University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Theater Arts records, 1918-2002

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Summary

Creators:
University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Theater Arts
Abstract:
Record Series 16 contains the minutes of meetings, publications, and promotional materials for theatrical productions generated by the Theater Arts Department at the University of California, Los Angeles. Also included are 16 bound volumes of Greek plays directed by Evalyn Ann Thomas, a member of the Los Angeles State Normal School faculty in Reading and UCLA faculty in English.
Extent:
6.2 Linear Feet (3 boxes and 5 cartons)
Language:
English and Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Theater Arts records (University Archives Record Series 16). UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

Record Series 16 contains minutes of meetings, programs, and promotional materials for theatrical productions and one-act plays by student and non-student theater groups within the Department of Theater. This record series also contains 16 bound volumes of Greek plays presented by students of the Los Angeles State Normal school (and later UCLA) between 1919 and 1938 and directed by Evalyn Ann Thomas.

Note: Some production photographs in Subseries 4.3. contain depictions of blackface.

Biographical / historical:

The Theater Arts Department at UCLA was founded in 1947, with William Melnitz serving as chair. In 1961, the department merged with the Department of Motion Pictures, Television and Radio to form the UCLA College of Fine Arts, offering undergraduate study across three divisions: Theater, Motion Pictures, and Radio. Melnitz served as the College's founding dean. After the College of Fine Arts was dissolved in 1987, the then-named Theater Department reemerged in the School of Theater, Film and Television, which was created in 1990 with Gilbert Cates as the founding dean. Prior to the founding of the Theater Arts Department, theatrical productions at UCLA were presented by the student body. Starting in 1918, classical Greek plays were presented by the student government ASUCLA annually in the spring. They were directed by Evalyn Ann Thomas, a member of the Los Angeles State Normal School faculty in Reading, and later in the UCLA faculty in English.

Acquisition information:
Theater Arts Department; Transfer; 1998, 1992, 2002. Provenance of Series 2 unknown.
Processing information:

Processed by University Archives staff, 1988 February; further revisions by University Archives staff, 2011; Katharine A. Lawrie, 2013 March. Reprocessing, including enhanced description and further arrangement, by Dylan Karlsson in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT) under the supervision of Lori Dedeyan, 2019.

Record Series 16 includes the contents of former University Archives record series 124, 633, and 729, which were retired after their contents were merged into this record series in February 2019.

Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged in the following series:

  • Series 1: Meeting minutes, 1946-1950
  • Series 2: Greek plays presented to Evalyn Ann Thomas, 1919-1938
  • Series 3: Programs and publicity, 1918-2002
    • Sub-series 3.1: Student productions, 1918-2002
    • Sub-series 3.2: One-act plays, 1933-2001
    • Sub-series 3.3: Professional productions, 1959-1998
  • Series 4: Promotional materials, 1941-1998
    • Sub-series 4.1: Announcements and reports, 1941-1990
    • Sub-series 4.2: Publications, 1941-1998
    • Sub-series 4.3: Photographs, 1950-1989
Materials in Series 1 are arranged alphabetically by subject. Materials in Series 2, 3, and 4 are arranged chronologically.

Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library Special Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. Commercial use may require additional rights that must be determined and obtained by the researcher. All requests for copyright permission to publish must be submitted in writing to Library Special Collections. Credit shall be given as follows: The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library Special Collections.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Theater Arts records (University Archives Record Series 16). UCLA Library Special Collections, University Archives University of California, Los Angeles.

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
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