- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 1997-026", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"18406", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b19028666", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1971-2005", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1971/2005"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1971
- date_inclusive_end
-
2005
- keydate
-
1971
- date_start
-
1971
- date_end
-
2005
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"31.09 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"61 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"THE", "value"=>"Billy Rose Theatre Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre company formed in 1971 in New York City by Eve Adamson that staged productions of both classic and contemporary plays, with a core of permanent, resident actors. The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre Records contain administrative files, publicity materials, production files, photographs, sound and video recordings, and a small amount of financial records, that document over three decades of theatrical productions performed by the Cocteau."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre records, *T-Mss 1997-026. Billy Rose Theater Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre", "type"=>"corpname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre was an Off-Off-Broadway repertory company formed in 1971 in New York City by Eve Adamson. The Cocteau produced works of world dramatic literature, staging productions of both classic and contemporary plays, with a core of permanent, resident actors. Adamson founded the Cocteau after being disappointed by the roles being offered to her as an actress, naming the company after the artist and playwright Jean Cocteau.</p> <p>The Cocteau's first performance was staged in a storefront on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The first season included William Shakespeare's <span class=\"title\">The Winter's Tale</span>, Oscar Wilde's <span class=\"title\">Salome</span>, and Cocteau's <span class=\"title\">Orphee</span>. In 1973, the fledging company received positive reviews and critical acclaim for an adaptation of Samuel Beckett's <span class=\"title\">Waiting for Godot</span> and it was noted that though the company lacked money and resources, they balanced these difficulties with artistic creativity. That same year, the company started its first season of rotating repertory, performing four to seven plays per season, a structure it would maintain for the next three decades. In 1974, the Cocteau moved into the 140-seat Bouwerie Lane Theater on the Bowery, and continued to receive positive critical reviews. The Cocteau established enough acclaim to be selected by Tennessee Williams to premiere his play <span class=\"title\">Something Cloudy, Something Clear</span> in 1981. The Cocteau also premiered works by Edvard Radzinsky, Seamus Heaney, and Barbara Lebow.</p> <p>Though she continued to direct plays at the Cocteau, Adamson stepped down as artistic director in 1989. Her replacement was Robert Hupp, who held the position until 1999, when he was succeeded by David Fuller. Fuller sought to unionize the Cocteau, with health and pension benefits for the staff, and made the creative push to present musical theater productions in the hopes of increasing subscriptions. One of the first musicals staged under Fuller's direction was <span class=\"title\">The Cradle Will Rock</span> during the 2000-2001 Season.</p> <p>In addition to staging productions, the Cocteau sought to provide outreach to the greater community. In 1977, the theater developed a student matinee series for local high school students, as well as maintaining a complimentary ticket program for older New Yorkers. The Cocteau began its neighborhood outreach program in 1989, performing plays in culturally underserved neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. In 1992, the Cocteau collaborated on a residency program that held workshops and performances at Baruch College of the City University of New York that lasted until 2001 and included LaGuardia Community College. The Cocteau extended its reach internationally with a trip to Brazil in 1999 to perform Luigi Pirandello's <span class=\"title\">Six Characters in Search of an Author</span> at the Teatro Alfa in Sao Paulo.</p> <p>The Cocteau received many accolades including a 1990 Obie nomination, a 1989 Outer Critics' Circle nomination for Special Achievement, two Drama Desk nominations, Six Villager Awards, and a Citation for Excellence from the sitting Manhattan Borough President David Dinkens in 1987.</p> <p>In August 2004, displeased with what was seen as moving into a more commercial direction, a group of four long-time Cocteau actors, including Craig Smith and Elise Stone, and five of the theater's trustees resigned and formed the Phoenix Theater Ensemble. In 2007, due to budget issues, a shrinking subscriber base, and declining reviews, the Cocteau was renamed and restructured and now functions as The Exchange, a theater company that produces shows with a contemporary focus.</p>"}
- custodhist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Records were received from the Cocteau's founder, Eve Adamson, after the Cocteau was renamed and restructured. The files of former board member, Albert Podell, were maintained by Podell until his donation. The files of former artistic director, Robert Hupp, were maintained by Hupp until his donation.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre records document over three decades of theatrical work produced by the Cocteau, as well as document the running of a small theater company, from fundraising initiatives and developing annual budgets, to generating publicity. The Cocteau's staff was small and included full-time employees generally consisting of a business manager, an artistic director, a managing director, with a part-time development director. In addition, the Board of Trustees was active in the Cocteau's administration, seeking to provide financial guidance, raise funds, provide support to staff members, and uphold the artistic merit of the theatric performances.</p> <p>The bulk of the collection consists of production material such as production files, prompt books, and sound recordings and video recordings. Other then a trip to Brazil and residencies at colleges like Baruch and LaGuardia, the Cocteau outreach to other theaters, cities, and neighborhoods, is only nominally represented in this collection. Additionally, the collection contains very little correspondence or other personal information about its founder, members, directors, or actors.</p> <p>The audio portions of this collection are primarily sound effects, sound cues, intermission music, and entrance and exit music, as well as dialect references and notes for the actors. There is a small amount of professionally recording productions, most notably of the performance of Brecht's <span class=\"title\">A Man's a Man</span>.</p> <p>The video portions of the collection include recordings of productions, often with multiple recordings of different performances. Other video recordings include a \"30th Anniversary Video Retrospective\" (2001), workshops from the Baruch College and LaGuardia Community College residency programs (1996-2000), and videos created for, and shown at, presentations and tributes, such as those for long time actors Craig Smith and Harris Berlinsky.