PETER VAUGHAN:

An Inventory of His Collection of Theater Programs at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Vaughan, Peter, creator.
Title:Theater program collection.
Dates:[1972]-1998.
Abstract:Theater programs collected by Vaughan during his employment as theater critic for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Some programs contain his annotations and folded posters and postcards announcing some productions are included for some theaters.
Quantity:5.0 cubic feet (5 boxes).
Location:See Detailed Description section for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

This collection contains theater programs collected by Peter Vaughan during his employment as theater critic for theMinneapolis Star-Tribunefrom the early 1970s to the late 1990s. Programs are arranged alphabetically by name of the theater and chronologically thereunder. Many of the programs remain undated, though it can be safely assumed they all fall within the thirty-year time frame of the 1970s through the 1990s. Theaters with the largest number of programs contain a scope note listing some of the programs therein, as well as some of the playwrights represented.

All of the well known Twin Cities theaters are represented in this collection including the Guthrie Theater, The Children's Theatre Company, The Chimera Theatre Company, Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop, The Old Log Theater, The Mixed Blood Theatre Company, and The Penumbra Theatre Company. Programs from more than 100 theaters in all are included in this collection. Programs from theaters Vaughan attended only once or twice are arranged by the first letter of the name of the theater in a miscellaneous folder for that letter. Programs from various college, high school, and unknown theaters, as well as some non-theater brochures, are filed last, following the letter Z.

Some of the programs have been annotated by Vaughan, but since his handwriting is largely illegible one should seek out his reviews in the newspaper if one wants to find his reaction to a particular play. Postcards and posters announcing some of the productions are included for some of the theaters.


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Peter Vaughan Theater Programs. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 15,494

Processing Information:

Processed by: Richard W. Arpi, November 2002

Catalog ID number: 990017377900104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

