Circle in the Square papers

id
1117
origination
Mann, Theodore
date statement
1906-2004
key date
1906
identifier (local_mss)
21843
org unit
Billy Rose Theatre Division
call number
*T-Mss 2005-005
b-number
b17055067
total components
9777
total series
12
max depth
7
boost queries
(none)
component layout
Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields
false
Extended Navigation
false
created
2013-04-01 15:04:06 UTC
updated
2026-08-15 02:36:49 UTC
status note
(missing)
Display Aeon link
true

Description data TOP

unitid
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2005-005", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21843", "type"=>"local_mss"}
unitdate
{"value"=>"1906-2004", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1906/2004"}
unittitle
{"value"=>"Circle in the Square papers"}
physdesc
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"457.73 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"754 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}]}
repository
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.</span><div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center</span> <span class=\"addressline\">40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498</span></div>"}
abstract
{"value"=>"Documenting the history of the Off-Broadway theater company Circle in the Square and two of its founders, Paul Libin and Theodore Mann, this collection consists of material relating to Circle in the Square's produced works, development material for unproduced works and abandoned projects, correspondence, administrative documents, financial and legal records, personal and office papers belonging to Libin and Mann, photographs, and other material relating to the day-to-day operation of a not-for-profit theatrical company."}
prefercite
{"value"=>"<p> The Circle in the Square Papers, *T-Mss 2005-005. Billy Rose Theatre Collection, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
origination
{"value"=>"Mann, Theodore", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist
{"value"=>"<p>Circle in the Square Theater was founded in 1950 by Theodore Mann and José Quintero in an abandoned nightclub in New York City’s Greenwich Village. The name refers to the fact that it was a theater in the round located at 5 Sheridan Square. Mann and Quintero had become acquainted while doing summer stock with the Loft Players at the Maverick Theater in Woodstock, New York, and hoped to create a year-round repertory company in the City, and ultimately, their project became the epicenter of a national movement for Off-Broadway theater. Circle in the Square was conceived as a not-for-profit theater, and at the time that it ceased operations as a producing entity in 1996, it remained one of the only not-for-profit theaters operating on Broadway, as well as one of the oldest producing theaters in New York City.</p> <p>Circle’s first production was Howard Richardson and Richard Berney’s <span class=\"title\">Dark of the Moon</span>. Tickets were sold for $1.50 apiece. City officials determined that the Sheridan Square space had been zoned as a cabaret, so tables were built around the stage, and the audience was served cookies and punch in order to meet the requirements of the cabaret laws. Other shows staged during Circle’s inaugural season included Jean Anouihl’s <span class=\"title\">Antigone</span> and Federico Garcia Lorca’s <span class=\"title\">Yerma</span>.</p> <p>In 1952, Circle produced a revival of Tennessee Williams’ <span class=\"title\">Summer and Smoke</span> starring Geraldine Page, which had failed on Broadway a few years earlier. <span class=\"title\">New York Times</span> theater critic Brooks Atkinson attended the opening night performance, and stated in his review that “nothing has happened for quite a long time as admirable as the new production at Circle in the Square.” <span class=\"title\">Summer and Smoke</span> became Circle’s first hit, and the Off-Broadway theater movement took root.</p> <p>Mann and Quintero had lobbied tirelessly since Circle’s inception for permission from Carlotta Monterey O’Neill to produce one of her late husband’s plays, and in 1956 permission was granted for a production of <span class=\"title\">The Iceman Cometh</span> starring Jason Robards, Jr. Circle’s burgeoning reputation was solidified by the production which, like <span class=\"title\">Summer and Smoke</span>, had originally been a Broadway failure. This success has been credited for re-establishing Eugene O’Neill as one of America’s greatest dramatists, and brought Circle numerous awards. It was followed up later that year with the American premier of <span class=\"title\">Long Day’s Journey into Night</span>, starring Frederic March, Florence Eldridge, and Jason Robards, Jr. The production garnered Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Actor for Frederic March. Over the course of its lifespan, Circle in the Square produced nearly all of Eugene O’Neill’s major works.</p> <p>The company moved to a new performance space at 159 Bleecker Street in 1960, the original home of the Amato Opera Company. The Bleecker Street Theater’s three-sided stage allowed for democratic seating, use of a minimal amount of scenery, and for the audience to be close to the action. This style, pioneered by Circle in the Square, later became a mainstay of regional theater. Also at this time, Quintero left the company to pursue other opportunities. Mann remained at the helm as Artistic Director, a position he would occupy until 1993. His partnership with Paul Libin, Circle’s long-time Managing Director and Producing Director, began in 1963 with their production of <span class=\"title\">The Trojan Women</span>.