PUBLIC "-//Fairfax County Public Library//TEXT (US::ViF::vif00058::A Guide to the Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection)//EN" "vif00058.xml" A Guide to the Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, 1962-2006 Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection MSS 06-93 © 2024 Fairfax County Public Library. All rights reserved. Machine-readable finding aid created by Ross Landis, April 7, 2024 Description is in English A Guide to the Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, 1962-2006 A Collection in The Fairfax County Public Library MSS 06-93

Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library Descriptive Summary Fairfax County Public Library The Melinda E. Pittman Falls Church High School Theatre Collection, 1962-2006 MSS 06-93 1.75 linear feet English 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. Pittman, Melinda E. 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 2017EAD 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.

 Adjunct Descriptive Data

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 Series 1: School Papers, 1962-1971 Report Card, Devonshire School, 1962-1963 "The Ride of Jack Jouett" by Melinda Pittman, 1963 Certificates, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, 1965-1967 Report Card, J.G. Whittier Intermediate School, 1966-1967 Certificate, Washington Junior Academy of Sciences, 1967 Literary Magazine, "Paw Print" Falls Church High School, Spring 1968, 1968 Commencement Program, Falls Church High School, 1969 Certificate, Virginia High School League Award, 1969-1970 Student Newspapers, "Jaguar Journal" Falls Church High School, 1969-1971 Certificate, Falls Church High School PTA Achievement Award, 1970 Certificate, National Thespian Society, Best Actress Thespian Star , 1970 "The God of Wine" written and performed by Reba "Bo" Trask and Melina Pittman at 1970 FCHS Talent Show, 1970 "Pop Rock" by Melinda Pittman, c. 1970 "The Age of the Clipper" by Melinda Pittman, c. 1970 Notebook, Humanities Class Notes, 1970-1971 Newspaper clippings, Melinda Pittman Falls Church H.S. plays, 1970-1971 Invitation, Falls Church High School Junior-Senior Prom , 1971 List of Falls Church H.S. theatre activities for Melina Pittman 1968-1971, 1971 Commencement Program, Falls Church High School, 1971 Diploma and Certificate Holder, Falls Church High School, Melinda Pittman, 1971 Vocal selections, "Once Upon a Mattress" [used in FCHS production], c. 1971 FCHS Thespian school locker decorations, c. 1971 Graduation Tassles, Falls Church High School Class of 1971, 1971 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 Program, "Medea" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1968 Program, "South Pacific" Falls Church High School , 1969 Program, "Little Mary Sunshine" Falls Church High School , 1969 Program, "Angel Street" Falls Church High School , 1969 Program, "Charley's Aunt" Falls Church High School , 1969 Program, Falls Church High School Concert Band Spring Concert, 1969 Program, "Dark of the Moon" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1970 Program, "Senor Pimpernel" J.G. Whittier School [ticket included], 1970 Program, "Once Upon A Mattress" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971 Program, "The Bad Seed" Falls Church High School , 1971 Program, "The Matchmaker" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971 Program, "Blazing Guns at Roaring Gultch" Falls Church High School [ticket included], 1971 Program, Falls Church High School Drama Department Awards Banquet, 1971 Program, "The Boyfriend" Falls Church High School [ticket included], Undated Program, "The Madwoman of Chaillot" Falls Church High School , Undated Program, "R.U.R." Falls Church High School , Undated Program, "Wait Until Dark" Falls Church High School [ticket included], Undated Program, "Lo and Behold" Falls Church High School , Undated Program, "Our Town" Period 6 Productions , Undated Program, "The Children's Hour" Fairfax Community Theatre, Undated Series 3: Falls Church High School Theatre Photographs, 1968-1996 Photos, "Medea" Falls Church High School performance [12 photos], 1968 Photos, Greater Falls Church Softball Team [2 photos], 1969 Photos, "South Pacific" Falls Church High School performance [2 photos], 1969 Photo, George Robert Allen, 1970 Photo, "Dark of the Moon" Falls Church High School performance , 1970 Photo, Reba "Bo" Parker and Melinda Pittman, 1970 Photos, "Once Upon A Mattress" Falls Church High School performance [5 photos], 1971 Photos, "The Bad Seed" Falls Church High School performance [12 photos], 1971 Photos, "The Matchmaker" Falls Church High School performance [7 photos], 1971 Photos, "Blazing Guns At Roaring Gultch" Falls Church High School performance [6 photos], 1971 Photos, Melinda Pittman at Seven Corners Esso "Humble" Gas Station (3 Chefs in background) [3 photos], 1971 Photos, Falls Church High School Thespian Reunion Classes of 1970-1972 [4 photos], c. 1996 Framed Photograph, George Robert Allen and quote from "Harvey" (presented to Graduating Seniors June 1971), Undated Series 4: George Robert Allen Collection, 1951-2006 Book, "The Dramatic Use of Oral Interpretation and Choral Speaking" by Herbert Adrian Rehner [inscribed to Allen], 1951 Periodical, "The Cue" [contains article by George Robert Allen], 1955 Program, "Arsenic and Old Lace" Gerstmeyer High School, 1961 Program, "A Majority of One" The Community Theatre of Terre Haute, 1963 Program, "Ten Little Indians" The Community Theatre of Terre Haute, 1963 Program, "The Pajama Game", Footlite Musicals, 1965 Script, "Far Above Rubies" by Mortimer A. Clift [containing note to Allen from the author], 1966 Directory, Mud Creek Players, 1971-1972 Book, "Something's A Foot", Samuel French Inc., 1975 George Robert Allen - Retirement and Funeral , 1985-2006 Photos, George Robert Allen headshots , Undated Photo, George Robert Allen, Undated Script, "Love Rides The Bus" by the Sycamore Players of Indiana State Teachers College, Undated Book, "The Business of Show Business" by Gail Plummer [contains Allen's signature in flyleaf], 1961