LocationBox
149.A.2.6F1Actors For Change, circa 1992.
Actors Theatre of St. Paul, undated and 1977-1990. 13 folders.
Programs from the first season at the Foley Theatre at the College of St. Thomas through the 13th season when the Theatre was located on West Seventh Place in downtown St. Paul. Programs are a mixture of classic plays from well known playwrights such as Ibsen (Hedda Gabbler), Chekhov (The Three Sisters), Moliere (Tartuffe), G.B. Shaw (Pygmalion), and Shakespeare (Much Ado About Nothing), to some of the first plays of new playwrights such as Athol Fugard, Amlin Gray, Tom Stoppard, Brian Friel, Clifford Odets, and Vaclav Havel.
Allegro Productions, 1988.
The Artists' Shakespeare Festival, 1992-1993.
At the Foot of the Mountain Theatre, undated and 1984-1989. 4 folders.
Programs from a women's theater established in 1974.
At Random, 1978-1982.
"A" miscellaneous, undated and 1985-1997.
Programs from various theaters whose first name begins with "A."
The Bald Alice Theatre Company, 1996.
Ballet of the Dolls, 1996-1997.
Bedlam Theatre, 1996.
Blaine Community Theater, undated.
Program for a performance of Camelot.
Brass Tacks Theatre, undated and 1983-1991. 7 folders.
Mostly programs of plays from local playwrights such as Jon Klein (Private Places), Lee Blessing (Marjorie), Jim Stowell (Traveling Light), Bruce Charlesworth (Utopian Nightlife), and Patty Lynch (Wreck of the Hesperus and Dr. M. Kurtz's Christian Radio Hour).
Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater, undated and 1994. 2 folders.
The Burning House Group, undated.
"B" miscellaneous, undated and 1990-1994.
Programs from miscellaneous theaters whose names begin with "B."
Campus Live, undated and 1991.
Centre Stage, undated and 1978-1985. 7 folders.
Programs from the theater sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Minneapolis. Programs are from their 9th through their 16th seasons including programs for Yentl, Fiddler on the Roof, Side by Side by Sondheim, Pippin, The Fantasticks, Daughters of Abraham, Funny Girl, Working (Studs Terkel), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Neil Simon's Sweet Charity.
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 1980-1995. 9 folders.
Complex of four dinner theaters located in a Minneapolis suburb, usually performing musicals and comedies. Programs for The Sound of Music, The Music Man, The Fantasticks, Hello, Dolly!, Annie, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, My Fair Lady, On Golden Pond, Death Trap, The Importance of Being Earnest, and I Do! I Do!, and many others.
The Children's Theatre, 1975-1998. 23 folders.
Among the plays included are Mother Goose, Romeo and Juliet, The Dream Fisher, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, Alice in Wonderland, Phantom of the Opera, The Wind in the Willows, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Little House on the Prairie, Beatrix Potter's Christmas, Oliver Twist, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Hobbit.
Child's Play Theatre Company, 1986-1989.
LocationBox
149.A.2.7B2Chimera Theatre Company, undated and 1973-1987. 15 folders.
Included are programs for productions of Camelot, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Mikado, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, West Side Story, Death of a Salesman, Of Mice and Men, The Sound of Music, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Guys and Dolls, Mister Roberts, Babes in Toyland, The Pirates of Penzance, Man of La Mancha, Annie, The Front Page, Evita, Damn Yankees, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and many others.
CityStock Theatre Company, 1989-1991.
Commonweal Theatre Company, 1997.
Theatre is located in Lanesboro, Minnesota.
The Cricket Theatre, 1972-1995. 23 folders.
Included are programs for When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff?, The D.B. Cooper Project, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Gin Game, True West, Billy Bishop Goes to War, The Constant Wife, Angel's Fall, Long Day's Journey into Night, Fool for Love, Eleemosynary, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Woody Guthrie's American Song, and many others.
"C" miscellaneous, undated.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with the letter "C."
Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop, undated and 1973-1997. 9 folders.
Includes programs for I'm OK, You're a Jerk, National Velveeta or What a Friend We Have in Cheeses, May the Force of Habit Be With You, Bomb Voyage or Desperately Leaking Fusion, Radicals for Reagan, Censorship for Fools or Jesse at the Helm, Politically Correct Means...Always Having to Say You're Sorry, Virtual Reality Bytes: Lost on the Information Superhighway, and many others.
Dudley Riggs ETC Theatre, 1975-1991. 2 folders.
"D" miscellaneous, undated.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "D."
Eye of the Storm, 1991-1997.
"E" miscellaneous, undated.
Programs from variousother theaters whose names begin with "E."
Frank Theatre, 1989-1997. 2 folders.
Programs for Farmyard, Katzelmacher, Top Girls, Sincerity Forever, Lucy Loves Me, Etta Jenks, Machinal, Tottering House, The Education of Walter Kaufmann, and Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden and several others.
Fully Reciprocal Theatre Company, undated and 1995.
"F" miscellaneous, undated and 1992.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "F."
Genesis Theatre, 1987-1990.
The Great North American History Theatre, 1980-1997. 6 folders.
Name of this theatre was changed slightly to The Great American History Theatre in 1991. Theatre specializes in local history productions by mainly local playwrights. Among the programs are ones for A Servant's Christmas, The Lady Knight (Eva Valesh), The Man who Bought Minneapolis (James J. Hill), Plain Hearts, Nina! Madam to a Saintly City, Mesabi Red, Days of Rondo, Flak Happy, Tomboy Stone, and The Orphan Train. Playwrights represented include Lance S. Belville, John Fenn, John Orlock, Evelyn Fairbanks, Brian Friel, Syl Jones, Roger Neiboer, Jim Stowell, and Patty Lynch.
The Guthrie Theater, 1973-1977. 4 folders.
A fairly complete set of programs from the Guthrie's 11th season through its 35th. See box 3 as well. Plays by Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Moliere, Henrik Ibsen, Eugene O'Neill, Anton Chekhov, several of the ancient Greek playwrights and lesser known modern dramatists are the theater's main productions.
LocationBox
149.A.2.8F3The Guthrie Theater, 1977-1998. 21 folders.
The Guthrie Laboratory, 1988-1989.
Guthrie, Too at the Lab, 1996-1997.
The Guthrie Theater, miscellaneous items, undated.
"G" miscellaneous, undated and 1997.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "G."
Handsaw Theatricals, 1994.
Harmon Place Players, undated.
Hidden Theatre, 1994-1997.
"H" miscellaneous, undated and 1997.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "H."
The Illusion Theatre, undated and 1981-1997. 14 folders.
Including programs for the Short Wave Man, The Angels of Swedenborg, The Einstein Project, White House Wives, Southern Cross, Lloyd's Prayer, Miss Evers' Boys, Hard Times Come Again No More (about Meridel LeSueur), and Fresh Ink productions (new one act plays). Playwrights include Martha Boesing, Beth Gilleland, Kevin Kling, Ping Chong, and John Orlock.
Initial Stage, 1991-1992.
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, undated and 1989-1997.
"I" miscellaneous, 1994-1996.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "I."
The Jungle Theater, 1991-1997. 6 folders.
Programs for Under Milkwood, Dial M for Murder, The Diary of Anne Frank, Old Times, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff?, The Miracle Worker, Waiting for Godot, Fool for Love, Bus Stop, Long Day's Journey Into Night, and several others.
LocationBox
149.A.3.1B4Lakeshore Players, 1974-1995.
Theater established in 1953 in White Bear Lake. Among the programs are those for productions of H.M.S. Pinafore, My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, Oklahoma, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Bus Stop.
Loring Park Playhouse, undated.
Loring Playhouse Theatre Company, undated and 1992.
The Lyric Theatre, 1985-1997. 2 folders.
"L" miscellaneous, undated and 1995.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "L."
Macalester College Theatre, 1976-1977.
Mary Worth Theatre Company, 1994-1996.
Mill City Theater, 1980.
Minneapolis Theatre Garage, undated and 1991.
Minnesota Ensemble Theater, 1972-1973.
Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, 1996-1997.
Minnesota Music Hall, undated.
Minnesota Musical Theatre, July-August 1995.
Theater located in Winona at Saint Mary's University.
Minnesota Musical Theater Workshop, undated and 1986.
The Minnesota Shakespeare Company, 1986-1993.
Minnesota Theatre Institute of the Deaf, 1978-1980.
Minnetonka Theatre, undated and 1984-1985.
Mixed Blood Theatre Company, 1976-1996. 16 folders.
The Mixed Blood Theater Company is a multi-racial company for actors aged 17 to 36 that seeks to make strong human and social statements through their productions. Among the programs included are ones for productions of Badd High, Mother April's, Sty of the Blind Pig, Bleacher Bums, Children of a Lesser God, Calvinisms, I Don't Have to Show You No Stinking Badges, and Color Blind.
Music Box Theatre, 1993-1994.
"M" miscellaneous, 1977-1993.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "M."
New Classic Theatre, undated and 1983-1986.
The New and Improved Theater Company, 1995-1996.
The New Tradition Theatre, undated.
Normandale Theatre, undated.
Theater located at Normandale Community College, Bloomington.
North Suburban Patchwork Theatre Company, undated.
Northern Sign Theatre, undated and 1989.
"N" miscellaneous, undated and 1991.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "N."
The Old Log Theater, undated and 1973-1997. 8 folders.
One of the oldest theaters represented in this collection with its origins tracing back to the summer of 1940 in Excelsior. Among the programs included here are ones for productions of The Patrick Pearse Motel, Ten Little Indians, Absurd Person Singular, A Bed Full of Foreigners, Run For Your Wife, Funny Money, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Biloxi Blues.
The Ordway Music Theatre, 1985, 1990-1997. 2 folders.
Included are programs for Three Tall Women (Edward Albee), Sarafina!, Big Band Jamboree, Pirin, Lend Me a Tenor, Tru (on Truman Capote), An Inspector Calls, Showboat, and Rent.
The Orpheum, undated and 1979-1984.
Out and About Theatre Company, 1977-1984. 4 folders.
Minneapolis theater which performed plays which portrayed gay men and women in a positive way. Programs for such productions as P.S. Your Cat is Dead; The War Widow; Boy Meets Boy; Lying in State; Picture Me, Picture You; and Design for Living are included.
Outcaste Theatre Company, undated and 1984-1986.
"O" Miscellaneous, undated and 1980-1996.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "O."
The Palace Theater, 1976-1984.
Programs for Getting Nowhere Fast, Loon Lake Times, MacBeth, and several other plays.