</p> <p>Throughout the 1960s, Circle continued to develop as a home for both revivals of classic works, such as <span class=\"title\">Othello</span> and <span class=\"title\">Iphigenia in Aulis</span>, and for new and experimental works such as the American premiers of Jean Genet’s <span class=\"title\">The Balcony</span> and Brendan Behan’s <span class=\"title\">The Quare Fellow</span>. Additionally, Circle presented three critically-acclaimed seasons at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.</p> <p>In the fall of 1972, Circle moved its base of operations once again, this time at the invitation of Mayor John Lindsay to the Joseph E. Levine Theatre, a 650-seat house at 50th Street and Broadway, though the Bleecker Street theater continued to house workshops of experimental plays and productions of new works until the late 1970s. The first production in their new home was O’Neill’s <span class=\"title\">Mourning Becomes Electra</span> starring Colleen Dewhurst. Circle in the Square Uptown, as it came to be known, was also the home of the Circle in the Square Theater School, which opened in 1971 and remains a highly regarded acting conservatory. Although Circle in the Square is most often associated with Off-Broadway theater, they had been producing shows in Broadway houses as far back as Alfred Hayes’ <span class=\"title\">The Girl on the Via Flaminia</span> in 1954. With the opening of the Uptown theater, Circle had a permanent home on Broadway.</p> <p> The increased expenses related to producing for Broadway took a toll, and by the end of their second Broadway season, Circle was struggling financially. By the mid-1980s, the company’s deficit had become a serious concern, in spite of such critical and box office successes as Tina Howe’s <span class=\"title\">Coastal Disturbances</span> and Stephen Sondheim’s <span class=\"title\">Sweeney Todd</span>. The situation became increasingly perilous by the early 1990s, and in 1993, Circle very nearly closed up shop. That same year, Josephine Abady was brought on board to serve as co-Artistic Director with Mann, but the mounting debt continued to cripple their efforts, and in 1996, after continued conflict with Abady, Mann resigned the position he had held for forty-five years; many of his fellow Board members followed suit. Later that year, Abady was fired by the Board of Directors. An award-winning production of Eugene O’Neill’s <span class=\"title\">Hughie</span> starring Al Pacino covered their immediate debts, but it was clear that Circle in the Square could not continue as a producing entity and the organization filed for bankruptcy. The theater at Broadway and 50th Street is currently still operating as a Broadway house, and retains the name Circle in the Square.</p> <p>In its 45-year history, Circle in the Square launched or reinvigorated the careers of many playwrights, actors, and directors. Among the notable figures who worked on Circle productions are Alan Arkin, Philip Bosco, Zak Brown, Michael Cocoyannis, David Carradine, Richard Chamberlain, Liviu Ciulei, Mildred Dunnock, Marsha Eck, Jules Feiffer, Jules Fisher, Hallie and Horton Foote, Lillian Gish, George Grizzard, Rex Harrison, Rosemary Harris, Dana Ivey, Anne Jackson, Salome Jens, James Earl Jones, Frances McDormand, Leonard Melfi, Eve Merriam, Joe Namath, Geraldine Page, Mary Louise Parker, Stephen Porter, Ellis Raab, Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave, George C. Scott, Vitali Solomon, Eli Wallach, Tennessee Williams, and Thornton Wilder.</p> <p>Circle in the Square founder and Artistic Director Theodore Mann was born Theodore Goldman in 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. 1924. He attended Erasmus High School, received an A.B.A from Salinas College and a law degree from Brooklyn Law School. Mann co-founded Circle in the Square with José Quintero in 1950 and remained its Artistic Director until his resignation in 1996. He continues to own and operate the Circle in the Square Theater Uptown. Additionally, he has produced and directed a number of shows under his own auspices, including <span class=\"title\">The Cherry Orchard</span>, <span class=\"title\">General Seeger</span>, <span class=\"title\">A Great Day in the Morning</span>, <span class=\"title\">Long Day’s Journey into Night</span> at the Cameri Theater (Tel Aviv), <span class=\"title\">Pygmalion</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Serjeant Musgrave's Dance</span>. In addition to the theater, Mann worked in opera, directing <span class=\"title\">La Bohème</span> at Juilliard in 1974, Benjamin Britten’s <span class=\"title\">The Turn of the Screw</span> for New York City Opera in 1988, and <span class=\"title\">Gianni Schicci</span>. His wife, Patricia Brooks, was a soprano with the New York Opera Company and appeared in several Circle productions.