Robert Patrick papers

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id: 5339
origination: Patrick, Robert, 1937-
date statement: circa 1940-1984
key date: 1940
identifier (local_mss): 21723
org unit: Billy Rose Theatre Division
call number: *T-Mss 1978-006
b-number: b15974541
total components: 1102
total series: 8
max depth: 4
boost queries: (none)
component layout: Default Layout
Extended MARC Fields: false
Extended Navigation: false
created: 2013-04-01 15:05:17 UTC
updated: 2026-08-16 02:26:37 UTC
status note: (missing)
Display Aeon link: true

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physdesc: {"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"22 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"42 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
unitdate: {"value"=>"circa 1940-1984", "type"=>"inclusive", "certainty"=>"approximate", "normal"=>"1940/1984"}
date_inclusive_start: 1940
date_inclusive_end: 1984
keydate: 1940
unittitle: {"value"=>"Robert Patrick papers"}
repository: {"value"=>"The New York Public Library Billy Rose Theatre Division <div class=\"address\"> New York, New York</div>"}
abstract: {"value"=>"Robert Patrick was a founding father of the off-off Broadway scene; it's most produced and most prolific playwright. He was also a contributor to the growth of gay theater. Patrick is now best known for his play Kennedy's Children . The Robert Patrick Papers include production materials, photographs, scripts and other writings."}
prefercite: {"value"=>"The Robert Patrick Papers, *T-Mss 1978-006. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts."}
origination: {"value"=>"Patrick, Robert, 1937-", "type"=>"persname"}
bioghist: {"value"=>"Robert Patrick was a founding father of the off-off Broadway scene; it's most produced and most prolific playwright. He was also a contributor to the growth of gay theater. Patrick is now best known for his play Kennedy's Children. Robert Patrick was born Robert Patrick O'Connor on September 27, 1937 in Kilgore, Texas. He came to New York City in 1961, and was soon a part Caffe Cino, the legendary off-off Broadway theater. Caffe Cino produced Patrick's first play, The Haunted Host, which also proved to be a breakthrough in gay theater. Over the next ten years his career blossomed with anywhere from 130 to 300 productions of his scripts occurring in a variety of underground theaters (like La Mama or the Old Reliable Theatre Tavern). In 1973 Patrick was nominated for a record five Obies. The same year, the Clark Center mounted the first production of Kennedy's Children. An actor from the show, Don Parker, optioned the play. By 1974 it was beginning a two-week run in the King's Head Pub Theatre in Islington, England. The show was so successful that after eventually extending its run many times, it eventually moved to a theater in London's West End. International productions quickly followed, including one on Broadway at the Golden Theatre. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s Patrick continued to write at his usual feverish pace, while simultaneously traveling to see his works produced. He often gave guest lectures, directed, or in other ways personally helped with productions all around the world. From 1979 to 1982 Patrick wrote a regular column about off-off Broadway for the theatrical paper Other Stages. In 1990 he directed his last play in New York, Hello, Bob, about his worldwide experiences with Kennedy’s Children. After three years of travel, writing and directing cross-country, Patrick settled in Los Angeles and began ghostwriting for television and films. In 1994 he published Temple Slave, a novel about the origins of off-off Broadway. Patrick received the Robert Chesley Award for Lifetime Achievement in Gay Theatre in 1997. He continues to write and is living in Los Angeles, “strictly for the sunshine”."}
scopecontent: {"value"=>"While the papers of Robert Patrick span several decades, the majority of the collection was created from 1975-1979. The heart of the collection is the production materials (including many photographs) from the numerous productions of Patrick's works. Kennedy’s Children is particularly well represented in all of its international incarnations. Among many others, The Haunted Host, Mercy Drop and T-shirts all have openly homosexual themes and each contributed to the growth of gay theater. The scripts are heavily annotated and can provide insight into the playwright’s working process. Patrick wrote about his involvement with the birth of off-off Broadway and gay theater in various articles, that can be found in the Articles sub-series, including a folder solely regarding Caffe Cino. Additionally, the Press sub-series contains interviews that elaborate on his history of unwavering support of alternative theater, gay theater, and gay rights. Other than some of the correspondence and photographs, this collection contains very little personal material. Notable people found throughout the collection include contemporary playwrights Harvey Fierstein (also star of The Haunted Host), Lanford Wilson and Doric Wilson."}

