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Creator
Godreau, Miguel, 1946-1996
Call number
*T-Mss 1996-041
Physical description
.84 linear feet (2 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Miguel Godreau papers, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.

Repository
Billy Rose Theatre Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.Restrictions apply

Miguel Godreau (1946-1996) was a dancer and choreographer best known for his work with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The collection is mostly comprised of scripts, but also includes programs, photographs, and production notes, as well as flyers, news articles, and other publicity materials related to various theater and film projects from the 1960s through the 1980s. Godreau was involved in many of the productions represented in the collection as a dancer, choreographer, and/or director.

Biographical/historical information

Miguel Godreau (1946-1996) is best known for his work as a lead dancer and teacher at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a modern dance company based in New York City. Though born in Puerto Rico, Godreau grew up in New York City. He started appearing in musical theater while he was still in high school. Godreau joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in 1965 and performed with the group intermittently through the early 1970s. He also formed his own dance company in the late 1960s.

During his career, Godreau danced on Broadway and in London and Sweden, and also appeared in film and television. He danced the lead role of Hector Hippolyte in Geoffrey Holder's Prodigal Prince (1967), a role created for Godreau. Godreau's other dance credits include Flower Drum Song (1964), Dear World (1969), Ballets, Ballads, the Blues, and the Bible (1982), and the role of Munshi in the original 1978 Broadway production of Timbaktu!, a show for which he also worked as assistant choreographer. On film and television, Godreau danced in Billie (1965), Swashbuckler (1976), and Altered States (1981), and also appeared as "The Sheik" in For Ladies Only (1981). Additionally, Godreau worked as a choreographer, with his credits including 1979's On the Road to Babylon and Sancocho. Godreau also directed the 1986 Off Off Broadway musical De Obeah Mon.

Godreau died of AIDS in 1996 at age 49.

Scope and arrangement

The collection primarily consists of production files related to various theater and film projects from the 1960s through the 1980s. The production files are mostly comprised of scripts (some with annotations), but also include programs, production notes, flyers, news articles, and other publicity materials. Godreau was involved with many of the theater and film projects represented in the collection as a dancer, choreographer, and/or director, but his relationship to several of the productions in the collection is unclear. Godreau's creative contributions to these productions are not well documented in the files, nor is his work with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. The collection also contains five black-and-white photographs, including a headshot of Godreau, backstage shots from the 1980 production of Pirates of Penzance at the Delacorte Theater, and production stills from the 1979 production of Sancocho at the Public Theater/LuEsther Hall.

The collection contains nine reel-to-reel audio tapes and two film reels. Most of these are unlabeled, but labels on some reels indicate that they may be recordings of Godreau's performances. Inquiries regarding audio/visual material in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatrediv@nypl.org). Audio/visual material may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' collections include additional materials related to Miguel Godreau. Programs, magazines, and recordings can be found by searching for "Miguel Godreau" and for the productions he was involved in.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by document type. Production files are arranged alphabetically.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by Noberta Torres, 1996.

Processing information

The collection arrived without a discernible order; the papers were re-foldered and arranged alphabetically by document type and then production title.

Compiled by Rachel Schimke, New York University, May 2013.

Using the collection

Location

Billy Rose Theatre 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

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.

Access restrictions

Inquiries regarding audio and video material in the collection may be directed to the Billy Rose Theatre Division (theatrediv@nypl.org). Audio/visual material may be subject to preservation evaluation and migration prior to access.