</p> <p>Circle in the Square’s long-time Managing Director and Producing Director, Paul Libin, was born in Chicago in 1930, and attended the University of Illinois and Columbia University, where he earned a B.F.A in drama. Although he had originally intended to become an actor, his first job in theater was as designer Jo Mielziner’s production assistant. He soon found success as a stage manager and, later, as a producer. In 1958, he produced his first show, an Off-Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s <span class=\"title\">The Crucible</span>, at the Martinique Theater on 32nd Street, which he leased and operated. In addition to producing Off-Broadway, Libin and partner Carol Schwartz created the Peppermint Players, a company which produced children’s theater in New York City and at various venues in the tri-state area. Libin became acquainted with Theodore Mann in 1958 when the two founded the League of Off-Broadway Theaters together, an organization created to foster theatrical productions produced in Off-Broadway theaters; their professional partnership within Circle in the Square began in 1963. After twenty-seven years, Libin left Circle in the Square to become the Producing Director for Jujamcyn Theaters, of which he is currently Vice-President.</p>"}
scopecontent
{"value"=>"<p> The Circle in the Square papers document the forty-five year history of the Circle in the Square theater company, and also contain the papers of Circle’s long-time Managing Director and Producing Director, Paul Libin, and its founder and Artistic Director, Theodore Mann. The collection consists of material relating to Circle in the Square's produced works, development material for unproduced works and abandoned projects, correspondence, administrative documents, financial and legal records, personal and office papers belonging to Libin and Mann, photographs, and other material relating to the day-to-day operation of a not-for-profit theatrical company. The Circle in the Square Theater School has a nominal presence in the collection, but this should not be considered an exhaustive source of information on the history or activities of the school.</p> <p>The collection is rich in material relating to Circle’s produced works, and productions are represented by a variety of material including correspondence, advertising, financial and legal documentation such as box office reports and contracts; press and marketing material; and stage managers’ prompt books and scripts. Productions from the 1970s and 1980s are more thoroughly documented than Circle’s early shows or its final seasons in 1996. In some cases, particularly the early works, a very limited amount of material is available; the 1951 production of John Steinbeck’s <span class=\"title\">Burning Bright</span>, for example, is represented by a single promotional postcard. The revivals of Eugene O’Neill’s works, for which Circle in the Square is particularly well known, are well represented, from the 1956 revival of <span class=\"title\">The Iceman Cometh</span> starring Jason Robards, Jr., to the 1996 revival of <span class=\"title\">Hughie</span> starring Al Pacino.</p> <p>Abandoned projects—shows which entered development but which were not ultimately produced—are represented by correspondence, casting files, and scripts. Circle in the Square also rented its venues for a variety of special events, such as political rallies and fundraisers, including a 1964 rally for Robert F. Kennedy; fashion shows; conferences; and play readings. Files documenting these productions have been maintained.</p> <p>Correspondence comprises a significant portion of the collection. As Circle in the Square often fostered relationships with the playwrights whose work they produced, letters from the playwrights can often be found with the productions, such as those from Israel Horovitz relating to <span class=\"title\">Morning</span>; from Tina Howe regarding <span class=\"title\">Coastal Disturbances</span>; from Bernard Sabath relating to <span class=\"title\">The Boys in Autumn</span>; from Herman Wouk discussing <span class=\"title\">The Caine Mutiny Court Martial</span>; and with Thornton Wilder (and his sister, Isabel) relating to <span class=\"title\">The White Devil</span> and <span class=\"title\">Three For Bleecker Street</span>, a trilogy of plays written specifically for Circle’s Bleecker Street theater. These relationships were sometimes contentious, as evidenced by exchanges between from Theodore Mann and Henry Livings (<span class=\"title\">Eh?</span>).</p> <p>In addition to correspondence, the life cycle of Circle’s theatrical works is illustrated through a range of material: The typical costs associated with putting up an Off-Broadway production in the early 1950’s are detailed in a proposed production budget for <span class=\"title\">Dark of the Moon</span>(1951); an annotated prompt book from <span class=\"title\">The White Devil</span> belonging to Jules Fisher gives insight into the production from the perspective of an award-winning lighting designer. The creative and logistical tribulations of translating a production developed for Circle’s theater-in-the-round into a touring production are documented in the production files for Pirandello’s <span class=\"title\">Six Characters in Search of an Author</span>. Box office records quantify the financial success of many productions from opening night to the final performance. Actors Equity contracts define the evolving terms of employment for actors working in Broadway and Off-Broadway theater. Scores for the few musicals Circle produced are available, as are technical drawings such as blueprints, design plans, posters, and lighting plots.