Restrictions
Some material is restricted; please consult the University Archivist.
History--Biography
The theater program at Brandeis was founded in 1951 by visiting professor
of dramatic art Louis Kronenberger and was part of the School of Creative
Arts. In 1956, Assistant Professor John F. Matthews was named the first
chairperson of the Theater Arts Department. Since then, seven other
faculty members have chaired the department: John F. Matthews
(1956-1958), Edwin B. Pettet (1958-1966), Howard Bay (1966-68), James H.
Clay (1969-71, 1985), Martin Halpern (1972-75, 1982-84), Charles W. Moore
(1976-1978), Theodore L. Kazanoff (1979-1981), and Michael Murray
(1986-2003).
An Artists-In-Residence program was started in 1965-66, and the Master
of Fine Arts Program was established in 1966. Mention of the M.F.A.
program first appears in the 1967-1968 Brandeis University Bulletin.
Concentrations within the M.F.A. program have included acting, directing,
design, cinematography, and dramatic writing. In 2002-03, the department
began offering a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a major or minor in Theater
Arts, and a M.F.A. with concentrations in acting or design. The
department also oversees the Nate and Frances Spingold Theater complex,
which was completed in 1965.
Scope and
Contents
This collection has materials that date from 1955 through 2007. The
collection includes correspondence, memoranda, meeting minutes,
photographs, contact sheets, reports, catalogs, newspaper and journal
articles and brochures. The materials cover a wide variety of topics
related to curriculum and program development, department administration
and funding, theatrical productions, professional associations, community
relations and awards.
Series
Correspondence and Memoranda (boxes 1-2)
Curriculum (box 2)
Photographs/Contact Sheets (box 2)
Series Summary
Correspondence and Memoranda
Inclusive dates: 1955-2007, n.d.
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series contains correspondence, memoranda and meeting minutes
concerning a wide range of topics related to curriculum and program
development, department administration and funding, professional
associations, community relations and awards. One large subseries
contains items pertaining to the department’s involvement with the
League of Professional Theater Training Programs from 1971-1984.
Curriculum
Inclusive dates: 1966?-2005, n.d.
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series contains materials related to curriculum and program
development. A large portion of the items pertain to guest artists and
visiting faculty, some of whom offered master classes. Two notable
visitors who led master classes in the 1990s were Olympia Dukakis and
Marvin Hamlisch.
Photographs
Inclusive dates: 1958-1972, n.d.
Arrangement: Alphabetical
This series contains photographs and contact sheets of theatrical
productions and cultural events at Brandeis, and perhaps other venues.
Several photographs are of Edwin (Bob) Pettet (a faculty member in the
1950s and 1960s) participating as an actor in rehearsals and
performances of his own. In addition, there are several photographs of
unidentified theatrical productions.
Folder List
Correspondence and Memoranda
Box 1
Acting/Directing Committee, 1973-1977
Affirmative Action, 1976-1978
Alumni Employment Reports, 1979-1980
Artists-in-Residence, 1971-1972
Bicentennial/Theater Arts Celebration, 1974
Board of Overseers, 1969-1992, n.d. [4 folders]
Brandeis Repertory Company, 1988, n.d.
Brandeis Theater Society, 1959
Creative Arts Awards, 1970-1991
Creative Arts Council, 1982-1990 [2 folders]
Department Chair Memos, 1983-1985
Encore Alumni Newsletter, 1997-1999
Eugene O’Neill Memorial Theater Foundation, 1970
Expressions Dance Series, 1966-1968
Faculty Salary History, 1970-1977 [R]
Film Department, 1969-2007
Funding/Staffing, 1977 [R]
General, 1967-1989, [2 folders]
Grants and Grant-Funded Hiring, 1969-1979 [2 folders]
Herald Traveler, 1971-1972
Irving Fine Memorial, 1963-1966
Jubilee 350 Boston, 1979
League of Professional Theatre Training Programs
Actor presentations, 1977-1983, n.d. [5 folders]
Alliance for the Development of the Arts, 1978-1979, n.d.
Annual meetings, 1972-1983
Annual reports from Brandeis, 1971-1984 [2 folders]
Audition statistics for BFA/MFA, 1981-1983
Board meetings, 1978-1981, n.d.
Design portfolio review , 1975-1984
Establishment of League, 1971-1973
Executive Committee, 1974-1980
Finances, 1972-1982
Funding, 1973-1981 [2 folders]
Grants Review Committee, 1974-1983
Information Bulletins, 1974-1981
Membership Committee, 1976-1982
Membership problems, 1974-1984 [3 folders]
Programs and purpose, 1974-1979, n.d.
Promotional materials, 1980
Master of Fine Arts curriculum and catalogs, 1970-1977, n.d.
Box 2
Mobile Theater, 1967
Morevski Foundation, 1968-1975, n.d. [2 folders]
Pettet, Edwin (Bob), 1957-1959 [3 folders]
Prizes and awards, 1969-1971
Program evaluation
Tenure consideration, 1987-1989 [2 folders] [R]
Visiting/Advisory Committee, 1984-1985
Report to the President, 1966
Rogers and Hammerstein Award, 1967-1971, n.d.
Rossum’s Universal Robots, 1989-1993
Sheepwell Performance, 1982
Spingold, Nate and Francis, 1955-1957, 1968-1984, n.d. [3 folders]
Student/Faculty Committee, 1979-1980
Summer Drama Workshop in Israel, 1975
Technical/Design Area, 1970-1992, n.d. [2 folders]
Touring Company, 1977-1979
Workshops and Guest Artists, 1982, n.d.
Curriculum
Box 2
Acting program, 1992, n.d.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Program Brochures, 1997-2000
Course Descriptions/Declarations, 1993, n.d.
Department of Theater Arts Courses of Study, 2005
Design program, 1992, n.d.
Graduate Program in Theater Arts
Announcement, c.1966
Outline of program, n.d.
Program philosophy, n.d.
Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty, 1982-1996 [2 folders]
Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty - Albee, Edward, 1978-1986
Guest Artists/Visiting Faculty - Master Classes
Copland, Joan, 1997
Dukakis, Olympia, 1996
Irwin, Bill, 1996
Hamlisch, Marvin, 1994-1995
Ruehl, Mercedes, 1996
M.F.A. Professional Theater Training Program Brochures, 1976, 1991, 1997-2001
Photographs
Box 2
“50 Year Game of Gin”, n.d.
African Night, 1968
Creative Arts Festival, 1967. n.d.
“Diary of Anne Frank”, 1972
“Georgy Porgy”, 1970
“The Importance of Being Earnest”, 1968
Israeli plays, 1967
“Laughter’s a Funny Business”, c. 1958
Pettet, Edwin (Bob), n.d. [2 folders]
“Tiger”, 1967
Unidentified, n.d.
Wien Reception, 1966
Notes