</p> <p>Inquiries regarding audio and video materials in the series may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatrediv@nypl.org). Audio/visual materials may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre records are arranged in four series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/18406#c1326609'>Series I: Administrative Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series is arranged alphabetically and contains material in regards to the administrative and governing functions of the Cocteau. The bulk of the documents represent work done by the Board of Directors. Files include minutes, budgets, funding reports, and memoranda. Topics covered are theater staff dynamics, maintaining the artistic integrity of the Cocteau, obtaining funding for the theatre and the ongoing cash flow issues, of which the Board members often had to make personal loans to allow the theater to meet its payroll obligations.</p> <p>Alpert Podell, a board of director member from 1988-1997, and for many years president, maintained separate files that are a more complete representation of the Board's work for those years, and include development files, correspondence, minutes and agendas, budget and financial statements, and publicity material. Podell's correspondence includes letters documenting Eve Adamson's resignation as creative director.</p> <p>Robert Hupp, artistic director from 1989-1999. maintained separate files which document his role as the creative leader of the organization as well as its practical manager. These files consist of business correspondence, memos, grant applications, job descriptions, budgets, fund-raising plans, calendars, schedules, press kits, reviews, season plans, notes regarding play selection, meeting minutes, and a feasibility study prepared for the Board of Directors. Hupp's files include materials pertaining to Jean Cocteau Repertory Theatre's collaboration with Eric Bentley and to the Thetare's residency at Baruch College.</p> <p>Other material in this series includes letters from audience members, files on group attendance programs, files regarding the Cocteau's history and budget, and files regarding the Bouwerie Lane Theater, often highlighting plans to move to a larger theater. Correspondence with critics includes correspondence between Craig Smith, the acting publicity director, and <span class=\"title\">New York Times</span> editor A.M Rosenthal, regarding Smith's petition to reinstate critic Mel Gussow's Off-Off Broadway column, after the <span class=\"title\">Times</span> canceled it. The file on <span class=\"title\">Marie Antoinette</span> regards a co-production with The Independent Eye, an ensemble from Philadelphia, and the file on <span class=\"title\">Six Characters in Search of an Author</span> contains plans for the Cocteau's trip to Brazil.</p> <p>Files on Edvard Radzinsky and Tennessee Williams do not contain correspondence from the playwrights- the Radzinsky files include legal agreements and an unproduced, translation of Radzinsky's play <span class=\"title\">Sporting Scenes</span> (1981) and the Williams file includes clippings and publicity material.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/18406#c1326673'>Series II: Development Files</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>These series is arranged by funding type, and within that, alphabetically. Though a large portion of the Cocteau's revenue came from ticket sales, the Cocteau sought additional funding through corporate donors, foundation grants, and government funding. Additionally, the Cocteau would buy blocks of tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and sell them to supporters to raise funds.</p> <p>Corporate donor files (1976-1989) include correspondence and printed matter seeking to build relationship with donors and requesting funds. Government funding (1971-1989) includes grants to organizations like the Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts. Foundation files (1976-1990) represent a wide variety of New York City-based and national foundations.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/18406#c1326734'>Series III: Production Material</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>These series is divided into production files and prompt books. Production files are arranged in chronological order by season, with the productions listed alphabetically within each season, often proceeded with a general file that contains printed material, publicity material, and/or correspondence. Productions from the 1970s to the early-1980s contain one or two files, usually consisting solely of publicity photographs. Later files are more robust, and include programs, press releases, reviews, and files on marketing. Occasionally files contain research material, such as scholarly articles regarding the play or other such relevant material. For instance, the files regarding the <span class=\"title\">Cure at Troy</span> contain a photocopy of a fax from Seamus Heaney with his notes regarding the play. For additional photographs of productions, events, and actors, see Series V. Photographs.</p> <p>Prompt books are arranged alphabetically by show. The prompt books were maintained by the stage managers and contain rehearsal and performance schedules, scene breakdowns, performance reports, and annotated scripts.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/18406#c1326993'>Series IV: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Photographs are divided by prints and slides, and include publicity photographs of plays and cast members, staff portraits, photographs of productions, and snapshots of events commemorating the Cocteau's 30th anniversary. Many prints were originally framed, indicating that they were on display at the theater. Slides are arranged alphabetically by production. Often the shows are arranged by nickname of the production rather then the full name. For example, <span class=\"title\">On the Razzle</span> is under R for <span class=\"title\">Razzle</span>. The slides span productions from 1971-2004. For additional photographs of productions see Series III. Production Material.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Albert Podell, 1997, Eve Adamson, 2006, and Robert Hupp, 2015.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Susan Malsbury</span>, <span class=\"date\">2011</span></p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>Select photographs were removed from frames. Photographic slides and prompt books were removed from binders, but remained in their original order. The addition of Robert Hupp's files was processed and described by Diana Bertolini in 2015.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Audio/visual materials may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>The author/creator retains copyright of materials. For information on obtaining permission to publish, contact the Theatre Division at theatre@nypl.org. Many photographs are labeled as being copyrighted by Gerry Goodstein.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- extent_statement
-
31.09 linear feet (61 boxes)