</p> <p>Nearly all of Circle’s shows are visually preserved through extensive production photography that, in many cases, includes not only production stills, but rehearsal and opening night photographs. The independent works of Paul Libin—and to a lesser extent, Theodore Mann—are also represented in the Photographs series. Photographs of Circle’s founding staff (including Emily Stevens, Leigh Connell, and José Quintero); of early productions by the Loft Players in Woodstock, New York; and of Circle’s performance spaces at 5 Sheridan Square, 159 Bleecker Street, and Circle in the Square Uptown, have also been preserved.</p> <p>Financial and legal material is abundant, particularly for the 1970s through early 1990s, and consists primarily of reports and ledgers. A quantity of payroll-related material is extant, although some items are restricted due to the prevalence of Social Security numbers throughout. The files of Circle’s Development office demonstrate their tireless efforts of a not-for-profit theater to gain financial backing not only from private donors, but through corporate sponsorship and the support of charitable organizations, while subscription materials document the marketing campaigns geared toward maintaining and growing their audience base.</p> <p> The papers of Paul Libin, who acted as Circle’s Managing Director and Producing Director for nearly thirty years, are solidly represented here, and give insight into Circle’s day-to-day operations. Libin’s papers illustrate the depth and breadth of his administrative responsibility, but he was readily consulted on creative matters as well, as is illustrated by correspondence with a wide range of theatrical professionals including Kitty Carlisle Hart, Edward Kook, Warner Leroy, and Floria Lasky. Material relating to his children’s theater company, the Peppermint Players, and to his work for and with the Martinique Theater, document his theatrical career prior to and outside of Circle in the Square. His work as a producer and general manager is documented in the Produced Works sub-series, and include material relating to the original production of <span class=\"title\">Hair</span> and Warner Leroy's <span class=\"title\">Between Two Thieves</span>. Some personal papers and vital records are also present in the collection.</p> <p>The papers of Circle in the Square's founder and artistic director Theodore Mann contain a significant amount of personal and professional correspondence, as well as personal papers, office papers, and material relating to works Mann produced and directed independently of Circle in the Square. His work with Moscow’s Maly Theater in the late 1980s is also documented. These papers give insight into the day-to-day operations of Circle in the Square at both the executive and creative levels, as well as illuminating the body of work Mann produced outside the auspices of Circle. Correspondence illustrates Mann's personal and business relationships with many luminaries of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, including Elia Kazan, Ring Lardner, Irene Papas, and Thornton Wilder. The 1960s and 1970s are particularly well represented. His correspondence also includes communications with various non-profit and educational organizations, many of which sought him as a supporter or speaker. Mann's--and by extension Circle's-- relationship to the works of Eugene O'Neill is illustrated through correspondence with the Carlotta Monterey O'Neill, the O'Neill estate, Tao House, and with individuals developing books, television, and film projects about the playwright and his works.</p> <p>Libin and Mann’s professional acumen is further highlighted by files documenting their work as the American agents for J. C. Williamson Theaters, an Australian producing entity. Libin and Mann were responsible for scouting American theatrical properties for production in Australia and New Zealand in the 1960s-1970s, most notably <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span> and <span class=\"title\">No, No Nanette</span>.</p> <p>Other administrators, including George Elmer (Libin’s successor as Managing Director) and literary advisor Seth Goldman, are represented in the collection to a lesser extent. Material belonging or relating to other founding members, such as José Quintero, Emily Stevens, and Leigh Connell, is only superficially present, and this collection should not be considered a comprehensive resource on their careers or their work with Circle in the Square.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Circle in the Square papers are arranged in twelve series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c518113'>Series I: Theatrical Works</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1924 - 2001, 1924 - 1996, undated, 1953-2000, 1945-1999</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains material relating to works produced by Circle in the Square and its founding members from 1950 to 1996, and includes staged readings, special events such as benefits and anniversary galas, and full-fledged productions. This series also includes works staged by other producers or theatrical entities at 159 Bleecker Street or 1633 Broadway but not produced by Circle in the Square. Circle in the Square Productions are represented by a wide variety of material, including correspondence, casting files, legal contracts, production budgets and other fiscal documentation, press and marketing material, stage managers’ prompt books, and scripts.