A Guide to the Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, 1962-2006, #MSS 06-93

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, 2024

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.

Container List

Series 1: School Papers, 1962-1971

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

Series 2: Theatre Programs, 1968-1971

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

Series 3: Falls Church High School Theatre Photographs, 1968-1996

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

Series 4: George Robert Allen Collection, 1951-2006

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