Betsko-Koenig Women Playwrights Collection, 1955-1990

8 boxes (8 linear ft.)

Collection number: MS 427

Abstract:

Source material for book, Interviews with Contemporary Women Playwrights compiled by Kathleen Betsko and Rachel Koenig (1987), featuring thirty women playwrights, including Rosalyn Drexler, Beth Henley, Marsha Norman, Ntozake Shange, Megan Terry, and Kathleen Betsko. Materials include audio tapes, edited and unedited interview transcripts, biographical materials, play scripts, reviews, programs, correspondence, and photographs.

Terms of Access and Use:

Restrictions on access:

With the exception of closed tapes and transcripts, the material is open to research according to the rules of the Sophia Smith Collection.

Access to the tapes and unedited transcripts varies. There are signed agreements from 28 of the 30 playwrights regarding access to their tapes and unedited transcripts, and 20 of the 30 are open for use. The 2 for which no agreements were received have been closed. The release forms are found with the unedited transcripts, and copies of the agreements from those 8 women who wanted their unedited transcripts closed are also filed with their edited ones. This collection contains numerous unpublished plays for which copyright restrictions apply particularly in relation to photocopying.

Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies.

Restrictions on use:

The Sophia Smith Collection does not own the literary rights to this material. Rights to the edited transcripts are owned by Kathleen Betsko and Rachel Koenig, and rights to the tapes, unedited transcripts, and plays are owned by the individual playwrights. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

Sophia Smith Collection
Smith College
Northampton, MA

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Betsko-Koenig Women Playwrights Collection consists of 8 linear feet of audio tapes, edited and unedited transcripts, and related material on 30 women playwrights. The edited transcripts were published as Interviews with Contemporary Women Playwrights compiled by Kathleen Betsko and Rachel Koenig (Beech Tree Books, 1987). The inclusive dates are 1955 to 1986. The papers are arranged by individual playwright including co-author Kathleen Betsko. The authors collected related material, which includes plays, reviews, clippings, other interviews, programs, flyers, and correspondence. All related material follows each transcript. Material specifically related to the publication of the book, including photographs of the subjects, is located with Kathleen Betsko's file. The audio tapes and those transcripts that are closed to research have been separated and are in the first and last boxes, respectively.

Information on Use

Terms of Access and Use

Restrictions on access:

With the exception of closed tapes and transcripts, the material is open to research according to the rules of the Sophia Smith Collection.

Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies.

Restrictions on use:

Preferred Citation

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

Betsko-Koenig Women Playwrights Collection, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

History of the Collection

The Betsko-Koenig Women Playwrights Collection was received from Kathleen Betsko and Rachel Koenig in 1986 and 1988 with several small additions in 1989.

Processing Information

Processed by Susan Boone, 1990

Additional Information

Contact Information

Smith College Special Collections

Young Library
4 Tyler Drive
Northampton, MA 01063

Phone: (413) 585-2970
Fax: (413) 585-2886

Email: specialcollections@smith.edu
URL: https://www.smith.edu/libraries/special-collections

Language

English

Sponsor

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Contents List

Oral history tapes (90)			Box 1

Liliane Atlan		Box 2

Edited transcript		Box 2: folder 1

Biographical and miscellaneous material,	n.d.	Box 2: folder 2

Correspondence, interviews,	1984, n.d.	Box 2: folder 3

Plays

Les Musiciens les emigrants: scripts,	1976, n.d.	Box 2: folder 4

L'Amour elementaire: scripts,	1979, n.d.	Box 2: folder 5

Carriage of Flames and Voices: script (in French and English),	1971, 1981	Box 2: folder 6

The Messiahs or Earth Sick: script,	1983	Box 2: folder 7

Mister Fugue or Earth Sick: script,	1983	Box 2: folder 8

Other works

Un opera pour Terezen, Le reve des animaux rongeurs, La lapsus,	1971, 1985, n.d.	Box 2: folder 9

