Scope and arrangement
The Jitney Players records, dated 1914 to 1977 (bulk dates 1920s), document the troupe through clippings, letters, playbills, photographs and scrapbooks.
The clippings were brief announcements about the Jitney Players under the directorship of Bushnell Cheney. Some clippings are in-depth articles that discuss the actors, the history of traveling troupes, and how the truck opened up into a stage.
The letters were mostly written by aspiring actors to Alice Keating Cheney requesting the opportunity to become a member of the Jitney Players. Several of the correspondents already had stage experience and hoped to work in summer stock. Several letters have copies of typewritten responses.
The playbills publicize the plays and casts. These files include one of the earliest playbills issued by the company with a drawing of the jitney stage theatre. Later playbills have a more streamlined appearance.
The photograph files (including one volume of photographs) hold pictures of the Cheney's wedding, their family, friends, “The Little Red House,” and theatrical productions. Some of the photographs are identified but have not been dated.
Alice (Keating) Cheney created three scrapbooks of clippings, ephemera, letters and photographs about the Jitney Players and the Cheneys.
The collection also includes a typewritten report about the Jitney Players by Ilsa Bloede, a former member of the troupe, entitled "But the Play Went On."
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by format.