Barksdale Theatre Records 1945-2006 (bulk 1954-2004)

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Barksdale Records are housed in 109 boxes and one oversized drawer. Included are bylaws, contracts, correspondence, deeds, financial materials, ledgers, minutes, musical scores, newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, posters, press releases, programs, receipts, reports, resumes, scrapbooks, and scripts. The records document the development of the company from its earliest performances at Hanover Tavern, to its contemporary performances at the Willow Lawn Center.

The records include deeds for Hanover Tavern and Willow Lawn Center, correspondence regarding literary rights of plays, scripts submitted by inspiring playwrights, fundraising campaign materials, articles of incorporation, Board of Trustee minute files, and personnel policy manuals. Although the collection includes records relating to the financial and managerial side of the business, they are sparse and incomplete.

The bulk of the collection are the clippings, photographs, posters, production files, programs, and reviews documenting the over 200 productions performed by the theatre in its 50 year history. Included are hundreds of photographs from the earliest productions to the current season, numerous theater programs, production files including directing books, cast contact lists, rehearsal schedules, and scripts, theater critic newspaper reviews, and posters of the productions. The collection also includes videos of some of the original performances. Two appendixes are available at the end of the finding aid listing all of the productions performed at Barksdale. One appendix is arranged chronologically, one alphabetically, and they record whether photographs or programs are available for the production. These appendixes are not available online.

A more in-depth description of the collection can be found in the Series level description. It is recommended that the researcher read the Series level scope and content notes thoroughly before accessing the collection.

Biographical / historical:

Barksdale Theatre was created by a group of friends who met during summer stock theatre in St. Clair, Michigan. The original founders were Tom Carlin, Stewart Falconer, David and Priscilla Kilgore, Muriel McAuley, and Pat Sharp. In June 1953 they moved to Richmond, Virginia, desiring to start their own theatre. The group purchased the historic Hanover Tavern in Hanover, Virginia, 1 August 1953, and established the nation's first dinner theatre, Barksdale Memorial Theatre. The theatre was named in memory of a deceased college friend, Barbara Barksdale (1930-1950). The theatre produced their first play, Gold in the Hills, at Barksdale Theatre, on 23 September 1954.

By 1960, four of the original members had left Barksdale, and David Kilgore had married Nancy Masters. The three remaining members, David and Nancy Kilgore, and Muriel McAuley lead the theatre for the next 40 years. Throughout those years they produced over 200 plays and renovated Hanover Tavern. In 1973, Barksdale produced the first professional production of a play based on African American experience, Lorraine Hansberry's To Be Young, Gifted, and Black. In 1975, they staged the first professional reenactment of Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech at the historic St. John's Church. In 1977 Barksdale produced the world premiere of Red, Hot, and Cole, an original play written by Muriel McAuley and Randy Strawderman. After hundreds of performances and the raising of several children and animals, in 1990 the founding members sold Hanover Tavern to the Hanover Tavern Foundation. The founders retired in 1993, naming John Glenn as artistic director. Of the founding members, Nancy Kilgore died 16 October 1993, and Muriel McAuley died 4 September 1998.

In 1996 Barksdale built and moved into a new facility at Willow Lawn Shopping Center in Richmond, Virginia. Randy Strawderman served as artistic director from 1997-2001. Currently, 2004, Bruce Miller serves as artistic director of Barksdale Theatre which continues the tradition of producing excellent theatre. For additional history of the theatre please consult, Going On...Barksdale Theatre The First Thirty One Years by Muriel McAuley (Taylor Publishing Co., 1984).

Acquisition information:
Gift of the Barksdale Theatre, Richmond, Virginia, 8 January 2004. Two broadsides were interfiled with the collection, Accession 41248. Gift of Jacquie O'Connor, Richmond, Virginia, 14 June 2004. Several programs were interfiled with the colleciton, Accession 42150. Transferred from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia, 26 August 2005.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I. Building Management Files, 1954-1996
  • Series II. Correspondence, General, 1955-2000
  • Series III. Correspondence and Scripts, Playwrights, 1979-1998
  • Series IV. Financial Records, 1953-2001
  • Series V. Newsclippings and Newsletters, 1953-2002
  • Series VI. Production Files, 1954-2000
  • Series VII. Programs, 1954-2004
  • Series VIII. Theatre Management Records, 1954-2001
  • Series IX. Miscellaenous, 1945-1998
  • Series X. Scrapbooks, 1950-2000
  • Series XI. Oversize, 1954-2003
  • Series XII. Photographs, 1954-1999
  • Series XIII. Audio-Visual Materials, 1966-1993
  • Series XIV. Artifacts/Ephemera, 1954-2000
Physical description:
48.06 cubic feet; 109 boxes and 1 oversized drawer; Box numbers 1-109.