Alice Childress

Unedited transcript		Box 2: folder 10

Biographical material,	1967-88	Box 2: folder 11

Plays

Wine in the Wilderness, Mojo, String: scripts,	1969, 1971	Box 2: folder 12

Miscellaneous reviews,	1955-84	Box 2: folder 13

Caryl Churchill

Edited transcript		Box 2: folder 14

Biographical material, correspondence,	1965, n.d.	Box 2: folder 15

Plays

Cloud 9: reviews, program,	1980, 1983	Box 2: folder 16

Fen: script, reviews,	1983-84	Box 2: folder 17

Top Girls: script, reviews, program,	1982-83	Box 2: folder 18

Owners: script, reviews,	1972-77	Box 2: folder 19

Miscellaneous reviews,	1975-88	Box 2: folder 20

Anne Commire

Biographical material,	1979, n.d.	Box 2: folder 21

Plays

Melody Sisters: script,	1983	Box 2: folder 22

Put Them All Together: programs, script, reviews,	1978-80	Box 2: folder 23

Shay: script, reviews,	1972-78	Box 2: folder 24

Gretchen Cryer

Transcript		Box 2

Edited		Box 2: folder 25

Unedited		Box 2: folder 26

Biographical material,	1980-87	Box 2: folder 27

Plays

I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road: script, reviews,	1976-80	Box 2: folder 28

Miscellaneous reviews,	1970	Box 2: folder 29

Donna de Matteo

Edited transcript		Box 2: folder 30

Biographical material,	n.d.	Box 2: folder 31

Plays

Flipside: script,	n.d.	Box 2: folder 32

Rocky Road: script,	n.d.	Box 2: folder 33

Animal Lovers: script,	1977	Box 2: folder 34

Lord Richard: script,	n.d.	Box 2: folder 35

Silver Fox: programs,	1987, n.d.	Box 2: folder 36

Miscellaneous reviews,	1975-1979	Box 2: folder 37

Rosalyn Drexler

Transcript		Box 2

Edited		Box 3: folder 1

Unedited		Box 3: folder 2

Biographical material, interviews,	1979-83	Box 3: folder 3

Plays

Lobby: script, ,	1983	Box 3: folder 4

Graven Image: script, reviews,	1979	Box 3: folder 5

She Who Was He: script,	1974	Box 3: folder 6

Skywriting: script, review,	1968	Box 3: folder 7

Utopia Parkway: script,	1983	Box 3: folder 8

The Line of Least Existence and Other Plays (includes Home Movers, The Investigations, Hot Buttered Roll, Softly and Consider the Learners, The Bed Was Full): published book of plays, reviews of the book and individual plays),	1964-68	Box 3: folder 9

Miscellaneous reviews, programs, flyers,	1964-83	Box 3: folder 10

Novel: I Am the beautiful stranger excerpted in The Bold New Woman,	1970	Box 3: folder 11

Laura Farabough

Transcript		Box 3

Edited		Box 3: folder 12

Unedited		Box 3: folder 13

Biographical material,	n.d.	Box 3: folder 14

Plays

Obedience School: "Notebook," reviews,	1982-83	Box 3: folder 15

Under Construction: reviews,	1985-86	Box 3: folder 16

Sea of Heartbreak: "Notebook",	1983	Box 3: folder 17

Snake Theatre: articles,	1979, n.d.	Box 3: folder 18

Bai Fengxi

Edited transcript		Box 3: folder 19

Biographical material and correspondence (some in Chinese),	1981-85	Box 3: folder 20

