- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"67.5 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"132 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Vim 1998-009", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21809", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1980-2001", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1980/2001"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1980
- date_inclusive_end
-
2001
- keydate
-
1980
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Sally Ann Parsons designs"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</span> <span class=\"subarea\">Billy Rose Theatre Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Sally Ann Parsons Designs contains costume bibles produced by Parsons-Meares Ltd., a costume construction company specializing in costumes for stage, film, dance and opera. Materials date from 1980, the year that the company was established, to 2001. The collection contains photocopies of designers’ sketches; patterns and costume construction notes; swatches and samples of other supplies used; photographs; and measurements. It also contains working records such as cast lists, contact lists, supplies order forms, a small amount of correspondence, cost estimates, worksheets and shipping lists. This collection does not contain any other records related to the operations of Parsons-Mears Ltd., or Sally Ann Parsons’ own designs."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p> Sally Ann Parsons Designs, *T-VIM 1998-009. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Parsons, Sally Ann", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p> Sally Ann Parsons is a costume designer and vice-president of Parsons-Meares Ltd., a costume construction company. During the 1970s-1980s Sally Ann Parsons participated as costume designer in several dance productions. She designed costumes for performers such as Daniel Nagrin and Margaret Beals, and dance groups such as the Don Redlich Dance Company and the Phoebe Neville Dance Company.</p> <p>Established in 1980, Parsons-Meares Ltd. became one of the major firms in specialized costume manufacturing for stage, film, dance and opera productions. Parsons-Meares Ltd. is still in operation today, located at New York’s Theater District.</p> <p>The company collaborated on a large number of productions with several costume designers, including Jane Greenwood, William Ivey Long, Willa Kim, Frank Krenz, Carrie Robbins, and Patricia Zipprodt.</p> <p>A large part of the costumes produced by the company were made for Broadway shows, including several major productions such as <span class=\"title\">Cats,</span> <span class=\"title\">Starlight Express,</span> <span class=\"title\">Grease,</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Will Rogers Follies</span>. They also constructed costumes for dance companies, such as the Joffrey Ballet and the New York City Ballet, as well as for opera, films and a number of Disney productions.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Sally Ann Parsons Designs consist entirely of costume bibles produced by Parsons-Meares Ltd., a costume construction company specializing in costumes for stage, film, dance and opera. Materials date from 1980, the year that the company was established, to 2001. The collection contains photocopies of designers’ sketches; patterns and costume construction notes, including some oversized materials; swatches and samples of other supplies used; photographs from fittings as well as close-up images illustrating costume details; and measurements. It also contains working records such as cast lists, contact lists, supplies order forms, a small amount of correspondence, cost estimates, worksheets and shipping lists.</p> <p>A large number of the costume bibles found in this collection are for Broadway productions, including several award-winning shows such as <span class=\"title\">Cats,</span> <span class=\"title\">Sophisticated Ladies,</span> <span class=\"title\">Starlight Express,</span><span class=\"title\">Grease,</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Will Rogers Follies</span>. Dance productions are also amply represented, especially for the Joffrey Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. Other production types for which Parsons-Meares Ltd. worked include opera, film, several productions on ice and for Disney theme parks, and a few shows for singers, magicians and other performers. The company collaborated with many of the leading costume designers in the field, including Eiko Ishioka, Jane Greenwood, William Ivey Long, Willa Kim, Frank Krenz, Carrie Robbins, and Patricia Zipprodt.</p> <p>The costume bibles are generally well organized, dated and labeled. Bible sizes range from one to over one hundred folders, depending on the number of costumes executed for a production. Many of these smaller commissions were for special types of costumes, such as padded, robot-like, or heavily elaborate costumes. At the very least, most bibles contain photocopies of costume sketches; swatches that are often attached on sheets with notes on cost, supplier, and quantity; and notes on the use of the materials, which may include fabrics, beads, feathers, metal parts, foam pieces, buttons and other three-dimensional samples.</p> <p>This collection does not contain any other records pertaining to the operations of Parsons-Mears Ltd. Although during the 1970s and 1980s Sally Ann Parsons was herself an established costume designer, materials for the productions that she designed for prior to the establishment of Parsons-Meares Ltd. are not part of the present collection.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Sally Ann Parsons designs are arranged in two series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21809#c487172'>Series I: Productions,</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1980 - 2001</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>66.5 linear feet (131 boxes)</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains photocopies of designers’ sketches; patterns and costume construction notes; swatches that are generally attached on sheets with notes on cost, supplier, and quantity; notes on the use of the materials, which may include fabrics, beads, feathers, metal parts, foam pieces, buttons and other three-dimensional samples; photographs from fittings as well as close-up images illustrating costume details; and measurements. It also contains working records such as cast lists, contact lists, supplies order forms, a small amount of correspondence, cost estimates, worksheets and shipping lists.</p> <p>Unless otherwise indicated, costumes are primarily arranged according to show characters. Parsons-Meares staff names given to different costumes made for the same character have been maintained. Costumes are, therefore, further identified by descriptive titles, such as “Jellyfish scarf”; by act or scene number for which they are used, such as “Picnic scene”; or by actor’s name. On the occasions where no other identifier is mentioned, costumes are distinguished by their sketch number. Whenever available, sketch number lists can be found in the Costume Notes folder of their respective production.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/the/21809#c489672'>Series II: Oversized</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1981 - 2000</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1 linear foot (1 box)</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series contains oversized materials from <span class=\"title\">Arms and the Man</span>, 1999-2000; <span class=\"title\">El Bravo</span>, 1981; <span class=\"title\">Chaplin</span>, 1983; <span class=\"title\">Legs Diamond</span>, 1988; and <span class=\"title\">Shogun, The Musical</span>, 1990. These productions are also represented in the Production Series.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p> <ul> <li>Series I: Productions, 1980-2001, undated</li> <li>Series II: Oversized, 1981-2000</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p> The Sally Ann Parsons Designs were donated to the Billy Rose Theatre Division in 1998 and 2004 by Al Kohout.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Aikaterini Dimitriadou-Shuster; Machine-readable finding aid created by Aikaterini Dimitriadou-Shuster.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
67.5 linear feet (132 boxes)
- date_start
-
1980
- date_end
-
2001