Marita Woodruff Collection on Webster University Theater

Date(s): approximately 1960s

 

Physical extent: Five document boxes containing 6 folders of documents and approximately 1000 photographs.

 

Name of Creator: Woodruff, Marita; Webster University

 

Administrative/Biographical History: a brief biographical note is available.

 

Scope/Content: Contains primarily photographs from theater productions at Webster University in the 1960s. Includes some photographs taken of Webster students visiting the statue of William Shakespeare in Tower Grove Park (St. Louis), at one time an annual ritual performed around the time of Shakespeare's birthday. Several photographs are of Michael Flanagan, founding artistic director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and a faculty member at Webster College. Another subject of various photographs is Theatre Impact, a professional and student theater troupe which performed outdoors in the summers from 1962-1965. Marsha Mason, 1964 Webster graduate and Academy Award-nominated actress, was a member of Theatre Impact.

 

Also has a miscellaneous collection of documents, especially programs and publicity related to the Shakespeare Pilgrimages held in the spring. Marita Woodruff consulted with Tyrone Guthrie, renowned director and founder of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, on the design and construction of the Loretto-Hilton Theatre. Three letters from Guthrie to Woodruff are included in this collection.

 

System of Arrangement: The bulk of the files are in alphabetical order by name of production.

 

Conditions of Access and Use: The collection is open for research use by appointment only.

 

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use: Copyright restrictions may apply.

 

Languages and Scripts of the Material: Materials entirely in English.

 

Finding Aids: Box list is available.

 

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Received from Marita Woodruff in 1998.