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Dramatic Activities Collection, 1826-ongoing
37 records storage boxes, 12 map case drawers, 5 flat boxes, 6 slide drawers, 1 slide album (2 v.), 1 scrapbook (45.5 linear ft.)

Abstract:
The Collection includes surviving programs, scripts, photographs and slides, set and costume designs, publicity material and posters, clippings, audio and video material, and an odd object or two that chronicle the conceptualization, creation, production and review of hundreds of College dramatic performances during the last 180 years.

Terms of Access and Use:

Restrictions on access:

There is no restriction on access to the Dramatic Activities Collection for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Restrictions on use:

Requests for permission to publish material from the Dramatic Activities Collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Historical Note

Professor Ralph C. (Tuffy) McGoun (AC 1927) is responsible for creating the Dramatic Activities Collections between 1978 and 1984. McGoun, who was professor of Dramatics and the lighting and technical director for College productions, had been responsible for ensuring much of the 20th century documentation was saved in Kirby Theater. After McGoun retired, he became a dedicated volunteer in the College Archives. McGoun facilitated the transfer of the material preserved in Kirby. He worked with the Theater Department to transfer appropriate material. He added many items he had personally saved during his more than 60 years at the College. McGoun identified 19th century material from what has been the College's memorabilia in the former Hitchcock Memorial Room and brought it together into the developing Dramatic Activities Collection. While arranging and describing the collection, McGoun searched contemporary accounts of productions in College and local and national publications and added those accounts to the collection. He searched scrapbooks, bound volumes and photograph albums kept by students and identified and added any items that chronicled the dramatic arts at the College. He also arranged for ongoing transfer of material documenting College productions from the Department of Theater and Dance. Thus the Dramatic Activities Collection is a growing collection.

Between 1978 and 1984, Professor McGoun collected, arranged and described the nucleus of this comprehensive collection. Since different items were received at various times from different sources and were pulled together to form a collection, there was no original order to maintain. Additional items are added regularly and the listing amended. The original guide to the collection was in the form of a card catalogue providing alphabetical access by title of production to a chronological arrangement of material. The original card catalogue also included access to material by format and by general subjects relating to dramatic activities at the College. In 2002, the original card file was transferred into machine readable format. The collection was organized into 14 series reflecting the different formats and subjects represented in the collection. Access to the primary series, Dramatic Productions, was expanded to three access points - author of the play, title of the production and date of the performances.

