- unitid
-
{"value"=>"186269", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2022-005", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b23488300", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1915-2022", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1915/2022"}
{"value"=>"1962-2022", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1962/2022"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"George C. Wolfe papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"75 boxes, 7 tubes, 2 oversize folders", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"30.77 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"85 s", "unit"=>"s"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"55 s", "unit"=>"s"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"530 computer files", "unit"=>"computer_files"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"675.3 megabytes", "unit"=>"megabytes"}]}
- repository
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{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"George C. Wolfe is a Tony Award-winning director and playwright, who also served as the artistic director of New York City's Public Theater from 1993 until the 2004-2005 season. The George C. Wolfe papers, dated 1915 to 2022 (bulk dates 1962-2022), chronicle Wolfe's career through correspondence, photographs, scripts, moving image and audio recordings, programs, promotional materials, designs, and ephemera."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
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{"value"=>"Wolfe, George C.", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is a Tony Award-winning Black American playwright, director, and producer of theater and film.</p> <p>Wolfe was born in the then-segregated town of Frankfort, Kentucky, the son of a government clerk and a teacher. Prior to integration he attended an all-Black Rosenwald project school where his mother taught. It was at Frankfort High School where he developed his interest in drama, founding the school's drama club in 1971. He briefly attended Kentucky State University, a historically Black college, and transferred after a year to Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he received a Bachelor's degree in theater. Wolfe then taught for several years in Los Angeles at the Inner City Cultural Center before settling in New York City. In 1983, he earned a Masters of Fine Arts in dramatic writing and musical theater from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts</p> <p>The material Wolfe was drawn to often reflected his interests and experiences as a Black American and a gay man. His first theatrical success, the Off-Broadway production <span class=\"title\">The Colored Museum</span> (1986), was a satirical look at Black American culture that generated both controversy and praise, and was eventually aired as part of PBS' <span class=\"title\">Great Performances</span>. In 1990, Wolfe won an Obie Award for Best Director for his play <span class=\"title\">Spunk</span>, an adaptation of three stories by Zora Neale Hurston.</p> <p>Wolfe's first Broadway success came in 1992, with the musical <span class=\"title\">Jelly's Last Jam</span>, about the life and career of Jelly Roll Morton; Wolfe wrote the book and directed it. This production received eleven Tony nominations, winning three, and Wolfe also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical. In 1993, Wolfe directed both parts of the Broadway debut of Tony Kushner's <span class=\"title\">Angels in America</span>: <span class=\"title\">Millennium Approaches</span> and <span class=\"title\">Perestroika</span> and in doing so, Wolfe became the first Black director to direct a white playwright's work on Broadway. He won his first Tony Award, for Best Director of a Play, for <span class=\"title\">Millennium Approaches</span> in 1993.</p> <p>In 1996, Wolfe wrote and directed <span class=\"title\">Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk</span>, a musical overview of Black history told through tap dance. The production was a massive success, leading to national praise, and was featured at the 1997 presidential inaugural gala. Wolfe won his second Tony Award for this production, for Best Director of a Musical.</p> <p>From 1993 to 2004, Wolfe served as artistic director and producer of the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, where <span class=\"title\">Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk</span> first premiered before moving to Broadway. His connection to the Public Theater started with <span class=\"title\">The Colored Museum</span>, where Wolfe had been made the Theater's resident director by Joseph Papp in 1990.</p> <p>Wolfe continued to write and direct. He directed the Public's revival of <span class=\"title\">On The Town</span> (1998), which later transferred to Broadway; wrote the book and directed Michael John LaChiusa's adaptation of <span class=\"title\">The Wild Party</span> (2000); directed Elaine Strich's one-woman show <span class=\"title\">Elaine Stritch At Liberty</span> (2001), for which he won his third Tony Award; directed Suzan-Lori Parks' <span class=\"title\">Topdog/Underdog</span> (2001); and directed Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's <span class=\"title\">Caroline, or Change</span> (2003). Wolfe suffered kidney failure in the 1990s and during the production of <span class=\"title\">On the Town</span> he received a kidney transplant; the organ was donated by his brother.