Loading...
Creator
Living Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
Call number
*T-Mss 1988-005
Physical description
22.5 linear feet (63 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Living Theatre Records, *T-Mss 1988-005, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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

The Living Theatre was founded by Judith Malina and Julian Beck in 1947. The records consist of scripts and related performance papers. Also included are business papers, financial records, clippings, diaries, photographs and correspondence. There is little material reflecting the personal lives of Malina and Beck.

Biographical/historical information

The Living Theatre was founded in 1947 by Judith Malina(1926-), a student of Erwin Piscator, and Julian Beck (1925-1985), an abstract expressionist painter of the New York School. The name reflected the founders' desire to create a theater essentially of its own time, which would be a part of the community. It also reflected their vision of a theater that would challenge and move the audience. In planning for the development of the Living Theatre, Malina and Beck, who were married in 1948, consulted and collaborated with many people including Robert Edmond Jones, Jean Cocteau, John Cage, Paul Goodman, Eric Bentley, Frederick Kiesler, Aline Bernstein and others, some of whom became "Sponsors" of the Living Theatre. The first performances of the Living Theatre were presented in the Becks' apartment in 1951. Later that year, the Living Theatre moved to the Cherry Lane Theatre, and inaugurated their initial season with Gertrude Stein's Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights, Paul Goodman's Faustina, and Kenneth Rexroth's Beyond the Mountains.

During the 1950s the Living Theatre continued to stage plays by Pablo Picasso, August Strindberg, Luigi Pirandello, Paul Goodman, Claude Fredericks, T.S. Eliot, Jean Cocteau and William Carlos Williams. They also staged performances by contemporary poets and performing artists including Dylan Thomas, John Cage, Alan Hovhaness, Lucia Dlugoszewski, Judith Martin, James Waring, Allen Ginsberg and Willard Maas.

In 1954 the Living Theatre moved to a loft at Broadway and 100th Street. By 1958, they had moved into their 14th Street theater where they were to remain until the Internal Revenue Service forced their closing in 1963. Among the highlights of their years at 14th Street were productions of Many Loves by William Carlos Williams, The Connection by Jack Gelber, The Marrying Maiden by Jackson MacLow, In the Jungle of the Cities by Bertolt Brecht and The Brig by Kenneth H. Brown.

An invitation to participate at the Theatres des Nations festival in Paris prompted the Living Theatre's first tour of Europe in the summer of 1961. The company performed The Connection, In the Jungle of the Cities, and Many Loves and was awarded the Grand Prix of the festival. The tour also included Italy and Germany, and the success of these performances was reflected in a series of invitations to return to Europe in 1962.

In 1964 the Becks were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in connection with their protests against the eviction from the 14th Street theater. Malina and Beck were found guilty, but were allowed to fulfill their obligations to perform in England before serving their sentences. In early 1965, having served their sentences, they re-joined the company in Europe, beginning a voluntary exile that lasted several years. During this period the Living Theatre performed throughout Europe staging Genet's The Maids, as well as their own works, often created collectively, and evolving from performance to performance. These included Mysteries and Smaller Pieces, Paradise Now and Frankenstein.

The Living Theatre returned to the United States in 1968 and gave their first American performance of Mysteries and Smaller Pieces at the Yale School of Drama. As a communal theater, they toured the United States before returning to Europe in March of 1969. In 1970-1971, the Becks took the Living Theatre to Brazil, where they performed in the streets, developing the cycle of plays titled The Legacy of Cain. Arrested on alleged possession of marijuana, Malina, Beck and other members of the company were imprisoned in Brazil. Upon their return to the United States they performed in the streets of Pittsburgh, staging The Legacy of Cain, including, Six Public Acts and The Money Tower. In 1975 the Living Theatre returned to Europe, and from their base in Rome continued to bring their vision of a pacifist anarchism to the streets, in an effort to reach audiences who might never enter a theater.

In 1984 the Living Theatre came back to the United States again and performed a repertory of four works: The Archaeology of Sleep, the last project completed by Julian Beck before his death in 1985, Antigone, The Yellow Methuselah and The One and the Many by Ernest Toller. In May 1989, Judith Malina and Hanon Reznikov opened the Living Theatre on Third Street in Manhattan with Armand Schwerner's The Tablets. It was the Theatre's first New York home in 26 years and where they continue to perform.

Scope and arrangement

The records of the Living Theatre span the years 1945-1991 and document the development of the company from its earliest performances, through its period of exile in Europe and work in Brazil, to its contemporary performances at the permanent theater in New York City. The records include correspondence, financial papers, legal papers, production files, notebooks and calendars, scripts, programs, photographs, promotional materials, clippings, and oversize files. There are a few family letters present, but little in the collection can be categorized as personal papers. However, because the Living Theatre was so much a part of their lives, the records mirror a personal history of Judith Malina and Julian Beck through their work in developing this unique form of theater.

