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Smallbeer Theatre Company records

 Collection 2019-SCPA-0083

The Smallbeer Theatre Company was a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of new playwrights in the DC area. This collection contains the records of the company before it disbanded, including scripts of various playwrights that were workshopped through the organization.

Dates

  • Creation: 1981-2016

Conditions Governing Use

The collection is open for research use. Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room during SCPA’s operating hours. Please contact the curator for an appointment or if you have questions related to digital access of the materials.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Copyright was not transferred to the University of Maryland with the physical gift of any copyrighted materials. The copyright holder maintains possession of any copyrighted materials in the collection. The University of Maryland Libraries is granted permission for the use in scholarly research by the Libraries’ patrons under fair use in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.

To inquire about duplication of materials for research or for publication, please contact SCPA’s curator.

Extent

6.50 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

The Smallbeer Theatre Company records cover the period from 1986 to 2009; the bulk of the materials date from 1986 to 1998. The records consist of scripts of commissioned works and premieres, as well as fundraiser, showcase, and workshop details. The records also include founding details of the organization. The records reflect Smallbeer's goals of supporting local playwrights and the development of members' skills, in addition to the work the company did with different organizations in the Metro DC area.

Biographical / Historical

Founded in 1986, the Smallbeer Theatre Company was recognized one year later as a non-profit Metro DC theatre collective dedicated to the development and production of new work - with an emphasis on local playwrights - and the development of new skills by the company's members. Smallbeer was a member of The League of Washington Theatres and The Cultural Alliance. Smallbeer ceased operations after their final full production of "Shamanism in New Jersey" by Rosemarie Caruso and their last event, "Rising Tide," circa 2009.

Smallbeer Theatre Company worked in collaboration with other like-minded area theatre groups, including the Playwrights' Unit and Forum and the Black Women Playwrights' Group. Smallbeer commissioned and premiered works by various playwrights, as well as produced public readings, showcases, fundraisers, workshops, and developmental processes for playwrights.

Arrangement

This series is organanized into a single series.

  1. Records of the Smallbeer Theater Company

Custodial History

Gift of Lynnie Raybuck , co-artistic director of Smallbeer Theatre Company, received in one shipment in April 2019.

Related Materials

Evans, Karen L.B. Leaving the Summer Land. Directed by Seret Scott. Tribute Productions (Washington, D.C.), and Washington Area Performing Arts Video Archive (Washington Metropolitan Area). 2005. DVD. (Available through UMD Libraries)

Status
Completed
Author
Jada Twitty
Date
June 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States