</p> <p>After the 2004-2005 season Wolfe left the Public Theater, intending to move toward film direction. His first film, <span class=\"title\">Lackawanna Blues</span>, aired on HBO in 2005. Other films Wolfe directed include the theatrical releases <span class=\"title\">Nights in Rodanthe</span> (2008) and <span class=\"title\">You're Not You</span> (2014). In 2017 he directed <span class=\"title\">The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks</span> for HBO, and followed it with two Netflix productions: <span class=\"title\">Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</span> (2020) about the blues singer, and <span class=\"title\">Rustin</span> (2023), about civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Wolfe also has some acting credits, including cameo appearances in the films <span class=\"title\">Garden State</span> (2004) and <span class=\"title\">The Devil Wears Prada</span> (2006), as well as the television adaptation of <span class=\"title\">She's Gotta Have It</span> (2017-2019). He directed two Broadway fundraisers for the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, as well as <span class=\"title\">A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House</span>, a 2010 revue that was performed live at the White House and aired on PBS.</p> <p>Wolfe did return to the theater, co-directing with Joel Grey the 2011 Broadway premiere of Larry Kramer's <span class=\"title\">The Normal Heart</span>. In 2013, Wolfe directed Nora Ephron's <span class=\"title\">Lucky Guy</span>, starring Tom Hanks in his Broadway debut. Wolfe both directed and wrote the book for <span class=\"title\">Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed</span> (2016), based on the Harlem Renaissance musical revue. He directed the 2018 Broadway revival of Eugene O'Neill's <span class=\"title\">The Iceman Cometh</span>, starring Denzel Washington; and directed <span class=\"title\">Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus</span>(2019), starring Nathan Lane.</p> <p>During his career, Wolfe has received a total of twenty-three Tony Awards nominations. In 1995, the New York Landmarks Conservancy named him a \"living landmark.\" In 2009 Wolfe became Artistic Director of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia and designed their permanent gallery dedicated to the American Civil Rights Movement. In 2013, he was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, and in 2021 he received a PEN/Mike Nichols Writing For Performance Award. Wolfe served on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama, until 2017 when the entire committee resigned in protest of President Donald Trump's remarks concerning the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.</p> <p>Wolfe continues to live and work in New York City.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The George C. Wolfe papers, dated 1915 to 2022 (bulk dates 1962-2022), cover the whole of Wolfe's artistic career, from his college-era work to 2023. The majority of the content in this collection is dedicated to theatrical and film productions that Wolfe wrote, directed, and/or produced. For Wolfe's major works, often the whole life-span of the production, from casting to awards, is covered. Production materials include correspondence, audition evaluations, scripts (often with Wolfe's notes and edits), professional and candid photographs, designs, programs, press and promotional items, notes, opening night gifts, awards and award ceremony materials, and audio and moving image recordings. Programs, posters, and photographs are often signed by cast members. Clapperboards and the canvas backings of director's chairs are often found in the materials from films.</p> <p>Of Wolfe's productions, <span class=\"title\">The Colored Museum</span>; <span class=\"title\">Jelly's Last Jam</span>; <span class=\"title\">Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk</span>; and <span class=\"title\">Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed</span> are the most well-represented. Productions that were staged at the Public Theater during Wolfe's tenure, but that he did not direct or write, are also included. Productions that Wolfe appeared in or attended are represented by programs, posters, invitations, and promotional items. Materials related to unproduced productions include correspondence, research materials, scripts, and a recorded read-through of an unproduced musical.</p> <p>Wolfe's roles at the Public Theater, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities are represented through correspondence, posters, notes, photographs, and press. Of note, the Public Theater materials include filmed footage from Wolfe's farewell party and recorded interviews he did with Merle Debuskey and Peggy Papp. Wolfe's gallery designs for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights are present, as are numerous items from White House events.