Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Ltd. records

id
11108
origination
Zerman, Andrew
date statement
1978-2006
key date
1978
identifier (local_mss)
24877
org unit
Billy Rose Theatre Division
call number
*T-Mss 2019-005
b-number
b22023510
total components
144
total series
0
max depth
3
boost queries
(none)
component layout
Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields
false
Extended Navigation
false
created
2019-11-25 18:06:49 UTC
updated
2026-02-24 04:26:34 UTC
status note
(missing)
Display Aeon link
true

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"24877", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2019-005", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b22023510", "type"=>"local_b"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1978-2006", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1978/2006"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Ltd. records"}
physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"45 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"18.75 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5 moving image recordings", "unit"=>"moving_image_recordings"}]}
repository
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
abstract
{"value"=>"Andrew \"Andy\" Zerman (1956-2019) was a casting director at Johnson-Liff and Zerman and a long-time volunteer at the Library of Performing Arts. The Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Ltd. records, dating 1978 through 2006, (bulk dates 1980s-1990s), reflects about thirty years of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions worked on by Andy Zerman. The collection includes critical reviews of productions, photographs, playbills resumes and video recordings."}
langmaterial
{"value"=>"English"}
origination
{"value"=>"Zerman, Andrew", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist
{"value"=>"<p>Andrew \"Andy\" Zerman (1956-2019) was a casting director at Johnson-Liff and Zerman and a long-time volunteer at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Early in his career, Zerman was a casting director for the Manhattan Theatre Club. Other casting positions would follow with many Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, most notably the original Broadway hits <span class=\"title\">Cats</span>, <span class=\"title\">Les Misérables</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Phantom of the Opera.</span> Outside of New York theater, Zerman would develop a working relationship with the Yale Repertory Theatre, casting many of their productions. He also travelled extensively around the United States to evaluate senior performing arts classes at universities. Zerman occasionally worked as a casting director for television and cinematic productions, notably <span class=\"title\">Little Gloria...Happy at Last</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>.</p> <p>Zerman died in New York City in 2019.</p> <p>Johnson-Liff Associates was a casting agency established in 1975 by casting director and former stage manager Geoffrey Johnson and Vincent Liff. From its inception, Johnson-Liff was employed by high profile Broadway productions, such as hit musicals like <span class=\"title\">The Wiz</span> (1975), <span class=\"title\">Ain't Misbehavin'</span> (1978) and <span class=\"title\">Dreamgirls</span> (1981) as well as prestigious plays, including Tom Stoppard's <span class=\"title\">Night and Day</span> (1979) and Peter Schaffer's <span class=\"title\">Amadeus</span> (1980).</p>"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p>The Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Ltd. records, dating from 1978 through 2006 (bulk dates 1980s-1990s), reflect about thirty years of Broadway and Off-Broadway productions worked on by casting director Andy Zerman.</p> <p>These files were generated by Zerman during pre-productions, the stage productions, and the revival productions. The records reflect his key role as casting director from his contemporaneous commentaries about the actors' auditions and memorandums with talent agencies. Other files include character-breakdown information, submissions by talent agencies, self-promotion by actors, and correspondence between principles responsible for the productions. Zerman's work as a casting director for touring companies, touring productions, and television and film productions is illustrated through critical reviews of productions, photographs, playbills, and resumes.</p> <p>Some productions of note are <span class=\"title\">Aspects of Love</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Boys in the Band</span>, <span class=\"title\">Cats</span> (extensively represented), <span class=\"title\">City of Angels</span>, <span class=\"title\">Kiss of the Spider Woman</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Phantom of the Opera</span>, <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Three Penny Opera</span>.</p> <p>The collection also holds the Manhattan Theatre Club files, contact lists of talent agents, and files of Zerman's evaluations of the senior class of performing arts students at Fordham University Theatre Company, North Carolina School of the Arts, University of California, Irvine and others.</p> <p>There are also video auditions for <span class=\"title\">Sister Act</span>.</p>"}
arrangement
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is grouped into the following categories: Theatrical Productions, Television Broadcasts and Film, Related Materials, and Moving Image Recordings.</p>"}
acqinfo
{"value"=>"<p>The collection was donated by Lenore Zerman, sister of Andy Zerman, March 2019.</p>"}
processinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Valerie Wingfield</span> in <span class=\"date\">2019</span>.</p>"}
accessrestrict
{"value"=>"<p>Inquiries regarding audio and moving image materials in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatre@nypl.org). Audio and moving image materials may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
date_start
1978
keydate
1978
date_end
2006
date_inclusive_start
1978
date_inclusive_end
2006
extent_statement
18.75 linear feet (45 boxes). 5 moving image recordings
prefercite
{"value"=>"Johnson-Liff Casting Associates Ltd. records, *T-Mss 2019-005. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}

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