</p> <p>Also included here are abandoned projects: productions which reached the development stage but were derailed by scheduling conflicts, financial concerns, contractual issues, or other logistical problems.</p> <p>The Other Works sub-series contains material related to productions which appeared at Circle in the Square’s theaters, but were not produced by Circle in the Square or its founding members.</p> <p>The Submitted Scripts sub-series contains published and unpublished scripts received by Circle's administration for consideration. Some of these scripts were used in readings, but none were selected for production by Circle in the Square.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c522643'>Series II: Administration</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1940 - 2004, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Administrative series contains material relating to the administrative operations of Circle in the Square and its theaters at 159 Bleecker Street and, later, 1633 Broadway. Included in this material are office files of key staff members; correspondence with members of Circle’s Board of Directors; clipping files documenting Circle and its administrators (but not including clippings pertaining to specific productions); material related to marketing campaigns and subscriptions; and materials received from the theatrical guilds and trade organizations with which Circle had relations.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c523174'>Series III: Paul Libin</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1949 - 1992, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains the papers of Paul Libin, who joined Theodore Mann at the helm of Circle in the Square in 1963, and remained with the organization until 1996. The series is comprised primarily of personal and professional correspondence, as well as personal and office files; material relating to works Libin produced and or was otherwise involved with independent of Circle in the Square; material pertaining to his operation of the Martinique Theater, and relating to the Peppermint Players, a children's theater group Libin created in the early 1960s.</p> <p>Correspondence is both personal and professional in nature, and includes letters to and from many significant individuals within the theater community ranging from producers and directors to playwrights, actors, and theater critics.</p> <p>Personal papers relate mainly to the management of Libin's household operations, but also include material related to his studies at the University of Illinois and Columbia University, and later, related to courses in the business of theater that Libin returned to Columbia to teach. Some vital records, including material related to his service in the United States Army are also included.</p> <p>Libin's work independent of Circle in the Square as a producer and general manager are documented in the Produced Works sub-series, and include the original production of <span class=\"title\">Hair</span>, as well as Warner Leroy's <span class=\"title\">Between Two Thieves</span>.</p> <p>The works of the Peppermint Players, a children's theater troupe established by Libin and Carole Schwartz Hyatt, are thoroughly documented through production and office files.</p> <p>The Office Files sub-series is comprised of material generated by Libin’s office as part of the day-to-day operation of Circle in the Square, as well as material generated in the course of his other professional activities.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c523949'>Series IV: Theodore Mann, ; bulk</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1906 - 2004, undated, 1953 - 1999</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains the papers of Circle in the Square founder and artistic director, Theodore Mann. In addition to a significant amount of personal and professional correspondence, the series includes personal papers, office papers, material relating to works Mann produced and directed independently of Circle in the Square, and files pertaining to his work with the Maly Theater in Moscow. These papers give insight into the day-to-day operations of Circle in the Square at both the executive and creative levels, as well as illuminating the substantial body of work Mann produced outside the auspices of Circle.</p> <p>Correspondence illustrates Mann's personal and business relationships with many luminaries of Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, from actors, directors, and playwrights to literary, press and talent agents. The 1960s and 1970s are particularly well represented. This subseries also includes correspondence with various non-profit and educational organizations, many of which sought Mann as a supporter or speaker. Mann's--and by extension Circle's-- relationship to the works of Eugene O'Neill is illustrated through correspondence with the Carlotta Monterey O'Neill, the O'Neill estate, Tao House, and with individuals developing books, television, and film projects about the playwright and his works.