Historical Note
1822 Commencement exercises featured formal 'dialogues.' The 1822 program featured 'The Turkish Oppression' and 'The Gospel Carried To India'
1832(?) Literary Societies, especially the Athenian Society, began to include short comedies or farces in their programs.
1870 Jun The Naval Dramatic Association presented two short plays on a program with music to raise funds for rowing. Only one show was given.
1874 Unsuccessful attempt by the students to form a Thespian 'Society'
1879 Jun Glee Club produced (Gilbert & Sullivan's) HMS Pinafore in College Hall. It was the first full-length production at Amherst College, with town women.
1881 Senior Dramatic Company held joint production with Glee Club.
1882 W. Clyde Fitch (AC 1886), future distinguished American playwright, entered Amherst as a Freshman. He established a reputation as an actor playing the leading female parts in the College dramatic productions.
1883 Sole musical production by Glee Club Dramatics.
1883-1905 Yearly full-length plays produced by Senior Dramatic Company. At first these plays were produced and acted entirely by members of the senior class. Later a few lowerclassmen were used, especially in female roles.
1906-1916 Dramatic Association organized plays that were produced and acted by members of all classes.
1914 Amherst Stock Company started by members of the Class of 1914 in their freshmen year. The company continued until March 1915. The Class of 1914 also made one final production at their 25th reunion.
1916 Everett Glass (AC 1914) appointed first full-time dramatics coach.
1917 Feb The Amherst Masquers were formed by Everett Glass (AC 1914) to include all students of the college. It introduced women in female roles.
1922 E.A. Richards (AC 1922) succeeded Glass as dramatics coach
1926-1954 F. Curtis Canfield (AC 1925) served as Director for the Masquers (except during his service during WWII)
1933 Summer: Masquers travel to Vienna to perform three plays in the Schönbrunn Theatre
1937 Work begins on the new Kirby Memorial Theater, named for Philadelphia surgeon, Dr. Ellwood R. Kirby whose estate provided the fund through his charitable trust
1938-1971 Ralph C. (Tuffy) McGound (AC 1927) served as lighting and technical director for college dramatic productions.
1938 Nov 3 First performance in the new Kirby Theater, 'High Tor'
1939-1970 Charles E. Rogers designed sets and costumes for College dramatic productions.
1939 Mar 17 Formal opening and dedication of Kirby Theater
1943 Oct-1946 Mar Kirby Dance Guild and Kirby Theater Guild formed and managed by Professor Charles E. Rogers.
1949 Masquers appeared in 5 performances of 'Julius Caesar' in the Elizabethan Theatre at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The April 3, 1949 performance was televised by the National Broadcasting Company, making it the first American televised full-length performance of a Shakespeare play
1955 Dec The Drama Association was formed by a group of students to give play readings. No record of any performances.
1968-1974 Stone Theater Group performed plays in Stone Basement Theater.
1968 Apr First performance by '70 Players,' a student group formed by James Andrew Kalter '70 to give students more opportunity to produce plays outside of the direction of the Department of Dramatic Arts.
1973-1974 New Cell Theater Ensemble was formed by Christopher Torch '74 to produce Avant-garde and experimental plays.
1976 Feb Gilbert & Sullivan Society produced 'The Sorcerer' in Cole Assembly Room. The group later performed 'Ruddigore' at Mount Holyoke College.
1986 Nov 'Spectrum III,' the first program of original plays, performed by Black Students in Backroom.
Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Dramatic Activities Collection documents the history of dramatics at Amherst College, beginning in 1822. The Collection includes surviving programs, scripts, photographs and slides, set and costume designs, publicity material and posters, clippings, audio and video material, and an odd object or two that chronicle the conceptualization, creation, production and review of hundreds of College dramatic performances during the last 180 years. The collection grows as the College creates new productions. The Collection occupies approximately 41 linear feet of shelf space plus 12 flat file drawers.

The breadth of this collection is unusual - documenting all student performances, from the earliest "dialogues" performed at the first commencement in 1822, to the ceremonial prank burnings of mathematics textbooks in effigy after surviving the sophomore year; to complete set and costume designs for the Masquers performances for 30 years; to the extensive photographic documentation of performances beginning in the 1880s; to the masks used in several of the performances. In addition to this documentation of performance, the collection chronicles the history of student dramatic groups, documents the relationship of the theater in the Five College environment, and contains records of courses offered in the dramatic arts at Amherst for 50 years.

While the Dramatic Activities Collection is most useful in its relationship to the history of Amherst College, is it also an excellent source for studying the history of student activities and dramatic expression during the 19th and 20th centuries and the changing attitudes toward such things during that time.


Information on Use
Terms of Access and Use
Restrictions on access:

There is no restriction on access to the Dramatic Activities Collection for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.

Restrictions on use:

Requests for permission to publish material from the Dramatic Activities Collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

[Identification of item], in Dramatic Activities Collection [Box #, Folder #], Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library

History of the Collection
Accruals:

The collection grows as the College creates new productions.

Processing Information
Processed: ca. 1978-1984
By: Ralph C. McGoun, Jr. (AC 1927)


Additional Information
Contact Information
Amherst College Archives and Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
PO Box 5000
Amherst, MA 01002-5000

Phone: (413) 542-2299
Fax: (413) 542-2692

Email Reference Form: http://www.amherst.edu/library/archives/askus
URL: http://www.amherst.edu/library/archives

Language
English.