George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Special Collections & ArchivesDecember 6, 2016
Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Beckman
There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from the Larry Schecker playbills and pamphlets collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
There are no access restrictions.
Larry Schecker playbills and pamphlets collection, C0295, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
Donated by Larry Schecker on November 11, 2016.
Processing completed by Liz Beckman in December 2016. EAD markup completed by Liz Beckman in December 2016.
Washington, DC and the surrounding region is home to numerous major theatre companies and performance venues that have themselves played major roles in American history. Some, such as Ford's Theatre and the National Theatre, have histories dating back to the 19th century, while others, such as the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, date from the second half of the 20th century.
The collection contains playbills from shows at a variety of Washington, D.C. performance venues, including the National Theatre, Ford's Theatre, Wolf Trap, and the Kennedy Center, as well as other smaller DC area institutions. Many of the productions starred famous actors, such as Ian McKellan, Jane Seymour, and Tim Curry in "Amadeus" at the National Theatre circa 1980. It also contains playbills from shows in other cities such as New York and Chicago (interesting productions include "Othello" at the American Shakespeare Theatre in Connecticut starring James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer in 1981), as well as exhibition brochures from DC and Boston museums.
Playbills and brochures are arranged by theatre company, venue, or region.