Scope and arrangement
This collection mainly consists of scores and scripts, though it also contains other materials pertaining to Strouse’s personal and professional life, including contact sheets, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and programs. The shows most represented in the Scores Series are Annie (1977) and Nick and Nora (1991), though there are selections from other shows, including songs from such unproduced works as The Borrowers and Palm Beach. The Scripts series contains scripts for Strouse’s well-known shows, such as Annie¸ Applause (1970) and Bye Bye Birdie (1960) as well as scripts for lesser-known works, such as Bojangles (1980), Hunky-Dory (1974) and a musical adaptation of Star Wars (1985). The strengths of this collection are the script drafts for shows that were never produced, the extensive collection of Nick and Nora score materials and the clippings and programs from revues Strouse worked on in his early career, many of which were produced outside of New York.
The Charles Strouse papers are arranged in six series:
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1939-20021 box
This series contains correspondence between Strouse and friends, family members and colleagues, educational documents pertaining mainly to the Eastman School of Music, where he studied, pamphlets, a photograph and an obituary, which do not relate to his career and materials relating to Strouse’s involvement with the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop.
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1962-199812 boxes
This series includes scores from stage musicals by Strouse. The two shows represented in depth, with oversized conductor scores as well as orchestral parts are Annie and Nick and Nora. Bye Bye Birdie, Mayor and Palm Beach are also well represented, as are Strouse’s operas The Cozy and Nightingale (1980). This series also includes scores for commercials either written or produced by Strouse for Chrysler, Fresca and Ramblin’ Root Beer.
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1890-19997 boxes
This series contains scripts for shows by Strouse and others. The shows covered most extensively are Bojangles, Annie 2/Annie Warbucks, A Broadway Musical, Hunky Dory and Lyle. Scripts for other Strouse shows, such as All American, Annie, Applause, Bye Bye Birdie, Charlotte’s Web, Flowers for Algernon, The Future of the American Musical, Golden Boy, I and Albert, Rags and Star Wars: The Musical are included as well. There are also scripts of shows not written by Strouse, such as Harvey Fierstein’s Lady and Jay Presson Allen’s Rich and Famous and Stars in a Person’s Backyard.
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1949-19961 box
This series contains production files on stage musicals and revues, commercials and films involving Strouse. The materials in this series include, budgets, clippings, lyric sheets, notes, outlines, prop lists and stage plots.
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1906-20001 box
This series contains programs from many of Strouse’s musicals, such as Applause, The Future of the American Musical, and The Night They Raided Minsky’s, as well as programs from his early revues. There are also programs included from various classical music concerts and plays from the early 20th century from various locations around the country.
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1902-19892 boxes
This series contains one photograph, a scrapbook of handbills, advertisements and programs for operas and classical concerts, and stage plots and set designs for Lyle.