</p> <p>Wolfe received many awards and honors that were based on the whole of his career, not limited to one production. These physical awards are present, as are supporting items such as programs, press, and recordings. Wolfe also engaged in numerous speaking engagements, such as lectures, and was often invited to give remarks at events that honored others. Programs for these events, as well as recordings, can be found in the collection. Finally, a small amount of personal material is present.</p> <p>Given Wolfe's high-profile work in American theater during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, his collection features numerous prominent theatrical figures. This is reflected in Wolfe's correspondence, which often takes the form of congratulations from directors, actors, and writers. Wolfe's frequent collaborators included choreographer Savion Glover; playwrights Thulani Davis, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Tony Kushner, and Suzan-Lori Parks; lighting designers Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer; set designer Robin Wagner; and actors Keith David, Danitra Vance, and Jeffrey Wright, all of whom are represented in the collection.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The George C. Wolfe papers are arranged in five series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/186269#c1920915'>Series I: Productions</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1915-2022 [bulk 1970-2022]</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>23.88 linear feet (58 boxes, 5 tubes, 1 oversize folder). 295.3 megabytes (242 computer files). 66 s. 42 s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series I is the largest in the collection and contains the widest variety of materials. It spans the whole of Wolfe's career, from his earliest theatrical works that were written and performed while he was in college to the Netflix film <span class=\"title\">Rustin</span> (2023). The productions that Wolfe was creatively involved in are the most well-covered, and theatrical productions are more represented than films.</p> <p>Theatrical productions are contained in subseries I.A., which in addition to Wolfe's work includes productions staged at the Public Theater while he was artistic director, but that he did not write or direct. Subseries I.B. contains all film and television productions that Wolfe directed, and subseries I.C. is dedicated to productions he either appeared in or attended. Finally, subseries I.D. is comprised of unrealized or unknown productions, for both the stage and the screen.</p> <p>This series is heavy on correspondence relating to the individual productions and includes a wide range of well-known theatrical and film personalities. This includes, but is not limited to, Thulani Davis, Ann Duquesnay, Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, Margo Lion, Reggie Montgomery, Mike Nichols, Anna Deavere Smith, Danitra Vance, and Robin Wagner. The correspondence in this series showcases Wolfe's prominent role in modern American theater.</p> <p>Also included in this series are professional and candid photographs, scripts (often with notes and edits), set and costume designs, notes, scores, press and publicity materials, programs, tickets, schedules, awards, moving image and audio recordings, opening night gifts, ID cards, mementos from film sets, focus group and marketing reports, and research materials. Oftentimes, the programs and posters were signed by the cast, and occasionally programs are interleaved with correspondence, tickets, and notes. Both physical awards, such as certificates and plaques, and items from awards ceremonies are present, mostly from the Tony Awards.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/186269#c1921661'>Series II: Administrative Roles</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1988-2016</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4.25 linear feet (13 boxes). 378.4 megabytes (284 computer files). 3 s. 3 s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series II contains material relating to three of Wolfe's administrative roles: as artistic director of the Public Theater from 1993 until its 2004-2005 season, as artistic director of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and as a private member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.</p> <p>The Public Theater is represented by correspondence, budgets and financial documents, legal documents, notes, photographs, press, posters, and items for its fiftieth anniversary and Wolfe's farewell party. Correspondence includes congratulations on Wolfe's 1993 appointment and well-wishes after he announced his departure, as well as all correspondence that is not specific to one production. Benefits and memorials that were staged at the theater are included in this series, as are writings by Wolfe about the theater. Any material that concerns the history and general promotion of the Public Theater is housed in this series, including audio interviews that Wolfe conducted with Merle Debuskey, an early press agent for the Public Theater, and the ex-wife of Joseph Papp, Peggy Papp.