- unitid
-
{"value"=>"21625", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2002-014", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b15531576", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1891-1997", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1891/1997"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"King-Coit School and Children's Theatre papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"4 boxes, 1 oversized folder", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"3 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Ellen Rodman collected this material about the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre. The King-Coit School and Children's Theatre existed in New York City from 1923 to 1959. Its unique teaching style used the arts, specifically plays, to immerse children in other cultures and time periods."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Rodman, Ellen", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Edith King (1884-1975) and Dorothy Coit (1889-1976) first collaborated on children's theater productions while they were both employed at the Buckingham School in Massachusetts. The success of these productions led them to open their own school and children's theater in New York City in 1923. The King-Coit Children's Theatre and School offered arts programs for children (5-15 years old) on weekday afternoons and weekends. King taught drawing and painting classes, while Coit was responsible for acting and dancing. The student body included many children of the rich and famous, and included such notables as Anne Baxter, Madeleine L'Engle, and Lee Remick.</p> <p> The school was unique in its teaching style. Studies were guided by the ultimate goal of producing a play. Students were immersed in the time period of the chosen story, including intensive study of its music and artworks. The philosophy was to make the children feel comfortable in the given culture, so the acting would feel and look as natural as possible. The stated goal was for perfection. Through weeks of repetition, all the children would learn the entire script, and specific roles weren't assigned until shortly before the performances. Though the children's paintings and drawings often served as inspiration for King's set and costume designs, the children were seldom involved in the actual construction of sets, costumes, or properties.</p> <p> The plays were well reviewed and popular, but were performed for short runs in small theaters, and ticket sales did not supply much funding. The school and theater relied heavily on grants and private donations throughout its existence. It finally closed in 1959 when health concerns led to King's retirement. Coit declined to continue King-Coit without her valued partner, but did continue to teach occasional classes at other schools throughout the 1960s.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>In her efforts to write her dissertation on the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre Ellen Rodman collected a variety of materials. Through printed Author's Queries Rodman requested any and all information on King-Coit, which often resulted in a continuing correspondence. Rodman composed a standard questionnaire to probe each person's involvement with the school and/or theater, and both the questionnaire and the variety of answers are included in the collection. This series and Rodman's research materials make up the two largest series in the collection.</p> <p>In addition to producing a dissertation, Rodman contributed to a 1979 exhibition of King-Coit materials at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Many of the photographs in this collection were in that exhibition, and photographs of the exhibition are also included. Printed materials by or about King-Coit complete this collection.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The King-Coit School and Children's Theatre papers are arranged in six series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315570'>Series I: Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1978-1997</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains correspondence between Rodman and various individuals/institutions produced during her King-Coit research. It includes responses to public queries for information regarding King-Coit as well as responses to specific questions posed by Rodman.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315612'>Series II: Research Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1934-1985</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>14 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains materials collected by Rodman regarding King-Coit. It includes Rodman's handwritten notes, copies of articles/book excerpts/clippings, copies of financial reports, materials regarding two films about King-Coit, lists of students and of plays performed, copies of speeches and correspondence made by King and/or Coit, and an abstract of Rodman's thesis.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315627'>Series III: Library for the Performing Arts Exhibit</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1976-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains materials related to the 1979 King-Coit exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. There is an array of materials including invitations, press releases and labels from the exhibition.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315630'>Series IV: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1891-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>9 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series includes photographs and negatives of Dorothy Coit and Edith King, and the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre and its productions. It also includes photographs and negatives of and from the exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and of its later mounting in Kansas City.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315639'>Series V: Published Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1909-1977</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>4 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series includes two books written by Dorothy Coit, a copy of the play <span class=\"title\">Aucassin and Nicolete</span> (a King-Coit favorite), and a book about Snedens Landing that briefly discusses the early days of the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21625#c315644'>Series VI: Oversized Materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1922-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series consists mainly of copies of articles and book excerpts regarding King-Coit. It also includes New York Public Library newsletters listing \"The King-Coit Children's Theatre\" exhibition, and a poster from the Arcadian School that was originally with interview notes. (Alexander Cortesi, Vice President of the Arcadian School, was a former King-Coit student.)</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>The materials were collected by Ellen Rodman and were donated to The Billy Rose Theatre Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in 2002.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>Audiovisual materials separated from archival collections are cataloged individually and can be found in the New York Public Library's Research Catalog.</p> <ol class=\"list\"> <li>9 sound recordings: 8 cassettes and 1 reel-to-reel. Three of the cassettes are the narration for a film about the King-Coit School and Children's Theatre. There is one cassette (about 10 minutes) of former King-Coit students reminiscing. The remainder of the recordings are related to the exhibition of King-Coit materials at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</li></ol>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Jennifer L. Winters</span>.</p>"}
- revisiondesc
-
{"value"=>"Added contents of oversized folder 1", "date"=>"2024-12"}
- date_start
-
1891
- keydate
-
1891
- date_end
-
1997
- date_inclusive_start
-
1891
- date_inclusive_end
-
1997
- extent_statement
-
3 linear feet (4 boxes, 1 oversized folder)
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"King-Coit School and Children's Theatre papers, *T-Mss 2002-014. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}