Maria Irene Fornes

Transcript		Box 3

Edited		Box 3: folder 21

Unedited		Box 3: folder 22

Biographical material, interviews,	1966-86	Box 3: folder 23

Plays

Fefu and Her Friends: script, reviews,	1978	Box 3: folder 24

Promenade: script,	n.d.	Box 3: folder 25

Miscellaneous reviews,	1969-88	Box 3: folder 26

Mary Gallagher

Edited transcript		Box 3: folder 27

Biographical and miscellaneous material,	1983-86	Box 3: folder 28

Plays

Win/Lose/Draw: script, reviews,	1981, 1983	Box 3: folder 29

Dog Eat Dog: script, reviews,	1982-83	Box 3: folder 30

Little Bird: script,	1983	Box 3: folder 31

Miscellaneous reviews,	1981-82	Box 3: folder 32

Book: Quicksilver,	1982	Box 3: folder 33

Griselda Gambaro

Unedited transcript		Box 3: folder 34

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1970-83	Box 3: folder 35

Plays		Box 3

In the Country: reviews,	1983	Box 3: folder 36

Teatro 1: script, ,	1984	Box 3: folder 37

Pam Gems

Transcript		Box 3

Edited		Box 3: folder 38

Unedited		Box 3: folder 39

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1973-74	Box 3: folder 40

Plays

Piaf: script, reviews, program,	1978-81	Box 3: folder 41

Queen Christina: script, reviews,	1982, n.d.	Box 3: folder 42

Dusa, Fish, Stas & Vi: script, reviews,	1977-80	Box 3: folder 43

Miscellaneous reviews,	1972-84	Box 3: folder 44

Beth Henley

Transcript		Box 3

Edited		Box 4: folder 1

Unedited		Box 4: folder 2

Biographical material, correspondence,	1981-83	Box 4: folder 3

Plays

Crimes of the Heart: script, reviews,	1980-82	Box 4: folder 4

The Wake of Jamey Foster: script, reviews, program,	1982-83	Box 4: folder 5

Am I Blue: script, reviews,	1981-82	Box 4: folder 6

The Miss Firecracker Contest: script, reviews,	1979, n.d.	Box 4: folder 7

Confluence: reviews,	1982	Box 4: folder 8

Tina Howe

Edited transcript		Box 4: folder 9

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1984-88	Box 4: folder 10

Plays

Painting Churches: script, reviews, program,	1982-84	Box 4: folder 11

Museum: script, reviews,	1978-79	Box 4: folder 12

Art of Dining: script, reviews,	1978-80	Box 4: folder 13

Birth and After Birth: script,	1973	Box 4: folder 14

Nest: reviews,	1970	Box 4: folder 15

Corinne Jacker

Transcript		Box 4

Edited		Box 4: folder 16

Unedited		Box 4: folder 17

Biographical material,	1979, n.d.	Box 4: folder 18

Plays

Domestic Issues: script, reviews,	1983	Box 4: folder 19

My Life: script, reviews,	1977	Box 4: folder 20

Harry Outside: script, reviews,	1975	Box 4: folder 21

Later: script, reviews,	1979	Box 4: folder 22

In Place, The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, Bits and Pieces: scripts,	1975-83	Box 4: folder 23

Miscellaneous reviews,	1976	Box 4: folder 24

Adrienne Kennedy

Transcript		Box 4

Edited		Box 4: folder 25

Unedited		Box 4: folder 26

Biographical material,	1977, n.d.	Box 4: folder 27

Plays

Funnyhouse of a Negro: script, reviews,	1964-79	Box 4: folder 28

A Rat's Nest, Cities in Bezique (The Owls Answers, A Beast Story): scripts,	n.d.	Box 4: folder 29

An Evening with Dead Essex: script, reviews,	1973-74, n.d.	Box 4: folder 30

Karen Malpede

Unedited transcript		Box 4: folder 31

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1976-83, n.d.	Box 4: folder 32

Plays

The End of the War: script, reviews,	1977-82	Box 4: folder 33

Sappho and Aphrodite: script, reviews,	1982-83	Box 4: folder 34

A Lament for Three Women: script,	1974	Box 4: folder 35

A Monster Has Stolen the Sun: script, reviews,	1980-81	Box 4: folder 36

Making Peace: script, review,	1979	Box 4: folder 37

Miscellaneous reviews and programs,	1976-88	Box 4: folder 38

Three Works by the Open Theatre, ed. by K. Malpede,	1974	Box 4: folder 39

Emily Mann

Edited transcript		Box 5: folder 1

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1985, 1987, n.d.	Box 5: folder 2

