Scope and arrangement
The work represented in this collection includes designs for Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional productions, international tours, and Nelson's plans for the Ronald Reagan Library. The material consists of light plots, lighting sections, channel hookups, dimmer hookups, instrument schedules, shop orders, magic sheets, cue sheets, focus charts, scripts, and supporting design documents. Professional papers include resume material and documentation of the Lucida Corporation.
Paperwork, in many instances, shows work in progress rather than finalized. Some documentation of tours shows the progression of the lighting solutions over time. The magic sheets, called "schemagics", are particularly instructive.
Advance notice is required.
The Richard Nelson papers and designs are arranged in five series:
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Includes resume material, chronological and biographical information, clippings, programs, notes on lighting instruments, notes for classes taught at New York University and University of Michigan, and extensive documentation of the Lucida Corporation, a business venture that Nelson founded.
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Contained here are designs for Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional productions, and international tours. The material includes light plots, lighting sections, channel hookups, dimmer hookups, instrument schedules, shop orders, magic sheets, cue sheets, focus charts, scripts, and supporting design documents.
Dates, often from the planning stages, reflect the designer's notations on the documents.
Contact archivist for Lighting Archive Access table that is available on these productions.
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Included here are designs for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The materials are ground plans, stage plans, grid plans, lighting positions, lighting sections, and supporting design documents.
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This series contains plans for theatrical venues that were folded by the designer for easy portability. Additional venues are included in Series V: Oversized / Technical drawings. The materials here include ground plans, stage plans, grid plans, lighting positions, lighting sections, and supporting design documents.
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This series contains oversized / technical designs for Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional productions, international tours, non-theatrical events, and theatrical venues. The materials included are light plots, lighting sections, theatre ground plans, stage plans, grid plans, lighting positions, lighting sections, and supporting design documents.