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Circle in the Square Photographs
MC037  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Administrative History
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement of the Collection
  • Access
  • Acquisition Information
  • Processing Information
  • Preferred Citation
  • Publication Rights

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: University of California, Davis General Library, Dept. of Special Collections
    Title: Circle in the Square Photographs
    Creator: Circle in the Square (Theater)
    Identifier/Call Number: MC037
    Physical Description: 0.2 linear feet
    Date (inclusive): 1952
    Abstract: The Circle in the Square Theatre was founded in 1951 in New York City by Theodore Mann, José Quintero, Jason Wingreen, Eileen Cramer and Emily Stevens. The collection contains fifty-four photographs depicting the 1952 Circle in the Square production of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke, directed by Jose Quintero.
    Physical Location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.

    Administrative History

    The Circle in the Square Theatre was founded in 1951 in New York City by Theodore Mann, José Quintero, Jason Wingreen, Eileen Cramer and Emily Stevens. It opened on February 2, 1951 with a revival of Richardson and Berney's Dark of the Moon. Productions included revivals of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke in 1952, Truman Capote's The Grass Harp in 1953, and Arthur Hayes's The Girl on the Via Flaminia in 1954.
    In 1960 the demolition of the building forced the company to move to the former New Stages Theatre, at 159 Bleecker Street, where they opened on January 8 with Our Town. In 1972, the Circle in the Square moved to 1633 Broadway. The theatre closed as a producing entity in 1998, however, it continues to host productions.
    Sources:
    Hartnoll, Phyllis. The Oxford Companion to the Theatre. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983.
    "History of Circle in the Square: The Theatre," Circle in the Square Theatre School web site.  Accessed August 25, 2008.

    Scope and Content

    The collection contains fifty four 8x10 black and white photographs of the 1952 Circle in the Square production of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke, directed by Jose Quintero. For this production, Geraldine Page played Alma and Lee Richardson played John. Forty three photographs are of scenes and characters in the production and eleven photographs are of scenes in the dressing room, in front of the house before the opening, and during the opening night party. Also included are seven 8x10 contact sheets of those photographs. Each photograph has the handstamp of the photographer on the reverse: Hugh Bell or Barbara Kerr and Justin Kerr.

    Arrangement of the Collection

    The collection is arranged into two series: Playbill and Photographs.

    Access

    Collection is open for research.

    Acquisition Information

    Acquired from R. Stoddard in 1980.

    Processing Information

    Sara Gunasekara processed these papers and created and encoded this finding aid.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Circle in the Square Photographs, MC037, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis.

    Publication Rights

    Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Theater -- New York (State) -- New York
    Stage photography
    Williams, Tennessee, 1911-1983. Summer and smoke
    Circle in the Square (Theater)