Park Community Theatre, undated and 1983-1985.
Theatre located in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
Park Square Theatre, 1976-1997. 17 folders.
A theater which has performed many of the familiar plays of Shakespeare, Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, Henry Miller, Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward, Eugene O'Neill, Moliere, George Bernard Shaw, and Agatha Christie. Programs for productions of Love's Labour's Lost, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Master Builder, The Importance of Being Earnest, Mrs. Warren's Profession, A Moon for the Misbegotten, The Crucible, She Stoops to Conquer, The Glass Menagerie, The Mouse Trap, The School for Wives, and many others are included.
LocationBox
149.A.3.2F5Penelope's Web, undated and 1986.
The Penumbra Theatre, undated and 1984-1997. 14 folders.
African-American theater company in St. Paul that performs numerous plays by August Wilson, Langston Hughes, and other Black playwrights. Programs for such productions as Bubbling Brown Sugar, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Fences, Black Nativity, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, and The Mojo and the Sayso are included.
Pentimento Theatre Company, 1986-1987.
Performers' Ensemble, undated and 1980-1982.
Peter Peter Pumpkin Theater, 1996.
Pillsbury House Theatre, undated and 1991-1997.
Pillsbury-Waite Theatre Company, undated.
The Playwright's Center, 1985-1989.
The Playwright's Lab, undated and 1977.
Plymouth Playhouse, undated and 1988-1996.
Pom Siab Hmoob Theatre, undated.
Punchinello Players, undated and 1982-1983.
Theatre located at the University of Minnesota.
"P" miscellaneous, undated.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "P."
Quicksilver Stage, post 1983.
Radisson Playhouse, undated.
Red Eye Collaboration, 1985-1996. 5 folders.
Theater which performed plays by local playwrights such as Lee Breuer, Steve Busa, Leslie Mohn and others. Programs for such productions as Humans on Earth, A Prelude to Death in Venice, the Hunger Artist, Floyd's Projector, The Wrath of Kali, Bosnia Blues, and the Near Death Experiences of Leni Riefenstahl.
The Refreshment Committee Theatre Company, 1991-1996.
Role Over Productions, undated.
Ruby's Cabaret, undated.
"R" miscellaneous, undated and 1988.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "R."
Sell the Cow Theatre, undated.
Sequoia Theatre Company, undated and 1991-1992.
The Southern Theatre, undated and 1983-1991.
Spirit of the Horse Theatre Company, circa 1988 - 1994.
St. Croix Festival Theatre, 1990-1997.
Stage Coach Players, 1973-1977.
Stage One Collaboration, undated and 1986.
"S" miscellaneous, undated.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "S."
Teatro Latino de Minnesota, undated.
Teatro del Pueblo, undated and 1993-1996.
Theater Mu, 1994-1997.
Theatre de la Jeune Lune, undated and 1988-1997. 10 folders.
Programs for such productions as Ubu for President, 1789 The French Revolution, Master Puntila and his Hired Man, Cyrano, Germinal, Don Juan Giovanni, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Conversations after a Burial are included.
Theatre Exchange, undated.
Theatre Lagniappe, undated.
Theatre in the Round Players, 1977-1997. 7 folders.
Programs for productions such as The Sea Gull, Misalliance, The Mouse Trap, Bullshot Crummond, The Children's Hour, An Inspector Calls, Inherit the Wind, Come Back Little Sheba, Crimes of the Heart, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mrs. Warren's Profession, Steel Magnolias, and All My Sons are included.
"T" miscellaneous, undated and 1994-1997.
Programs from various other theaters whose names begin with "T."
Unicorn Theatre, 1992.
University of Minnesota, 1994-1996.
Variety Hall Theatre, undated.
Venetian Playhouse, undated.
Wakie Wakie Theater, 1992.
Walker Art Center, undated and 1977-1996.
Youth Performance Company, undated and 1994.
Various local colleges, undated and 1981-1983.
Various local high schools, undated.
Several programs from Elk River, Minnesota.
Unlisted theaters, undated.
Name of theater cannot be determined from the program. Programs are arranged alphabetically by title of play.
Non-theater, undated.
Brochures and fliers for various arts events in the Twin Cities.

Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
African American theater -- Minnesota - Minneapolis.
Arena theater -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
Children's plays -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
College theater -- Minnesota.
Community theater -- Minnesota.
Deaf, Theater for the -- Minnesota -- Minneapolis.
Dinner theater -- Minnesota -- Chanhassen.
Experimental theater -- Minnesota.
Feminist theater -- Minnesota.
Gay theater -- Minnesota.
Hispanic American theater -- Minnesota.
Repertory theater -- Minnesota.
Theatrical posters -- Minnesota.
Theater programs -- Minnesota.
Organizations:
Actor's Theatre of St. Paul (Saint Paul, Minn.).
Brave New Workshop (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (Chanhassen, Minn.).
Children's Theatre Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Chimera Theatre Company (Saint Paul, Minn.).
Guthrie Theater.
Illusion Theater Company.
Lakeshore Players (White Bear Lake, Minn.).
Mixed Blood Theatre Company (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Old Log Theater (Excelsior, Minn.).
Penumbra Theatre Company (Saint Paul, Minn.).
Theatre de la Jeune Lune (Minneapolis, Minn.).
Types of Documents:
Theater Programs.

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