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Creator
Kerrigan, Tom
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 543
Physical description
3.71 linear feet (10 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Tom Kerrigan papers, (S) *MGZMD 543. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Tom Kerrigan (1944-1994) was a press agent for performing artists. The collection includes Kerrigan's press releases and the photographs, news clippings, and periodicals he would collect in relation to his clients.

Biographical/historical information

Tom Kerrigan was a publicist based in New York City, with many performing arts and dance clients. Born in Wisconsin in 1944, Kerrigan attended the University of Massachusetts and then Yale University, where he studied Theater Administration. From 1968 to 1972, Kerrigan was a public affairs associate and issued press releases for the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

The Martha Graham Dance Company experienced several milestone events during Kerrigan's tenure as publicist, including several new ballets and compositions by Graham, the 50th anniversary of the company in 1975, Graham's death in 1991, and Graham's centennial in 1993. Several performances, galas, and fundraisers were held in honor of these events and to ensure the legacy of Graham's choreography towards the end of her life. Graham continued working on new choreography until she died in 1991. The company continued with programs that combined recent and revival performances of Graham's work.

Gian Carlo Menotti was an Italian composer and founder of the Spoleto Festival in the United States. Founded in 1977, Menotti wanted to establish an American counterpart to the Italian festival of the same name. Charleston, South Carolina was chosen as the permanent location for the festival due to its rich architecture appropriate for performance venues while also maintaining a sense of intimacy. Each summer, the festival hosts over 150 events, including dance, theatre, music, and artwork.

Kerrigan died at the age of 50 in 1994.

Scope and arrangement

The Tom Kerrigan papers date from 1935 to 1994. However, the bulk of materials are from 1977 to 1994. The majority of the papers are press clippings, official press releases, some correspondence between Kerrigan and major news outlets, as well as photographs and color transparencies for press distribution. Some materials are also present related to the Bolshoi Opera staged at the Metropolitan Opera in 1990 and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company's 1990 and 1991 seasons. The collection also includes Kerrigan's chalk illustration and set design for the play The Adding Machine created in 1965.

The Martha Graham Dance Company materials include copies of early press about Graham from the 1930s and 1940s that were featured in the press kits for the company's 50th-anniversary production, In Search of the Magic Gesture, the Meaning of Movement.

Many of the prints for the Spoleto Festival were recycled for press distribution and often have multiple incorrect dates because they were re-captioned for press distribution for the annual festival.

The collection is arranged into four series, Martha Graham Dance Collection, Spoleto Festival, Other Artist Representation, and Set Design.

Arrangement

For both the Martha Graham Dance Company and the Spoleto Festival, programs and schedules are organized chronologically.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Unknown

Processing information

Processed by Emily P. Dunne in 2021.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor