A Guide to the Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, 1962-2006
A Collection in The Fairfax County Public Library
Record Group Number MSS 06-93
City of Fairfax Regional Library
Virginia Room
10360 North Street
Fairfax, VA 22030-2514 USA
Virginia Room: 703-293-6227 x6
Fax: 703-293-2155
Email: va_room@fairfaxcounty.gov
URL: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/branches/virginia-room
© 2017 Fairfax County Public Library. All rights reserved.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
None
Use Restrictions
Donor retains copyright to materials she created. Consult repository for information.
Preferred Citation
Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, MSS 06-93, Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library
Acquisition Information
Donated by Melinda E. Pittman, April 2017
Processing Information
Chris Barbuschak, August 2017
EAD generated by Ross Landis, 2017
Historical and Biographical Information
Melinda Elizabeth Pitman grew up in Falls Church, Virginia and attended Devonshire Elementary School and Whittier Intermediate School. From 1968-1971, Pittman attended Falls Church High School and participated in the drama program under the direction of George Robert Allen. She partook in over twenty school plays and was an honor thespian. After graduating, Pittman studied theatre at Virginia Tech, Tulane University, and went on to have an active career in Portland, Oregon as a singer-songwriter, composer, and performer. She wrote and directed seven original full-length musicals and in 1999, wrote and composed “Wonderbroads” which won the Oregon Book Award for Best Drama. Pittman founded the non-profit touring company BroadArts Theatre, which creates original musical plays celebrating the impact of women and minorities.
Scope and Content
The Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection spans the years 1962-2004 and consist of photographs, school memorabilia, student newspapers, report cards, certificates, theatre programs, tickets, newspaper clippings, school work, a literary magazine, books, scripts, graduation tassels, graduation diploma, and a trophy. Photographs mostly depict the drama productions from Falls Church High School. Also included is school ephemera that Pittman collected from her years at Devonshire Elementary School, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, and Falls Church High School as well as papers and memorabilia given to her and collected by long-time FCHS Drama teacher George Robert Allen.
Series 1: School Papers, 1962-1971, Boxes 1 and 3
Contains report cards, certificates, school work, student newspapers, a literary magazine, and school and graduation ephemera from Pittman’s time at Devonshire Elementary School, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, and Falls Church High School. Also included is the Kenlee and Duane West Memorial Award trophy which Pittman received in 1971 at Falls Church High School for outstanding student in drama. The George Robert Allen file contains retirement party and funeral information regarding Pittman’s beloved teacher and Falls Church High School drama teacher, George Robert Allen.
Series 2: Theatre Programs, 1968-1971, Box 1
Contains theatre programs and tickets from plays performed at Falls Church High School, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, and the Fairfax Community Theatre. Also included are programs for the Falls Church High School Concert Band and Falls Church High School Drama Department Awards Banquet.
Series 3: Falls Church High School Theatre Photographs, 1968-1996, Box 2
Contains photographs depicting scenes from plays performed at Falls Church High School, drama teacher George Robert Allen, the Greater Falls Church Softball Team, and a reunion of former Falls Church High School Thespians. Also included is a framed photograph of George Robert Harvey accompanied with a page containing a quote from the play “Harvey”. Allen would recite this quote every opening night when the cast assembled just before the curtain rising. Allen presented this photograph and quote to each of the graduating seniors at the Drama Banquet and Awards Night in June 1971.
Series 4: George Robert Allen Collection, 1951-2006, Boxes 2 and 3
Contains theatre programs, scripts, a directory, books, and photographs that were once owned by George Robert Allen. These items were given to her in 2006 from Allen’s estate.
Related Material
Melinda E. Pittman Papers, Coll 185, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Melinda E. Pittman photographs collection, Org. Lot 1005, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Separated Material
1968-1971 Falls Church High School “Jaguar” Yearbooks removed and added to the cataloged yearbook collection
Index Terms
- Falls Church High School (Falls Church, Va.)
- George Robert Allen, III (1927-2003)
- Pittman, Melinda E.
- Theater - Virginia - Fairfax County
Container List
- Box 1
Folder 1
Report Card, Devonshire School, 1962-1963
- Box 1
Folder 2
"The Ride of Jack Jouett" by Melinda Pittman, 1963
- Box 1
Folder 3
Certificates, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, 1965-1967
- Box 1
Folder 4
Report Card, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, 1966-1967
- Box 1
Folder 5
Certificate, Washington Junior Academy of Sciences, 1967
- Box 1
Folder 6
Literary Magazine, "Paw Print" Falls Church High School, Spring 1968, 1968
- Box 1
Folder 7
Commencement Program, Falls Church High School, 1969
- Box 1
Folder 8
Certificate, Virginia High School League Award, 1969-1970
- Box 1
Folder 9
Student Newspapers, "Jaguar Journal" Falls Church High School, 1969-1971
- Box 1
Folder 10
Certificate, Falls Church High School PTA Achievement Award, 1970
- Box 1
Folder 11
Certificate, National Thespian Society, Best Actress Thespian Star , 1970
- Box 1
Folder 12
"The God of Wine" written and performed by Reba "Bo" Trask and Melina Pittman at 1970 FCHS Talent Show, 1970
- Box 1
Folder 13
"Pop Rock" by Melinda Pittman, c. 1970
- Box 1
Folder 14
"The Age of the Clipper" by Melinda Pittman, c. 1970
- Box 1
Folder 15
Notebook, Humanities Class Notes, 1970-1971
- Box 1
Folder 16
Newspaper clippings, Melinda Pittman Falls Church H.S. plays, 1970-1971
- Box 1
Folder 17
Invitation, Falls Church High School Junior-Senior Prom , 1971
- Box 1
Folder 18
List of Falls Church H.S. theatre activities for Melina Pittman 1968-1971, 1971
- Box 1
Folder 19
Commencement Program, Falls Church High School, 1971
- Box 1
Folder 20
Diploma and Certificate Holder, Falls Church High School, Melinda Pittman, 1971
- Box 1
Folder 21
Vocal selections, "Once Upon a Mattress" [used in FCHS production], c. 1971
- Box 1
Folder 22
FCHS Thespian school locker decorations, c. 1971
- Box 3
Graduation Tassles, Falls Church High School Class of 1971, 1971
- Box 3
Trophy, Kenlee and Duane West Memorial Award For Outstanding Student in Drama Falls Church High School 1970-1971, 1971
- Box 1
Folder 23
Program, "Medea" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1968
- Box 1
Folder 24
Program, "South Pacific" Falls Church High School , 1969
- Box 1
Folder 25
Program, "Little Mary Sunshine" Falls Church High School , 1969
- Box 1
Folder 26
Program, "Angel Street" Falls Church High School , 1969
- Box 1
Folder 27
Program, "Charley's Aunt" Falls Church High School , 1969
- Box 1
Folder 28
Program, Falls Church High School Concert Band Spring Concert, 1969
- Box 1
Folder 29
Program, "Dark of the Moon" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1970
- Box 1
Folder 30
Program, "Senor Pimpernel" J.G. Whittier School [ticket included], 1970
- Box 1
Folder 31
Program, "Once Upon A Mattress" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971
- Box 1
Folder 32
Program, "The Bad Seed" Falls Church High School , 1971
- Box 1
Folder 33
Program, "The Matchmaker" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971
- Box 1
Folder 34
Program, "Blazing Guns at Roaring Gultch" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971
- Box 1
Folder 35
Program, Falls Church High School Drama Department Awards Banquet, 1971
- Box 1
Folder 36
Program, "The Boyfriend" Falls Church High School [ticket included], Undated
- Box 1
Folder 37
Program, "The Madwoman of Chaillot" Falls Church High School , Undated
- Box 1
Folder 38
Program, "R.U.R." Falls Church High School , Undated
- Box 1
Folder 39
Program, "Wait Until Dark" Falls Church High School [ticket included], Undated
- Box 1
Folder 40
Program, "Lo and Behold" Falls Church High School , Undated
- Box 1
Folder 41
Program, "Our Town" Period 6 Productions , Undated
- Box 1
Folder 42
Program, "The Children's Hour" Fairfax Community Theatre, Undated
- Box 2
Folder 1
Photos, "Medea" Falls Church High School performance [12 photos], 1968
- Box 2
Folder 2
Photos, Greater Falls Church Softball Team [2 photos], 1969
- Box 2
Folder 3
Photos, "South Pacific" Falls Church High School performance [2 photos], 1969
- Box 2
Folder 4
Photo, George Robert Allen, 1970
- Box 2
Folder 5
Photo, "Dark of the Moon" Falls Church High School performance , 1970
- Box 2
Folder 6
Photo, Reba "Bo" Parker and Melinda Pittman, 1970
- Box 2
Folder 7
Photos, "Once Upon A Mattress" Falls Church High School performance [5 photos], 1971
- Box 2
Folder 8
Photos, "The Bad Seed" Falls Church High School performance [12 photos], 1971
- Box 2
Folder 9
Photos, "The Matchmaker" Falls Church High School performance [7 photos], 1971
- Box 2
Folder 10
Photos, "Blazing Guns At Roaring Gultch" Falls Church High School performance [6 photos], 1971
- Box 2
Folder 11
Photos, Melinda Pittman at Seven Corners Esso "Humble" Gas Station (3 Chefs in background) [3 photos], 1971
- Box 2
Folder 12
Photos, Falls Church High School Thespian Reunion Classes of 1970-1972 [4 photos], c. 1996
- Box 2
Folder 13
Framed Photograph, George Robert Allen and quote from "Harvey" (presented to Graduating Seniors June 1971), Undated
- Box 2
Folder 14
Book, "The Dramatic Use of Oral Interpretation and Choral Speaking" by Herbert Adrian Rehner [inscribed to Allen], 1951
- Box 2
Folder 15
Periodical, "The Cue" [contains article by George Robert Allen], 1955
- Box 2
Folder 16
Program, "Arsenic and Old Lace" Gerstmeyer High School, 1961
- Box 2
Folder 17
Program, "A Majority of One" The Community Theatre of Terre Haute, 1963
- Box 2
Folder 18
Program, "Ten Little Indians" The Community Theatre of Terre Haute, 1963
- Box 2
Folder 19
Program, "The Pajama Game", Footlite Musicals, 1965
- Box 2
Folder 20
Script, "Far Above Rubies" by Mortimer A. Clift [containing note to Allen from the author], 1966
- Box 2
Folder 21
Directory, Mud Creek Players, 1971-1972
- Box 2
Folder 22
Book, "Something's A Foot", Samuel French Inc., 1975
- Box 2
Folder 23
George Robert Allen - Retirement and Funeral , 1985-2006
- Box 2
Folder 24
Photos, George Robert Allen headshots , Undated
- Box 2
Folder 25
Photo, George Robert Allen, Undated
- Box 2
Folder 26
Script, "Love Rides The Bus" by the Sycamore Players of Indiana State Teachers College, Undated
- Box 3
Book, "The Business of Show Business" by Gail Plummer [contains Allen's signature in flyleaf], 1961