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Coverage Dates
1961-1989
Description
The predominance of the material in this collection are black & white photographs and photographic negatives of rehearsals and publicity stills for a small number of productions from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Many of the images are unmarked and undated. There is a representative collection of Playhouse production posters from the early 1960s though the late 1980s, the earliest of which is Macbeth, April 1964, and the latest is The Day They Shot John Lennon, April 1989. There is a select set of program flyers, most of which are for 1980 productions, that includes the program for the first Playhouse production of The Glass Menagerie in April 1963. There are also bookkeeping records for three seasons (1978 –1981).
Quantity
4.6 linear feet; 6 boxes
Origin
These records were extant in the University Archives as of 2003. No record of transfer.
Processed By
Ann Munnelly
Last Updated
September 2019
Type
Finding Aid
Publisher
Fairfield University
Place of Publication
Fairfield, Conn.
Collection
Finding Aids
Repository
Fairfield University Archives and Special Collections
Copyright
Fairfield University reserves all rights to this resource which is provided here for educational and/or non-commercial purposes only.
Recommended Citation
Fairfield University Playhouse Collection, 1961-1989. Finding Aids, Fairfield University Archives and Special Collections. Fairfield, Conn.
Identifier
FIN0008
Notes
The Fairfield University Playhouse was established in 1963 under the art direction of Robert G. Emerich as a theater for both the University and the local community. The first Playhouse production in April 1963 was The Glass Menagerie. In the early 1960s, Professor Emerich, who was director of the Drama Department, and the University constructed the theater on campus by converting a former garage located on the Round Hill Road side of the campus. From 1963 through 1983, the Playhouse presented more than 100 productions, both classic and contemporary, from established playwrights to experimental theater. In addition to acting, students had the opportunity to learn stagecraft – scenery construction, lighting, and costuming. Students were also involved with the business management of the Playhouse, serving as box office managers and assistants to the artistic director.