James Hart Stearns Designs, *T-VIM 1998-041. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Costume sketches and 1 box with a maquette by James Hart Stearns.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, costume and scene designer, James Hart Stearns first studied painting at Wichita University, then continued studying at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston, Massachusetts. After completing his Masters of Art in Drama at Stanford University in California, he spent a year there as the Artist-In-Residence.
Stearns first became associated with the San Francisco Actor's Workshop in 1956 when he designed the sets for the play, The Plough and the Stars. Also, during this time he was the Display Director at Gump's, San Francisco's leading department store. However, in 1963, he quit his job at Gump's to become the resident designer of the San Francisco Actor's Workshop where he would remain for the next 13 years.
Stearns designed costumes and sets for the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center at the Vivian Beaumont from 1965-1969. During the inaugural season of the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center, he designed the costumes and sets for such plays as, Danton's Death, The Country Wife, The Alchemist, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The East Wind, Galileo, and Yerma. Additionally, Stearns designed the costumes and sets for The Birds, The Firebugs, Halfway Up the Tree, The Night of the Iguana, The Taming of the Shrew, and Uncle Vanya. In addition, he designed the costumes and sets for the Stratford Festival and for Broadway productions.
This collection contains costume sketches and a maquette primarily from James Hart Stearns tenure at the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center. The material spans the years 1966-1968, but also includes some undated drawings.
Alphabetical
The collection was donated to the library as a gift in 1998 by Nancy G. Toepfer.
Processed by Kristy Davis; Machine-readable finding aid created by Kristy Davis.
For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Billy Rose Theatre Division.
Photocopying prohibited.