</p> <p>Ted Mann’s personal papers consist largely of files dealing with household management, but also include awards, autobiographical material, and a segment of a personal journal. Mann’s wife, Patricia Brooks Mann, was an opera singer, and this subseries contains a small portion of material related to her career as a performer.</p> <p>Production files relating to plays and operas independently produced and directed by Mann can be found in this series; as with the material covering produced works in other series, some productions are more thoroughly documented than others.</p> <p>The Office Files sub-series is comprised of material generated in Mann’s office as part of the day-to-day operation of Circle in the Square, as well as material generated in the course of his other professional activities.</p> <p>The Maly Theater files pertain to Mann's trip to the Soviet Union and his work with Vitaly Solomon and The State Academic Maly Theater of Russia, where he directed Tennessee Williams' <span class=\"title\">Night of the Iguana</span> in 1989.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c524398'>Series V: Financial and Legal</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1950 - 1998</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The Financial and Legal series is comprised of material relating to the financial and legal operations of Circle in the Square. Material collected includes annual, monthly and daily reports; account statements; administrative files belonging to the development department; files relating to gifts and bequests; payroll; subscriptions; and box office reports dealing with subscriptions or multiple productions.</p> <p>It should be noted that the majority of records in this series relate to Circle as an institution and document statistics by year or season. Financial and legal papers relating to specific productions will be found within the Produced Works series.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c525981'>Series VI: Circle in the Square Theatre School</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1971 - 1998</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Circle in the Square Theatre School opened in 1961 as training conservatory for actors. Material collected in this sub-series includes an application for the school ca. 1975; production files from school productions and workshops; correspondence; and other administrative files, largely relating to financial matters. Only a small quantity of material is available, and this should not be considered an exhaustive archive for the school.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c526050'>Series VII: J.C. Williamson Theatres</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1954 - 1980</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>In addition to their responsibilities with Circle in the Square, Paul Libin and Theodore Mann were hired by J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd., to serve as their U.S. representatives for the purposes of selecting American shows for performance, securing performing rights, and arranging for the production to be presented in Australia and New Zealand. Familiarly known as 'the Firm,' J.C. Williamson Ltd. was one of Australia's foremost theatrical production companies in both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Material in this series includes correspondence to and from members of 'the Firm' and relating to the selection and presentation of plays and musicals; production files for shows produced by J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd.; files relating to abandoned project; reviews of and reports on theatrical properties under consideration; office files; and a quantity of programs, fliers, and press kit material collected by Libin, Mann, and J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c526376'>Series VIII: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1930 - 2003, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains photographs documenting the produced works of Circle in the Square and related entities; its theaters; and individuals of significance to the organization. It is divided into four sub-series: Circle in the Square productions, other productions, individuals, and general photographs.</p> <p>See also, oversized material</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c527248'>Series IX: Scores</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1968 - 1992</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Includes both full scores and parts largely from <span class=\"title\">Anna Karenina</span> and <span class=\"title\">Pal Joey</span>, but also includes sections of scores from <span class=\"title\">John and Abigail</span>, <span class=\"title\">Trumpets of the Lord</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Zoya’s Apartment</span>. Parts represent categories of the orchestra, such as bass, percussion, reed, Cello, Trumpet and Trombone. Full scores represent all parts together. <span class=\"title\">Pal Joey</span> scores include “Piano-Conductor” scores, full scores of a smaller physical size that were presumably used by the pianist. Full scores are organized in production order, and parts in production order within each part, with the exception of the “Grouped Parts,” which are organized only in production order. Series includes both original scores and reproductions, with hand-written notes.