The Living Theatre records are arranged in thirteen series:

  • Series I: General Correspondence
    1946-1964

    General correspondence, incoming and outgoing, is arranged chronologically. Included are letters regarding production rights, requests for publicity, invitations to critics, appeals for funds, and requests for tickets. The correspondence documents many aspects of managing the Living Theatre, encompassing fund raising, translations of works to be performed, literary rights and royalties, and exchanges with critics, subscribers, and audiences. Early correspondence, ca. 1946-1948 includes letters to and from Judith Malina and Julian Beck regarding an announcement they placed in the Saturday Review of Literature to find people for their new theater. There are also copies of letters from Malina and Beck to notable theater people asking for interviews and a chance to discuss their plans for creating a new and unique theater group. Subjects also include plans for various theater locations, European tours and the possibility of starting a school. The correspondence includes letters to and from friends, colleagues, critics, actors, supporters, literary agents, translators, and audience members. Both personal matters and business concerns are discussed.

    Among the correspondents (some of these are represented by only one or two letters) are: Marta Abba, Joseph Campbell, Grant Code, Glyn Collins, Jean Erdman, Claude Fredericks, Paul Goodman, H.B. Lutz, Willard Maas, Jackson MacLow, Gerhard Nellhaus, Fritz Perls, Kenneth Rexroth and Consuelo Sides. Some of the outgoing letters were written by Living Theatre staff, including Lawrence Kornfeld and James Spicer, both of whom worked as general managers of the Living Theatre.

  • Series II: Correspondence - Playwrights
    1946-1964

    Correspondence with playwrights, primarily incoming, regarding plays submitted for consideration by the Living Theatre.

  • Series III: Financial Papers
    1949-1966

    Financial papers include bills and related correspondence, fundraising materials, memberships, petty cash, book sales, ledgers and accounts documenting business aspects of the Living Theatre.

  • Series IV: Building Papers
    1947-1963

    Contains correspondence with leases and contracts for various premises occupied by The Living Theatre including the Cherry Lane Theatre, the 100th Street Loft and the 14th Street theater. The papers include information on fire inspections, city licenses and permits, architectural plans and alterations. Four folders of material are related to business with the Wyckoff-Bent Corporation, landlords for the 14th Street theater. Oversized plans and blueprints can be found in the oversized series.

  • Series V: Insurance Papers
    1958-1963

    Insurance papers, include correspondence related to premiums and claims, for policies covering workmen's compensations, disability, theft, etc.

  • Series VI: Legal Papers
    1951-1954

    Legal papers include miscellaneous contracts and documents, court papers and the certificate of incorporation for the Living Theatre. Note: contracts and some legal documents can also be found in other series--notably, contracts with actors and musicians in the Theatre Management Papers, and lawsuits regarding nonpayment of bills in the Financial Papers.

  • Series VII: Theater Management Papers
    1947-1991

    Theatre Management Papers include correspondence, financial records, contracts with actors, resumes, notebooks and calendars and files on the Living Theatre Studio. The papers have been organized in the following sub-series: Administrative files, Box office records, Actors' contracts, Payroll records, Resumes/Photographs, Correspondence (Actors' Equity), The Living Theatre Studio (School), Guest books, Notebooks and calendars.

  • Series VIII: Productions
    1948-1983

    Production files are arranged in chronological order with the year in brackets indicating the date of the opening. The documentation for each production varies in scope and may include notes, sketches, scripts, directing books, programs, program copy, royalty statements, budgets, prop lists, costume measurements, rehearsal schedules, lists of critics invited for opening night, press clippings and correspondence. The later works (from the 1970s and 1980s) are represented by much more extensive documentation than the earlier productions. Also, many of the directing books for the earlier plays are photocopies, which are often difficult to read. While this series represents Living Theatre productions almost exclusively, there are a few files for works designed or directed by Judith Malina and Julian Beck which were not produced by the Living Theatre. Production files are included for the following works: The Infernal Machine [1948]; The Thirteenth God [March, 1951]; Theatre in the Room: Childish Jokes: Crying Backstage, Ladies' Voices, He Who Says Yes and He Who Says No, The Dialogue of the Young Man and the Manikin [August, 1951]; Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights [December, 1951]; Beyond the Mountains [December, 1951]; Desire Trapped by the Tail and Sweeney Agonistes [March, 1952]; Faustina [May, 1952]; Ubu the King [August, 1952]; The Heroes [August, 1952]; Dramatic workshop productions [1952-1953] - never realized; The Spook Sonata[June, 1954]; Orpheus [September, 1954]; The Idiot King [December, 1954]; Tonight We Improvise [February, 1955 & November, 1959]; Phedre[May, 1955]; The Young Disciple [October, 1955]; Dramatic readings [1955]; The Curious Fern and Voices for a Mirror [June, 1957]; Many Loves [January, 1959]; The Cave at Machpelah [June, 1959]; The Connection [July, 1959]; The Theatre of Chance: Women of Trachis, The Marrying Maiden [June, 1960]; In the Jungle of the Cities [December, 1960]; The Birthday Party [1960] - not produced; The Apple [December, 1961]; Man is Man [September, 1962]; The Brig [May, 1963]; Readings: Futz, Potsy [Sept.-Oct., 1963]; Mysteries and Smaller Pieces [October, 1964]; The Maids [February, 1965]; Frankenstein [September, 1965]; Antigone [February, 1967]; The Money Tower [1974]; The Legacy of Cain [1975]; Six Public Acts[1975]; The One and the Many [1980]; The Yellow Methuselah [1982]; and The Archaeology of Sleep [1983]. The Legacy of Cain is a cycle of plays and several of the component pieces have also been given separate files, for example, The Money Tower and Six Public Acts.

