San Jose Repertory Theatre, or "The Rep," was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber, the first resident professional theater company in San Jose. The Rep's opening production of Noel Coward's 'Private Lives' was well received and was followed by three more plays in 1981. For roughly the next thirty years the company was prominent in Downtown San Jose's artistic community, until filing for bankruptcy and closing its doors in 2014. The records primarily document theatrical productions (programs, posters, photographs, scripts, production notes, and press kits), as well as educational outreach programs, with limited financial records.

The San Jose Repertory Theatre, or "The Rep," was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber, the first resident professional theater company in San Jose. The Rep's opening production of Noel Coward's 'Private Lives' was well received and was followed by three more plays in 1981. For roughly the next thirty years the company was prominent in Downtown San Jose's artistic community. Early grants came from the San Jose Fine Arts Commission as well as the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation who provided a grant to help hire professional staff. As a nonprofit, fund-raising and grants were crucial. A board of trustees was set up quickly to speak publicly and fund-raise for the company. In 1997, The Rep moved from the Montgomery Theater to a new building in downtown San Jose, 101 Paseo de San Antonio. This purpose-built theater was more spacious, seating 584 people. The 2002-2003 season was by far the most profitable with over 15,000 subscribers; however it was becoming increasingly hard to keep this level of interest in the arts in the Bay area. In 2006 the company saw a drop in subscriptions as well as a drop in city funding after the state ordered the dissolution of local redevelopment agencies. The company required a $2 million loan to keep afloat. Loan payments, combined with the economic downturn of 2008 and a continued drop in subscriptions forced The Rep to file for bankruptcy in 2014, closing its doors in June of that year.

20 boxes (approx. 17 linear feet)

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The records are available to the public by appointment with the Curator of Library & Archives.