Plays

Execution of Justice: script, reviews,	1983-86	Box 5: folder 3

Still Life: reviews, program,	1981-83	Box 5: folder 4

Eve Merriam

Transcript		Box 5

Edited		Box 5: folder 5

Unedited		Box 5: folder 6

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	n.d.	Box 5: folder 7

Plays/Musicals

At Her Age: script, program, reviews,	1979	Box 5: folder 8

The Inner City: reviews,	1971-81	Box 5: folder 9

The Good Life: Lady MacBeth of Westport: script,	n.d.	Box 5: folder 10

A Husband's Notes about Her: script,	n.d.	Box 5: folder 11

Plagues for Our Time: script, review,	1983	Box 5: folder 12

The Club: reviews,	1976-77	Box 5: folder 13

And I Ain't Finished Yet: script,	1982	Box 5: folder 14

Janet Neipris

Transcript		Box 5

Edited		Box 5: folder 15

Unedited		Box 5: folder 16

Biographical material,	1977-81, n.d.	Box 5: folder 17

Plays

Exhibition, Statues, and The Bridge at Belharbour: 3 One-Act Plays: script, reviews,	1976, n.d.	Box 5: folder 18

The Agreement, Out of Order: scripts,	1981, 1983	Box 5: folder 19

Marsha Norman

Transcript		Box 5

Edited		Box 5: folder 20

Unedited		Box 5: folder 21

Biographical material, articles,	1981-84	Box 5: folder 22

Plays

Getting Out: publicity, reviews, script,	1978-79	Box 5: folder 23

'night Mother: reviews, publicity, script,	1982-83	Box 5: folder 24

Traveler in the Dark: script, review,	1983-85	Box 5: folder 25

Third and Oak: The Laundromat: script, reviews,	1978-85	Box 5: folder 26

Rochelle Owens

Transcript		Box 5

Edited		Box 6: folder 1

Unedited		Box 6: folder 2

Biographical material, correspondence,	1975-84	Box 6: folder 3

Plays

Chunky's Hunch: reviews, script,	1981	Box 6: folder 4

Emma Instigated Me: script,	n.d.	Box 6: folder 5

Miscellaneous reviews,	1968-78	Box 6: folder 6

Louise Page

Edited transcript		Box 6: folder 7

Biographical material,	n.d.	Box 6: folder 8

Plays: Salonika: review, script, publicity,	1983-85	Box 6: folder 9

Ntozake Shange

Transcript		Box 6

Edited		Box 6: folder 10

Unedited		Box 6: folder 11

Biographical material, correspondence,	1984-85	Box 6: folder 12

Works

Betsey Brown (the opera and the novel): script, reviews, publicity,	1985, 1987	Box 6: folder 13

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf: reviews, script, program,	1975-83	Box 6: folder 14

Three Pieces: script, review,	1981, n.d.	Box 6: folder 15

A Daughter's Geography, See No Evil, Sassafrass, Cypress and Indigo,	1982, 1983, 1986	Box 6: folder 16

Miscellaneous reviews,	1970	Box 6: folder 17

Megan Terry

Transcript		Box 6

Edited		Box 6: folder 18

Unedited		Box 6: folder 19

Biographical material, correspondence,	1967-84	Box 6: folder 20

Scripts

American Kings English for Queens, Approaching Simone, Attempted Rescue of Avenue B,	1973-82	Box 6: folder 21

Babes in the Big House, Brazil Fado, The Gloaming Oh My Darling, Calm Down Mother,	1966-78	Box 6: folder 22