  • Series IX: Living Theater in Brazil
    1970-1971

    This series documents the work of the Living Theatre in Brazil and includes correspondence, clippings, work on The Legacy of Cain, notebooks, photographs, and material relating to the arrest of Judith Malina, Julian Beck and other members of the troupe. The papers relating to the imprisonment of Malina and Beck include many letters from family and friends, defense fund files, trial transcripts and statements to the court, diaries, prison notes and papers, and clippings. Some of the correspondence and papers are in Portuguese as are most of the clippings. Many of the Brazilian newspaper clippings are on microfilm and can be read on a fiche reader. The oversized series contains a town map and program regarding the performance of The Legacy of Cain and nine photographs of locations in Brazil.

  • Series X: Piscator Workshop
    1945-1947

    Contains a one volume notebook diary Judith Malina wrote while studying with Erwin Piscator at the New School. Also includes her paper on theater management and a directing book for Medea. The original notebook is fragile and has been copied for preservation. Only the photocopy is available for researchers.

  • Series XI: Publicity Clippings
    1951-1991

    Arranged chronologically (with gaps), these materials document the life of the Living Theatre from its simplest beginnings through 1991. Included are press releases, promotional material, photocopied clippings, program ideas and designs, mock-up programs, flyers and leaflets.

  • Series XII: Programs
    ca. 1951-1991

    These programs are arranged chronologically with the bulk of the dates ranging from 1951-1966. Flyers and leaflets are also included. One file contains German programs unrelated to the Living Theatre, ca. 1966.

  • Series XIII: Oversized Materials
    1945-1987

    Arranged by size, this series contains five posters from various Living Theatre performances including The Connection. There are floor plans and blueprints from the Cherry Lane and 14th Street theaters, original drawings by Judith Malina and Julian Beck, the lighting plan for The Yellow Methuselah, and the music score for The One and the Many.

Administrative information

Custodial history

The records of the Living Theatre were donated to The Billy Rose Theatre Division over a period of time beginning in 1964. The first installment, donated by Julian Beck included correspondence, programs, posters, production files and scripts. In 1988 the Billy Rose Theatre Division received another substantial gift of Living Theatre records from Judith Malina.

Source of acquisition

Gift, Judith Malina, 1988

Gift, Judith Malina, 07/15/1991

Gift, Erica Bilder/Living Theatre

Gift, Erica Bilder/Living Theatre, 08/26/1991

Judith Malina Diaries: Gift, Judith Malina, 09/30/1992

Processing information

Processed by Francesca Pitaro, Rodney Hoffner and Susan McArthur.

A preliminary finding aid was completed in 1990. This current finding aid, incorporating new additions to the collection, was completed in 1997 and revised in 2017.

Separated material

Were cataloged as RMs; now cataloged in NCOF+

  • As the Hawk Sees It by Grandin Conover (NCOF+ 04-1575)
  • 'Coker's Eyes' by Otway Crockett (NCOF+ 04-1576)
  • The Death of Satan by Ronald Duncan (NCOF+ 04-1565)
  • Doomsday Minus One by Stephan Lackner (NCOF+ 04-1574)
  • Journey to the Day by Roger O. Hirson (NCOF+ 04-1568)
  • Knit One, Pearl One by Murray Schisgal (NCOF+ 04-1571)
  • Mother by Robert A. Wilson (NCOF+ 04-1562)
  • Philoktetes by Sophocles (NCOF+ 04-1578)
  • The Piano Tuner by Bronson Dudley in 2 vols. (NCOF+ 04-1563)
  • Poor Child by Richard Lortz (NCOF+ 04-1566)
  • The Saintliness of Margery Kempe by John Wulp (NCOF+ 04-1564)
  • Sex and Serendipity! by Jesse Torn (NCOF+ 04-1569)
  • Song to Sorrow by Val Coleman (NCOF+ 04-1572)
  • Syndrome/Zero by Melvin Clay (NCOF+ 04-1573)
  • Thy Will Be Done by Tommaso Galaratti Scotti (NCOF+ 04-1579)
  • The Time of the Assassins by Judith Johnson Sherwin (NCOF+ 04-1561)
  • The Winner by Martin Field (NCOF+ 04-1567)
  • Women of Trachis by Sophocles (NCOF+ 04-1577)
  • The Zodiac of Memphis Street by Wilford Leach (NCOF+ 04-1570)

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

Some collections held by the Dance, Music, Recorded Sound, and Theatre Divisions at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts are held off-site and must be requested in advance. Please check the collection records in the NYPL's online catalog for detailed location information. For general guidance about requesting offsite materials, please consult: https://www.nypl.org/about/locations/lpa/requesting-archival-materials Contracts and payroll records (Boxes 20-21) viewed only with permission of the curator. Materials in Box 53 restricted, view service copies in Box 52.