{"value"=>"The Robert Patrick papers are arranged in eight series:\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c329434'>Series I: Correspondence, 1969-1982</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>10 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'>Patrick's correspondence is both personal and professional, and includes letters from theaters that produced his scripts, and publications he occasionally wrote for. Attachments, often drawings or photographs, remain with their individual letters. Notables among the correspondents include Bill Plympton, Harvey Fierstein, Tom Stoppard, Lily Tomlin and Lanford Wilson. The majority of the correspondence is from 1975-1979.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c329567'>Series II: Production Materials, 1964-1983</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'>Organized by production title, this series contains a variety of materials including: photographs and negatives, programs, clippings and scripts associated with specific productions. (Scripts that aren't associated with a specific production are found in the Scripts series.) Titles include Kennedy's Children, The Haunted Host, T-shirts, Camera Obscura, and My Cup Ranneth Over. The majority of the series is from 1977-1981.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330054'>Series III: Scripts, 1957-1982</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>8 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'>The scripts are mostly undated and vary between the complete and the incomplete, the produced and the unproduced. Many are annotated, and a few are typed on the backs of posters from other productions.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330257'>Series IV: Other Writings, 1968-1984</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>5 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'>This series includes articles that Patrick wrote, articles about Patrick and his work (including interviews), poetry and songs.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330388'>Series V: Drawings, undated</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 folders</div>\n<div class='series-description'>Patrick himself, his friend Wally Edwards, and a few others (including Bill Plympton) made the drawings.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330392'>Series VI: Photographs, ca. 1940-1981</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>2 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'>This series contains many images of Patrick, both alone and with others. Most images are black and white, and there are few negatives. Polaroids were often taken by Patrick as well as of him.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330445'>Series VII: Financial and Legal, 1968-1982</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 box</div>\n<div class='series-description'>Financial and legal papers include contracts and invoices. They are often dated and are related to Patrick's professional life only.</div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21723#c330475'>Series VIII: Oversized, 1970-1982</a></div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'>The oversized series contains large drawings by Patrick himself as well as other artists, larger-scale production materials and large black & white photographs. It is organized to correlate with earlier series.</div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
arrangement: {"value"=>"The Robert Patrick Papers are organized in the following series: <ul> <li>Series I: Correspondence, 1969-1982</li> <li> Series II: Production Materials, 1964-1983</li> <li>Series III: Scripts, 1957-1982</li> <li> Series IV: Other Writings, 1968-1984 <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - Articles, 1977-1984</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - Press, 1968-1982</li> <li>Sub-series 3 - Poetry, 1981; undated</li> <li> Sub-series 4 - Songs, 1980; undated</li></ul></li> <li>Series V: Drawings, undated</li> <li>Series VI: Photographs, ca. 1940-1981 <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - Portraits, 1969-1981</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - Patrick in groups, 1966-1981</li> <li>Sub-series 3 - Polaroids, ca. 1972-1975</li> <li>Sub-series 4 - Family, ca. 1940-1972</li> <li>Sub-series 5 - General, 1974-1977</li></ul></li> <li>Series VII: Financial, 1968-1982 <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - Contracts, 1968-1982</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - Invoices, 1976-1982</li></ul></li> <li> Series VIII: Oversized, 1970-1982 <ul> <li>Sub-series 1 - Drawings, 1978; undated</li> <li>Sub-series 2 - Production Materials, 1970-1982</li> <li>Sub-series 3 - Photographs, ca. 1975-1978</li></ul></li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
acqinfo: {"value"=>"The Robert Patrick Papers were donated to the Billy Rose Theatre Division in 1978 by Robert Patrick."}
