Scope and arrangement
The Shirley Herz papers date from 1959 to 1984 and hold production files, client files, correspondence, clippings, and scripts. The collection chiefly documents Herz's work with her agency, Shirley Herz Associates, during the 1980s.
Production files and client files make up the bulk of the collection. Production files typically hold press releases, production photographs, head shots, advertising invoices, proposed production budgets, and newspaper articles. Some production files only contain photographs, such as the file for Strider (1979). Other productions documented in the collection include Baseball Wives (1982), Some Men Need Help (1982), Marilyn: An American Fable (1983), and Perfectly Frank (1983). Press releases, programs, announcements, and reviews for concerts at the Red Parrot Nightclub during the early 1980s are present. Musicians and musical groups documented include Joey Heatherton, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Julie Budd, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Jaye P. Morgan, and Lainie Kazan. Researchers should also consult the clippings in the collection, as several productions not represented in the production files are documented through reviews held there.
Client files hold biographical and publicity material gathered by Herz for actors she represented, including Myrna Loy, Dorothy Loudon, Violla Rubber, Valerie Taylor, and Obba Babatundé. The contents of the files vary, though typically they hold press releases, articles, and headshots. Press releases and articles may be for upcoming or past shows. Some files contain memorandums between Herz's office and the actors concerning television or radio interviews.
Correspondence in the collection is limited and dates from 1976 to 1981. It reflects various aspects of publicity, such as program planning, news story proposals, advertising, production hiring, and arranging opening night tickets for critics. Correspondents include Herz and her staff at Shirley Herz Associates, namely Sam Rudy and Peter Cromarty.
Clippings are largely from newspapers outside of New York City. They review Broadway, Off-Broadway, and touring productions such as The Royal Family (1975), Whistler (1981), and Wally's Café (1981).
The scripts in the collection are for five plays: Brassy (1980), Before I Wake (1981), Re/Play (1981), You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet (1981), and Zoology (1983). They consist of unmarked working and completed copies.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into the following categories: Correspondence; Clippings; Production Files; Client Files; and Scripts. Correspondence and Clippings are arranged chronologically. All other groups are arranged alphabetically by production or name.