Guide to
Montclair Dramatic Club Collection
Montclair History Center
Extent:
50 linear inches, 6 boxes
Dates
1871-1992
Prepared by
Elizabeth Shepard
Volunteer
October 2015
Provenance:
Montclair Dramatic Club donated the materials to the historical society in the late 1990s.
Administrative History:
The Montclair Dramatic Club was founded on April 17, 1889. The first play, Randall Thumb, performed as a benefit for the Children’s Home at the Montclair Club on Church Street. The plays were performed at the Montclair Club until 1924. Then they were performed at the Montclair Theater on Bloomfield Avenue, 1924-1928; George Inness Junior High School, 1928-1930; Mt Hebron School, 1931-1970s, and Montclair Kimberly Academy, 1970s-1990s. Each year plays were performed in the spring and fall. During World War I, there were special productions for the service men. After 1893, a professional director was hired to oversee the plays. The club members as well outside amateur actors performed in the plays. In the early years, formal dinners for the cast and crew were served after the performances. Later the club had a junior wing division for younger members and produced children plays. Some actors went on to have professional careers including Katherine Emory, Louise Houston, and Charles Mortimer. Models Patty Boyd and Margaret Duval also performed in plays. The club was the oldest continuing amateur theater in the United States when it disbanded in the 1990s.
Scope and Content.
The collection provides an excellent overview of the activities of the Montclair Dramatic Club. The collection has been divided into nine series: Administrative Files (1919-1991), Publicity (1918-1990), Financial Records (1950-1987), Tagline (1945-1992), Junior Wing Division (1963-1986), Programs (1889-1991), Scripts (1871-1964), Sheet Music (1948-1971), Photographs (1897-1987).
Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Related Material
The Montclair Public Library has a small collection on this club.
Container List
Series I: Administrative Files, 1919-1991
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, contains board minutes, correspondence, membership materials, and rehearsal schedules.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
1 |
1 |
Audience feedback/surveys, undated |
1 |
2 |
Bicentennial Arts Committee, Montclair Performing Arts Center, 1975 |
1 |
3-4 |
Board, Minutes, Lists, Correspondence, 1968-1991 |
1 |
5 |
By-Laws, 1969-1983 |
1 |
6 |
Centennial, 1989 |
1 |
7 |
Children’s Theater, 1968-1974 |
1 |
8 |
Dayton, Mrs. Paul, Correspondence, 1919-1920 |
1 |
9 |
Donor, Patron, Members, Correspondence, 1944-1986 |
1 |
10 |
History, undated |
1 |
11 |
Membership, Certificates, undated |
1 |
12 |
Membership, 1973 |
1 |
13 |
Miscellaneous, Correspondence, 1963-1987 |
1 |
14 |
Miscellaneous, Documents, 1923-1985 |
1 |
15 |
Montclair Kimberly Academy, Partnership, 1970-1973 |
1 |
16 |
New Jersey Historical Society, Deed of Gift, 1980 |
1 |
17 |
Rehearsal Schedules, undated |
1 |
18 |
Try Out Notices, 1971-1991 |
1 |
19 |
Watchung Congregational Church, 1975-1976 |
Series II: Publicity, 1918-1990
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, consists of clippings and press releases of plays and other club activities.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
1 |
20 |
Articles and Press Releases, 1976, undated |
1 |
21 |
Clippings, 1918-1932 |
1 |
22 |
Clippings, 1945-1979 |
1 |
23 |
Clippings, 1980-1990 |
1 |
24 |
Flyers, Tickets, undated |
1 |
25 |
Invitations, 1980-1981 |
1 |
26 |
Stingiest Man In Town, 1973 |
Series III: Financial Records, 1950-1987
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, includes account ledgers, grant scholarships, and ticket sales statistics.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
1 |
27 |
Accounts, 1978-1984 |
1 |
28 |
Grants, Scholarships, 1977 |
1 |
29 |
Miscellaneous, 1984-1987 |
1 |
30 |
Reports, 1976-1986 |
1 |
31 |
Royalties, 1950 |
1 |
32 |
Ticket Sales, 1978-1986 |
Series IV: Tagline, 1945-1992
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically contains the club’s newsletter, Tagline.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
1 |
33-46 |
Tagline, 1945-1992 |
Series V: Junior Wing Division, 1983-1986
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, pertains to the Junior Wing Division activities including plays and membership.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
2 |
1 |
Junior Wing, Casting and Production Information, 1970-1986 |
2 |
2 |
Junior Wing, Contact Information, 1967-1970 |
2 |
3 |
Junior Wing, Financial, 1966-1975 |
2 |
4 |
Junior Wing, Members, 1973-1974 |
2 |
5 |
Junior Wing, Miscellaneous, 1966-1984 |
2 |
6 |
Junior Wing, Programs, Tickets, 1968-1975 |
2 |
7 |
Junior Wing, Reports, 1963-1974 |
2 |
8 |
Junior Wing, Schedules, 1967-1975 |
2 |
9 |
Junior Wing, Workshops, 1974-1976 |
Series VI: Programs, 1889-1991
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, consists of programs from 1889-1991.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
2 |
10 |
Programs, undated |
2 |
11 |
Programs, 1889, 1893 |
2 |
12-20 |
Programs, 1912-1991 |
2 |
21 |
Programs, Workshops, 1950-1974 |
Series VII Scripts, 1871-1964
Description
This series, arranged alphabetically, contains scripts of mostly children plays. Included here is the script of the first play, Randall Thumb.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
2 |
22 |
Aladdin and His Magic Lamp, undated |
2 |
23 |
Beauty and the Beast, 1962 |
2 |
24 |
Blue Bird, undated |
2 |
25 |
Bridleboy, 1948 |
2 |
26 |
Christmas Nightingale, undated |
2 |
27 |
Golden Goose, 1955 |
2 |
28 |
Hide and Seek, Laurence Michaels, 1956 |
2 |
29 |
Hide and Seek, Philip Sheffield, 1959 |
2 |
30 |
Magic Fish Bone, 1961 |
2 |
31 |
Mysterious Boy, undated |
2 |
32 |
Palm Tree in the Rose Garden, undated |
2 |
33 |
Patchwork Girl of Oz, undated |
2 |
34 |
Patriotic Private, undated |
2 |
35 |
Piped Piper of Hamlin, undated |
2 |
36 |
Raggedy Ann and Andy, undated |
2 |
37 |
Randall Thumb, 1871 |
2 |
38 |
Sound of Trumpets, undated |
2 |
39 |
Tailors Apprentice, 1954 |
2 |
40 |
Third Best Sport, 1954 |
2 |
41 |
Witches Lullaby, 1964 |
Series VIII: Sheet Music, 1948-1971
Description
This series includes sheet music for various musicals.
Box Number |
Folder Number |
Contents |
2 |
42 |
Sheet Music, 1948-1971 |
Series IX: Photographs
Please consult the Past Perfect Photo Database.