Inventory of the Squaring the Circle Collection

Sara Gunasekara

Department of Special Collections

General Library

University of California, Davis

Davis, CA 95616-5292

Phone: (530) 752-1621

Fax: (530) 754-5758

Email: speccoll@ucdavis.edu

Collector: University of California, Davis. Dept. of Special Collections.

Title: Squaring the Circle Collection,

Date (inclusive): 1935-1961

Extent: 0.4 linear feet

Abstract: Squaring the Circle, a play written by Russian dramatist Valentin Katayev, was first produced at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1928. The United States production, translated by Charles Malamuth and Eugene Lyons, premiered at the Pasadena Community Playhouse in August 1935 and was later performed at the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia and at the Lyceum and Adelphi Theatres in New York City. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, and ephemera relating to the play's 1935 U.S. production. Also included are several images of the cast that performed at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Physical location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.

Repository: University of California, Davis. General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.

Davis, California 95616-5292

Collection number: D-143

Language of Material: Collection materials in English.

History

Squaring the Circle, a play written by Russian dramatist Valentin Katayev, was first produced at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1928. The United States production, translated by Charles Malamuth and Eugene Lyons, premiered at the Pasadena Community Playhouse in August 1935 and was later performed at the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia and at the Lyceum and Adelphi Theatres in New York City. The entire action of the play takes place in a municipalized apartment building in Moscow under the Soviet regime.

Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, photographs, and ephemera relating to the play's 1935 U.S. production. Also included are several images of the cast that performed at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is arranged in four series: Correspondence, Manuscripts, Ephemera, and Photographs.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Kataev, Valentin, 1897-1986--Kvadratura kruga

Theater--New York (State)--New York

Access

Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Information

Acquired from Richard Stoddard in 1978.

Processing Information

Sara Gunasekara processed this collection and created and encoded this finding aid.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Squaring the Circle Collection, D-143, 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.

Series 1. Correspondence 1935-1961

Physical Description: 20 letters

Scope and Content Note

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Box 1:1

Barkentin, Marjorie to Cecil Reddick 1960 October 25

Box 1:2

Butchers Advocate & the Food Merchant to Marjorie Barkentin 1935 October 29

Box 1:3

Easley, Ralph M. to Edna Mae Harrison 1935 September 18

Box 1:4

Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic to Oliver Sayler 1935 September 17

Box 1:5

Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic to Oliver Sayler 1935 October 2

Box 1:6

Harrison, Edna Mae to Ralph Easley 1935 September 6

Box 1:7

Holmes, John Haynes to Oliver Sayler 1935 October 25

Box 1:8

Lyons, Eugene to Oliver Sayler 1935 October 10

Box 1:9

Lyons, Eugene to Oliver Sayler 1935

Box 1:10

McCarrens, John to Oliver Sayler 1935 September 23

Box 1:11

Mead, Mrs. Edward Sherwood to Edward Mendelsohn 1935 September 25

Box 1:12

Mendelsohn, Edward to Oliver Sayler 1935

Box 1:13

Mendelsohn, Edward to Oliver Sayler 1935

Box 1:14

Reddick, Cecil to Marjorie Barkentin 1961 March 3

Box 1:15

Reddick, Cecil to Marjorie Barkentin 1961 April 25

Box 1:16

Sayler, Oliver to Jean Arens 1935 September 18

Box 1:17

Sayler, Oliver to Mrs. Edward Sherwood Mead 1935 September 30

Box 1:18

Sayler, Oliver to Vanity Fair 1935 September 3

Box 1:19

Wise, Stephen to Oliver Sayler 1935 October 28

Box 1:20

Unidentified to Morris Gest 1935 August 16

Series 2. Manuscripts undated

Physical Description: 2 folders

Scope and Content Note

Contains a script for the play as well as an interview with the translators.

Box 1:21

Interview with Charles Malamuth and Eugene Lyons undated

Box 1:22

Squaring the Circle Script undated

Series 3. Ephemera 1935

Physical Description: 5 folders

Scope and Content Note

Arranged alphabetically.

Box 1:23

Newspaper clippings 1935

Box 1:24

Playbills 1935

Box 1:25-26

Press information 1935

Box 1:27

Sketch and notes undated

Series 4. Photographs 1935

Physical Description: 23 prints

Scope and Content Note

Contains prints of the cast from the 1935 United States production. Also included are several images of the cast that performed at the Moscow Art Theatre.

Arranged alphabetically.

Box 1:28

UCD.PIC.D143.2009.0001 Bendina as Ludmilla at the Moscow Art Theatre undated