George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library, MS2FL 4400 University Dr. Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Business Number: 703-993-2220 Fax Number: 703-993-8911 speccoll@gmu.edu URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu
Amanda Menjivar and Meghan Glasbrenner
Repository
George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Identification
C0319
Title
Alan Bowne papers 1980-1989 circa 1964-1991
Quantity
3 Linear Feet, 5 boxes
Creator
Bowne, Alan
Location
R 73, C 3, S 1 & 4
Language
English
.
Abstract
The Alan Bowne papers consists of five boxes of materials created over the course of Bowne's career as a playwright and author.
These include play scripts and drafts, short story and novel drafts, screenplays, technical writings, correspondence, notebooks,
photographs, audio cassettes, and one reel-to-reel tape. These materials originate from circa 1964 - 1991, with the bulk of
the collection originating from the 1980s.
The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Alan Bowne papers, C0319, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Barbara Hayes in January 2019.
Additional materials donated by Broadway Play Publishing, Inc. in August 2021 and by Barabara Hayes in November 2023.
Processing Information
Processing completed by Amanda Menjivar in March 2019. EAD markup completed by Amanda Menjivar in March 2019. Finding aid
updated by Amanda Menjivar in February 2023. Additional processing completed and finding aid updated by Meghan Glasbrenner
from March-April 2024.
Alan Bowne was an American playwright and author. Born William Alan Bowne on February 20, 1945 in Hemet, California, Bowne
was best known for a handful of works, including "Beirut," "Forty-Deuce," "Sharon and Billy," as well as a novel, "Wally Wonderstruck."
Perhaps his most famous and enduring work, "Beirut" is a one-act play that tells the allegorical story of a heterosexual couple
dealing with a mysterious disease that ravages dystopian New York. This fictional disease presumably represented the real
HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. "Beirut" was eventually adapted into a 1993 television movie, re-titled "Daybreak." Bowne
passed away from AIDS-related complications on November 24, 1989 in his Sonoma County home at 44 years old.
Content Warning: Many of the notebooks in this collection contain graphic sexual content.
The Alan Bowne papers consists of five boxes of materials created over the course of Bowne's career as a playwright and author.
These include play scripts and drafts, short story and novel drafts, screenplays, technical writings, correspondence, notebooks,
photographs, audio cassettes, and one reel-to-reel tape. These materials originate from circa 1964 - 1991, with the bulk of
the collection originating from the 1980s. The collections contains four series.
Series 1: Writings and Correspondence (1971 - 1991) includes multiple drafts and scripts of Bowne's work, including drafts
for "Forty-Deuce," "Sharon and Billy," and "Wally Wonderstruck." It also includes correspondence and other materials related
to submitting his written work to various publishers. Notable are two notebooks Bowne wrote in, one containing his thoughts
on his presumed AIDS diagnosis.
Series 2: Photographs and Audiovisual Materials (circa 1970s - 1989) includes photographs of Bowne himself, with friends,
on vacation, and of his Sonoma County, CA home and the surrounding countryside. The two audio cassettes and reel-to-reel tape
contain recordings of a 1984 production of his play "Sharon and Billy."
Series 3: Additional writings (circa 1960s - 1980s) includes additional written materials donated in 2021 and 2023. These
include drafts and scripts of Bowne's work, including "Cocaine and Underpants", "The Little Monsters", and draft materials
for additional uncompleted novels and short stories, as well as freelance techinal writings, resumes, and an obituary written
after Bowne's passing.
Series 4: Notebooks (1979 - June 1989) includes five additional notebooks containing handwritten writing by Bowne. Contents
include personal journal entries, including thoughts on his AIDS diagnosis, as well as personal reading and writing projects,
including one focused on reading and responding to each of Shakespeare's plays.
The Special Collections Research Center does not have the equipment necessary to play reel-to-reel tapes. Additional time
and money may be required to digitize this material for access.
Includes multiple drafts and scripts of Bowne's work, including drafts for "Forty-Deuce," "Sharon and Billy," and "Wally Wonderstruck."
It also includes correspondence and other materials related to submitting his written work to various publishers. Notable
are two notebooks Bowne wrote in, one containing his thoughts on his presumed AIDS diagnosis.
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1
"Loony Tunes" submission envelope and folder with notes
1971; April 1976
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
"Pale Dead Suburban Moon" draft and envelope
1977 - 1978
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
"Bijou in Birdland" - two copies and envelope
October 1978
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
"Miss Bojangles" short story drafts and submission notes and correspondence
circa 1978 - 1979
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
"Jamaican and Jew" draft and folder
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
"Loony Tunes" draft
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Magic Theatre, Berkeley, CA's 20th Birthday Season pamphlet featuring "Sharon and Billy" by Bowne
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
"East Human" draft and envelope
October 1981
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Author's copy of "Sharon and Billy" script, including related notes and correspondence
1982
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
First Annual Vancouver International Film Festival fold-out program
May 13 - May 30, 1982
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Letter from Robert Lantz of The Lantz Office, Inc. to Bowne
August 30, 1982
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
"Forty Deuce" script with notes
1983
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
"New York City" notebook
1983 - 1984
Scope and Contents
Graphic sexual content warning. Includes Bowne's thoughts on his potential, and eventually confirmed, AIDS diagnosis.
Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
"Spook" script and envelope
circa 1985
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
"A Snake In The Vein" author's copy draft
circa 1985
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
"Spook" draft, notes, and envelope
circa 1986
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
"Throwback" screenplay draft and folder
March 1986
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
"Sharon and Billy" newsclippings
May 1986
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
"Wild Side" screenplay - first draft - two copies
November 1987
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
"Notes on Henry James - Sonoma Mountain" notebook
1988
Scope and Contents
Includes a typed insert of some of Bowne's journal entries.
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
"Wally Wonderstruck" original draft - Part 1
June 1989
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
"Wally Wonderstruck" original draft - Part 2
June 1989
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
"Wally Wonderstruck" original draft - Part 3
June 1989
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 10
Letter from Peter Frankling of William Morris Agency, Inc. to Barbara McEdwards about "Beirut" screenplay
Includes photographs of Bowne himself, with friends, on vacation, and of his Sonoma County, CA home and the surrounding countryside.
The two audio cassettes and reel-to-reel tape contain recordings of a 1984 production of his play "Sharon and Billy."
Mixed Materials Box: 2 Folder: 11
Photograph of Alan Bowne with friends
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials Box: 3
Two black and white portrait photographs of Alan Bowne
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials Box: 3
Photo album scrapbook pages
1984
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook pages compiled for Bowne by friend Ed Kruse. Includes photographs of Bowne with friends, travel photos from various
locales, and postcards.
Mixed Materials Box: 3
"Shack and Garden - Sonoma Mtn '88" photo album
1988
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of a house - presumably Bowne's - and friends in Sonoma County, CA.
Mixed Materials Box: 3
"Sonoma County Countryside - Sonoma Mountain Scenes" photo album
1989
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of a house - presumably Bowne's - and countryside scenes in Sonoma County, CA.
Mixed Materials Box: 3
45 RPM vinyl records of popular music
circa 1970s - 1980s
Scope and Contents
20 vinyl records.
Mixed Materials Box: 3
"Sharon and Billy" master recording - reel-to-reel tape
Includes additional written materials donated in 2021 and 2023. These include drafts and scripts of Bowne's work, including
"Cocaine and Underpants", "The Little Monsters", and draft materials for additional uncompleted novels and short stories,
as well as freelance techinal writings, resumes, and an obituary written after Bowne's passing.
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 1
"Solitary Song" handwritten draft
1964
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 2
"RD" handwritten draft
1969
Scope and Content
Original title "Hermitage" is crossed out and "RD" written above it
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 3
Resumes and lists of publications
circa 1974-1976
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 4
"The Use and Usurpation of Power by the President" for the Writer's Alliance
January 21, 1975
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 5
"Handling Divorces for the Catholic Client" for Michelson's
May 1976
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 6
"President's Report" Jah Johnson, Greenhouse Assn
February 26-27, 1977
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 7
"Cocaine and Underpants" typed script with edits and handwritten draft notes
1984-1985
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 8
"Ear-Wax" novel typed draft pages and handwritten outline notes
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 9
"The Little Monsters" typed script with edits
circa 1980s
Mixed Materials box: 4 folder: 10
"Sainted Lady" novel typed and handwritten draft and outline pages
Includes five additional notebooks containing handwritten writing by Bowne. Contents include personal journal entries, including
thoughts on his AIDS diagnosis, as well as personal reading and writing projects, including one focused on reading and responding
to each of Shakespeare's plays.
Mixed Materials box: 5
"Journal" large black notebook
1979-February 1982, November 1986-January 1988
The binding is very unstable, care should be taken when opening and turning pages. Stored flat in box to avoid further damage.
Scope and Content
The book has been written in from both ends. One side is labeled "Journal 1979-1982" and the other is labeled "November 1986-January
1988". There are some blank pages in the middle between these two uses and some papers and wrappers inserted to mark various
pages.
Mixed Materials box: 5
"Sonoma County Scribblings, Xmas in LA, Caribe" black floral notebook
1982-March 1983
Binding is unstable, particularly near the front. Care should be taken when opening.
Scope and Content
Includes several items, including two postcards, one photograph, and one postage stamp, adhered to various pages. There is
a torn piece of a post-it note inserted to mark pages.
Mixed Materials box: 5
"Alan Bowne his notes on Shakespeare" brown floral notebook
1984-March 1985
Mixed Materials box: 5
"Notes on Francis Bacon" blue notebook
October 1986
Mixed Materials box: 5
"Vagrant Notes" green notebook
1988-June 1989
Exterior binding has a chunk torn out of the bottom corner, but interior binding seems stable.
Scope and Content
There are some papers inserted to mark various pages.