Katmandu, Massachusetts Trust, Pro-Game, The Pioneer,	1968-82	Box 6: folder 23

Three One-Act Plays (Sanibel and Captiva, The Magic Realists, One More Little Dunkie), The Tommy Allen Show, The Trees Blew Down,	1970-80	Box 6: folder 24

Reviews,	1966-83	Box 6: folder 25

Omaha Magic Theatre: articles,	1979-83	Box 6: folder 26

Michelene Wandor

Transcript		Box 6

Edited		Box 6: folder 27

Unedited		Box 6: folder 28

Biographical material,	n.d.	Box 6: folder 29

Work

Plays: 5 Plays, Sink Songs: scripts,	1975, 1984	Box 6: folder 30

Poetry: Up Beat Poems and Stories,	1982	Box 6: folder 31

Editor

Cutlasses and Earrings, On Gender and Writing, Strike While the Iron is Hot,	1977-83	Box 6: folder 32

Plays by Women, Volumes 1-4,	1982-85	Box 6: folder 33

Wendy Wasserstein

Transcript		Box 6

Edited		Box 6: folder 34

Unedited		Box 6: folder 35-6

Biographical and miscellaneous material, articles,	1981-86, n.d.	Box 6: folder 37

Plays

Uncommon Women and Others: script, reviews,	1977-84	Box 6: folder 38

Isn't It Romantic: script, reviews,	1981-84	Box 6: folder 39

Miscellaneous reviews and programs,	1979-83	Box 6: folder 40

Susan Yankowitz

Edited transcript		Box 7: folder 1

Biographical and miscellaneous material, correspondence,	1985, n.d.	Box 7: folder 2

Plays

The Amnesiac: script (screenplay),	1981	Box 7: folder 3

The Forerunner: Charlotte Perkins Gilman: script,	n.d.	Box 7: folder 4

The Land of Milk and Funny or Portrait of a Scientist as a Dumb Broad; Slaughterhouse, Play; Who Done It?: scripts,	1968, 1969, n.d.	Box 7: folder 5

The Ha-Ha Play: script,	n.d.	Box 7: folder 6

A Knife in the Heart: script, program,	1982-83	Box 7: folder 7

Miscellaneous reviews,	1970, 1983	Box 7: folder 8

Novel: Silent Witness,	1976	Box 7: folder 9

Kathleen Betsko

Biographical material,	1982-85	Box 7: folder 10

Plays

Johnny Bull: review, program,	1982-86	Box 7: folder 11

Johnny Bull: scripts,	1980-84	Box 7: folder 12

Stitchers and Starlight Talkers: script, reviews, publicity,	1986, n.d.	Box 7: folder 13

Book: Interviews with Contemporary Women Playwrights		Box 7

Correspondence, proposal, publicity, miscellaneous material,	1982-86	Box 7: folder 14

Photographs		Box 7: folder 15

International Women Playwrights Conference: correspondence, publicity,	1988	Box 7: folder 16

CLOSED (unedited transcripts)

Liliane Atlan			Box 8: folder 1

Caryl Churchill			Box 8: folder 2

Anne Commire			Box 8: folder 3

Donna de Matteo			Box 8: folder 4

Mary Gallagher			Box 8: folder 5

Tina Howe			Box 8: folder 6

Bai Fengxi			Box 8: folder 7

Emily Mann			Box 8: folder 8

Louise Page			Box 8: folder 9

Susan Yankowitz			Box 8: folder 10

Search Terms

The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. Use these headings to search for additional materials on this web site, in the Five College Library Catalog, or in other library catalogs and databases.

Subjects

Betsko, Kathleen
Drexler, Rosalyn
Henley, Beth
Interviews With Contemporary Women Playwrights. compiled by Kathleen Betsko and Rachel Koenig(1987)--Sources
Norman, Marsha
Shange, Ntozake
Terry, Megan
Theater--History--20th century--Sources
Theater--United States--History--20th century--Sources
Women dramatists--20th century--Biography--Sources
Women in the theater--United States--History--Sources

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