</p> <p>Wolfe's gallery research and designs for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights are a significant part of this series, as are materials from the museum's founding and groundbreaking. The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is represented through correspondence among the committee members and White House Christmas cards sent to Wolfe, his ID for the 2009 presidential inauguration, napkins from the White House, programs, a photograph of First Lady Michelle Obama with the committee, and a photograph of Wolfe with Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/186269#c1921743'>Series III: Awards and Honors</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1982-2019</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3.55 linear feet (12 boxes, 1 oversize folder, 1 tube). 1. 3 s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series III contains all awards and honors that Wolfe received that are career-based (not limited to one production). This includes lifetime achievement awards, honorary degrees, resolutions passed in his name in New York City and Kentucky, a fellowship established in his name, and filmed profiles of Wolfe and his career.</p> <p>In addition to the aforementioned filmed material and physical awards and diplomas, this series comprises of programs and press for the awards, a poster signed by attendees to Wolfe's New Dramatists' luncheon tribute, and text from acceptance speeches. Wolfe's Theater Hall of Fame induction ceremony is the most well-covered, and includes correspondence, program, text from the introduction and Wolfe's acceptance speech, a full moving image recording of the ceremony, and Wolfe's medal.</p> <p>There are also less-formal honorings, including calendars that feature Wolfe as a subject, a parody issue of <span class=\"title\">Time</span> magazine made to celebrate Wolfe, and an audio recording of a song by Stephen Sondheim about Wolfe.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/186269#c1921809'>Series IV: Speaking Engagements and Events</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1982-2020</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1.08 linear feet (3 boxes). 3 s. 7 s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series IV mainly consists of items relating to Wolfe's speaking engagements, including lectures, retrospectives, commencement addresses, and interviews. These are represented mostly through programs and promotional materials, occasionally accompanied by text and moving image or audio recordings. Part of these are events that were honoring others at which Wolfe spoke, including some memorials. An audio recording from the Central Park walking tour featuring Wolfe is included here, as are interviews and profiles of Wolfe, a photographic series he was a subject in, and a workshop he taught at. A dinner invitation to the White House and a pass to the 2008 Democratic National Convention are also housed here, as both pre-date his time on the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/186269#c1921879'>Series V: Personal</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1962-2021</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2.17 linear feet (6 boxes, 1 tube). 1.6 megabytes (4 computer files). 10 s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series V contains Wolfe's personal materials. This includes personal correspondence with friends and family, memorials that Wolfe attended but did not speak at, Wolfe's schoolwork, sketches and photographs of Wolfe, a signed \"get well\" poster after Wolfe's kidney transplant, music written for Wolfe, and notes written by Wolfe. Wolfe is also a collector of the art of Glenn Ligon, and correspondence on a retrospective and Wolfe's loan of one of his pieces is found here.</p> <p>It should be noted that there is often an overlap between Wolfe's friends and his professional contacts, but the correspondence here is not professional in nature and is mostly limited to birthday wishes and Christmas cards.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Purchased from <span class=\"name\">George C. Wolfe</span> in 2022.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Stacey Ference</span> in 2024.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
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{"value"=>"<p>Audio and moving image materials can be used onsite at the Library for the Performing Arts. To request materials, please contact the Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
- sponsor
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{"value"=>"Description of audio and moving image materials was made possible by a grant from\n the Leon Levy Foundation, \"The Shelby White and Leon Levy Initiative to Press Play on the\n Audio and Motion Picture Archives at the New York Public Library for the Performing\n Arts.\""}
- date_start
-
1915
- keydate
-
1915
- date_end
-
2022
- date_inclusive_start
-
1915
- date_inclusive_end
-
2022
- date_bulk_start
-
1962
- date_bulk_end
-
2022
- extent_statement
-
30.77 linear feet (75 boxes, 7 tubes, 2 oversize folders). 85 s. 55 s. 675.3 megabytes (530 computer files)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"George C. Wolfe papers, *T-Mss 2022-005. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}