</p> <p> See also, oversized material</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c527347'>Series X: Technical drawings and lighting plots</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1969 - 1996, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains rolled material, predominantly blueprints, design plans, posters, and lighting plots. Material relating to design, construction and implementation of the technical aspects of Circle in the Square’s produced work, including ground plans, floor plans, lighting plots, costume and set designs. Also included is similar material relating to a small quantity of shows not produced by Circle in the Square.</p> <p> See also, oversized material</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c527411'>Series XI: Posters</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1972 - 1998, undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p> Promotional posters and advertisements for Circle in the Square productions and events.</p> <p>See also, oversized material</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21843#c527416'>Series XII: Oversized material</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1950-2000</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains oversized material contained in the collection and is divided into seven sub-series: Financial and legal material, photographs, scores, technical drawings and lighting plots, posters and windowcards, and awards. Items of note include costume designs for <span class=\"title\">Aria da Capo</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Love of Don Perlimplin</span>, a double bill of shows produced by Mann and Quintero in 1950 with the Loft Players, and proclamations from the Mayor of the City of New York recognizing important milestones in Circle's history.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
acqinfo
{"value"=>"<p>The Circle in the Square papers were donated to the Billy Rose Theatre Division by Paul Libin and Theodore Mann in 2005.</p>"}
separatedmaterial
{"value"=>"<ul class=\"list\"> <li>1953 L.I.U. Theatre Award to Circle in the Square</li> <li>1961 Page One award to Circle in the Square</li> <li>1986, 1987 1989 Citibank Awards for Excellence</li> <li>American Express “Ammy” award to Theodore Mann</li> <li>1996 Barbara Barondess Theatre Lab Torch of Hope award to Theodore Mann</li> <li>119 photo printing plates: production stills, seating diagrams, and advertising art</li> <li>8 paperweights commemorating Circle in the Square productions</li> <li>1 embossing seal belonging to <span class=\"title\">Theodore Mann</span></li> <li>1 silver plate commemorating <span class=\"title\">Death of a Salesman</span></li> <li>1 pewter mug commemorating <span class=\"title\">Moon for the Misbegotten</span></li> <li>1 copper hanging decoration</li></ul> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>Enlarged production still, <span class=\"title\">The Father</span></li> <li> Enlarged production still, <span class=\"title\">John Gabriel Borkman</span></li> <li> Enlarged production still, <span class=\"title\">The Man Who Came to Dinner</span></li></ul> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>Film and video materials have been separated to Theatre on Film and Tape. Separated materials include videotaped performances and televised broadcasts of select CITS productions and special events including:<ul class=\"list\"> <li> <span class=\"title\">A Celebration of Thornton Wilder</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Night of the Iguana</span> (Maly Theatre, Moscow)</li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Six Characters in Search of an Author</span></li></ul>Also included are televised events, commercials, and interviews related to Circle in the Square and its productions. Materials will be made available as they are cataloged; search individual titles in the NYPL online catalog for availability.</li></ul> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>Audio materials have been separated to the Rodgers and Hammerstein Archive of Recorded Sound. Separated materials include production materials (sound cues, music, sound effects, and advertisements) for many CITS productions including: <ul class=\"list\"> <li> <span class=\"title\">Ah, Wilderness!</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Anna Karenina</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Hughie</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Man and Superman</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Night of the Iguana</span></li> <li> <span class=\"title\">Trumpets of the Lord</span></li></ul> Also included are interviews and radio programs about CITS and its productions, as well as limited numbers of audio recordings of actual performances.</li> <li>Materials will be made available as they are cataloged; search individual titles in the NYPL online catalog for availability.</li></ul>"}
processinfo
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Kit Messick and Kate Dundon; Machine-readable finding aid created by Kit Messick.</p>"}
userestrict
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
date_start
1906
keydate
1906
date_end
2004
date_inclusive_start
1906
date_inclusive_end
2004

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