2011.

All series are arranged alphabetically.

Physical / technical requirements:

COLLECTION CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access digital materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact UCLA Library Special Collections for paging information.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website