separatedmaterial: {"value"=>"Audiovisual materials separated from archival collections are cataloged individually and can be found in the Library catalog. Search CATNYP, The New York Public Library catalog. <ul> <li>American flag, signed by Michael Schottenberg, director of 1978 Austrian production of Kennedy’s Children.</li> <li>2 matchbooks from Caffe Cino</li> <li>1 matchbook from Phebe’s</li></ul> <ul> <li> Angel, Honey, Baby, Darling, Dear/ Krazee Plaze - New York Theater Ensemble</li> <li> The Arnold Bliss Show - Cambridge University Theatre Company (Edinburgh, Scotland)</li> <li> Before Caesar- New York Theatre Ensemble</li> <li> Camera Obscura(as part of an evening of one acts) - Georgetown University</li> <li> Dungeons & Dragons - The New York Theater Ensemble</li> <li> Fred & Harold (as part of Male Rites) - Theatre Rhinoceros</li> <li> The Golden Circle- Campus High School Theater (Wichita, Kansas)</li> <li> The Golden Circle- Brighton-on-Clyde Players</li> <li> The Haunted Host(as part of A Festival of Gay Plays) - The Glines</li> <li> The Haunted Host- The New Theater</li> <li> The Haunted Host - Panter Theatre Company</li> <li> Judas - The Drama Shelter</li> <li> Judas - Janus Theatre (Tempe, Arizona)</li> <li> Judas- Orion Repertory</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - 57 St. Mark’s Street</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - The Actors Ensemble Theatre of Canada</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Beloit College Players, Kresge Studio Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Bethel (?) Theatre (poster is ripped)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Bridgehampton Community House</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - California State College</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Clark Center for the Performing Arts</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Collective Artists Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - CSUH Studio Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Diablo Actors’ Ensemble</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Eblana Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- The Fifth Street Studio</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Frederic March Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Golden Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Image Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Indiana University Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children(in Swedish, Kennedy’s Barn) - Katarinateater Scenskolan I Stockholm</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - L’Abbaye</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Los Angeles Mission College</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Melbourne Theatre Company</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - New Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Northern Louisiana University</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Old Library Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Pinetree Players</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - S.A./Blackfriars (Canmore, Canada)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children(in German, Kennedy’s Kinder) - Schauspielhaus</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Sheffield University</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- The Space/Der Ruimte (2 versions)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Sphere’s Theatre Company</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Stockton Civic Center</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Storefront Actors’ Theatre</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Theatre by the Grove (Indiana University of Pennsylvania)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children(in French, Les Enfants de Kennedy) - Theatre National (Belgium)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Theatre in the Park</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- Theatre Rhinoceros</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - University of Akron</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - University of Hawaii, Manoa</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- University of Missouri, St. Louis</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - University of New Mexico</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children- The University of Pittsburgh Theatre (2 versions)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Wichita State University</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Wilbur Theatre</li> <li>La Mama E.T.C. 20th Anniversary Celebration (2 versions)</li> <li> Mercy Drop - New York Theatre Ensemble</li> <li> Michelangelo’s Models - New York Theater Ensemble</li> <li> Michelangelo’s Models- The Fifth Estate Theater</li> <li> Mutual Benefit Life - New York Theater Ensemble (2 versions)</li> <li> Mutual Benefit Life - Ohio Northern University Theatre (2 versions)</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over - Arroyo Grande High School</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over - Circle Repertory Company</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over - The Out-and-About Theatre</li> <li> One Man, One Woman - Sunset Thespians (Hayward, CA) Theatre</li> <li> One Person/Cornered- Geneseo College</li> <li> One Person/Sit-Com - The Out-and-About Theatre</li> <li> Play-by-Play - New York Theatre Strategy Festival</li> <li> Robert Patrick Festival? (Patrick reading from his works) - Collective Artists Theatre</li> <li> Robert Patrick Festival (Haunted Host) - Theatre Rhinoceros</li> <li> Robert Patrick Festival(Haunted Host, Kennedy’s Children, T-Shirts, My Cup Ranneth Over) - Theatre Rhinoceros</li> <li> The Spinning Tree - The New World Theatre</li> <li> Still-love- Our House (booking at theatre)</li> <li> T-Shirts - Chelsea Theatre</li> <li> T-Shirts - The Glines</li> <li> T-Shirts - The Production Company</li> <li> T-Shirts - Sumus Theatre Ensemble</li> <li> T-Shirts (in Spanish, Camisetas) - Teatro Los Cedros</li> <li> T-Shirts - Theatre Rhinoceros</li> <li> T-Shirts/My Cup Ranneth Over - Theatre Rhinoceros</li></ul> <ul> <li>Cassettes <ul> <li>Performances <ul> <li> All in the Mind/ Communication Gap, 1982 Oct. 25</li> <li> Camera Obscura, music by Jonathan Sheffer</li> <li> Camera Obscura, opera</li> <li>Drama Desk at Rossoff’s, 1975 Oct. 30</li> <li>Entertainment Scene, 1975 Oct. 12 - Robert Patrick & Caleb Stonn</li> <li> The Golden Circle, 1979 Dec. 8. Wichita, Kansas (Campus High School - 2 Cassettes)</li> <li> The Golden Circle, Brighton-on-Clyde</li> <li> Heavy Confetti, Orion Benefit Pt.2, 1975 Oct. 19 (WPA in NYC)</li> <li> I Came to New York to Write, along with other various titles/ Brooklyn, NY. 1977 Nov. 17 (2 Cassettes)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children, NYC (Golden Theatre)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children“Live in Concert”, Boston. 1975 Oct. 18 (The Wilbur Theatre.)</li> <li> Kennedy’s ChildrenAct II, 1977 (Questors Theatre, England)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children, Encompass, NYC</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over, 1978 Nov. 21 (Lunchbox Theatre)</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over, 1978 Sept. 15</li> <li>Songs for My Cup Ranneth Over</li> <li> My Reading for the Blind, by Robert Patrick</li> <li> Play-By-Play, London (King’s Head)</li> <li> Pop People, 1973 Nov. 16 (Yale Cabaret)</li> <li> The Richest Girl in the World Finds Happiness, 1975 Dec. 1</li> <li> The Richest Girl in the World Finds Happiness, 1980 May (The Marquis Public Theatre, Emergency Theatre Component)</li></ul></li> <li>Interviews <ul> <li>Bob at Tennis Club, 1975 Aug. 10 (Patrick interview in Boston)</li> <li> Guardian interview</li> <li>Heide-Patrick interview, 1975 Sept. 13</li> <li>Interview in Chicago</li> <li>Man from Dallas paper at Barrymore’s after show</li> <li> New York Postinterview with Jarry Tallmer, 1975 Oct. 30</li> <li>Options Playwrights, (National Public Radio)</li> <li>Robert Patrick and Jim D’Anna interview</li> <li>Robert Patrick interview w/ WSU Radio</li> <li>Robert Patrick interview with New York Times, 1975 Oct. 20</li> <li>Robert Patrick interview with Students at Golden…(?)</li> <li> Self, Robert Patrick interview w/ Robert Patrick</li> <li> Village Voice interview with Michael Feingold by R. Patrick</li></ul></li> <li>Lectures <ul> <li>Patrick’s Lecture to the Drama Desk at Sardi’s</li> <li>Robert Patrick’s address in off-off Broadway theatre, 1977 Nov. 4 (The Belverd College, studies theatre)</li></ul></li> <li>Audio Correspondence <ul> <li>James A. Tucker, Free Matter for the Blind, 1977 June 15 (2 Cassettes)</li> <li>Kareem</li></ul></li> <li>Audio Tape Reels (5”) <ul> <li>Capetown, Act I & II (2 Reels)</li></ul></li> <li>Audio Tape Reels (7”) <ul> <li> Action, by Robert Patrick, 1975 May 11</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children, 1978 April 9 (3 Reels)</li> <li>O’Neal; Produced and introduced by Jonathan Abarbanel; (Recorded at Streeterville Studios)</li> <li>Toronto Opening, 1975 Jan. 6</li></ul></li> <li>Audio Tape Reel (10 ½”) <ul> <li> Kennedy’s Children, 1975 Jan. 5 - Produced & directed by Dennis Murphy</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> <ul> <li> Kennedy’s Children, 1979 Aug. 14 (Miami West)</li> <li> Kennedy’s Children - Queens (?)</li> <li> Los Hijos De Kennedy, 1981 June 7</li> <li> Mercy Drop (5 Cassettes)</li> <li> My Cup Ranneth Over, 1980 Jan. 24 - M.A. Wallner (Twin Cities Public Television)</li> <li>5 Unidentified Cassettes - Act I, Scene 1 / Act I, Scene II (Sannah’s Monologue); Act I, Scene 3&4 (Coming Home After Burglary); Act II, Scene 1 (Kuwait); Act II, Scene 3 (After Rocky Horror)</li> <li>1 Unidentified Cassette - Act 1, Scene III</li></ul>"}
accessrestrict: {"value"=>"Photocopying prohibited."}
userestrict: {"value"=>"For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division."}
unitid: {"value"=>"*T-Mss 1978-006", "type"=>"local_call"}

{"value"=>"21723", "type"=>"local_mss"}
note: {"value"=>"Sound recordings separated to the Rodgers and Hammerstein archive of Recorded Sound, New York Public Library", "encodinganalog"=>"500"}
langmaterial: {"value"=>"English"}
processinfo: {"value"=>"Processed by Jennifer L. Winters; machine readable finding aid created by FAKER."}
extent_statement: 22 linear feet (42 boxes)
date_start: 1940
date_end: 1984

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Robert Patrick papers

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