Guide to the Ensemble Theatre Archives, 1979-2002.

Processed by David Seubert, Rebecca Thompson.;

Department of Special Collections

Davidson Library

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Phone: (805) 893-3062

Fax: (805) 893-5749

Email: special@library.ucsb.edu

URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/speccoll.html

Guide to the Ensemble Theatre Archives, 1979-2002.

Collection number: PA Mss 47

Department of Special Collections

Davidson Library

University of California, Santa Barbara

Contact Information:

Department of Special Collections
Davidson Library
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Fax: (805) 893-5749
Email: special@library.ucsb.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucsb.edu/speccoll/speccoll.html

Processors:: David Seubert, Rebecca Thompson.
Date Completed:: 3/31/2003
Encoded by:: David Seubert

Descriptive Summary

Title: Ensemble Theatre Archives,

Date (inclusive): 1979-2002.

Collection number: PA Mss 47

Creator: Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara.

Extent: 5 linear ft (10 boxes)

Repository: University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Dept. of Special Collections

Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Abstract: Organizational records of Santa Barbara area theater company.

Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.

Language: English.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

None.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred Citation

Ensemble Theatre Archives, PA Mss 47, Department of Special Collections, University Libraries, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Acquisition Information

Donated October 2002 by Ensemble Theatre.

Organizational History

In 1979, a group of local actors and designers teamed up to present a production of George Bernard Shaw's classic comedy, Candida, at the assembly hall at Trinity Episcopal Church located at Micheltorena and State Streets. The response they received from the audience over two weekends of performances inspired the troupe to produce two more shows that year, Stoppard's The Real Inspector Hound and Shaw's A Pound On Demand, and thus, the Ensemble Theatre was created.

It wasn't until 1981 that the company moved to its current location at 914 Santa Barbara Street. The site, the Alhecama Theatre, is part of the Presidio State Park, which is run by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. The theatre, which is over 80 years old, was named after the four daughters of Alice and Max Schott, who donated the land and the surrounding buildings for community use. The first two letters of each daughter's first name was used to create the theatre name (AL-HE-CA MA. - Alice, Helen, Catherine & Mary).

During the 1985-86 season, Robert Grande-Weiss, took over the helm of Artistic Director, and has subsequently led the company to its current success. Mr. Grande-Weiss is responsible for selecting plays and the overall artistic philosophy of the company. Under his leadership, and that of Managing Director, Patricia Baldwin, Ensemble Theatre Company has experienced tremendous growth, and is proving to be an invaluable cultural resource to the community.

--Ensemble Theatre Web Site (http://www.ensembletheatre.com/history.html)

Collection Scope and Content Summary

The collection consists of the following series: Series I, Production Files; Series II, Administrative files; Series III, Videotapes.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Theaters--California--Santa Barbara.

Community theater--California--Santa Barbara.

Genres and Forms of Material

Playbills.

Photographs.

Videotapes.

Clippings.

Collection Contents

Production Files

Scope and Content Note

Series I, Production files consists of files, arranged chronologically, for all shows produced by the Ensemble Theatre from 1979 to the present (at the time the collection was acquired). Files include financial information, photographs, newspaper clippings, programs and other information.

Box 1: 1

Tartuffe, 1980

Box 1: 2

Ladyhouse Blues, May 8-June 13, 1981

Box 1: 3

She Stoops to Conquer, Nov 5-Dec 12, 1981

Box 1: 4

The Fox, Feb 4-Mar 13, 1982

Box 1: 5

The Glass Menagerie, Mar 26-Apr 24, 1982

Box 1: 6

The Tavern, May 14-June 19, 1982

Box 1: 7

Lone Star, July 15-Aug 28, 1982

Box 1: 8

Of Mice and Men, Sept 22-Oct 30, 1982

Box 1: 9

Talley's Folly, 1982

Box 1: 10

Confessions of an Irish Rebel, Jan 14-Jan 16, 1983

Box 1: 11

Twelfth Night, Feb 2-Mar 19, 1983

Box 1: 12

Gin Game, Mar 30-Apr 30, 1983

Box 1: 13

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, May 13-June 18, 1983

Box 1: 14

The Real Inspector Hound/After Magritte, July 1-Aug 6, 1983

Box 1: 15

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Sept 16-Oct 22, 1983

Box 1: 16

The Little Sister, Nov 4-Dec 3, 1983

Box 1: 17

Midsummer Night's Dream, 1984?

Box 1: 18

Mass Appeal, Mar 23-Apr 10, 1984

Box 2: 1

Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of the Rajah's Treasure, 1984

Box 2: 2

Uncle Vanya, Sept 12-Oct 20, 1984

Box 2: 3

Crimes of the Heart, Oct 31-Dec 8, 1984

Box 2: 4

The Importance of Being Earnest, Jan 9-Feb 16, 1985

Box 2: 5

Extremities, Feb 27-Apr 6, 1985

Box 2: 6

Dracula: The Pursuit of the Undead, Apr 27-May 25, 1985

Box 2: 7

Bleacher Bums, Sep 18-Oct 26, 1985

Box 2: 8

No Se Paga? No Se Paga!, Nov 6-Nov 23, 1985

Box 2: 9

A Christmas Carol, Dec 12-Dec 15, 1985

Box 3: 1

Top Girls, Jan 10-Feb 8, 1986

Box 3: 2

True West, 1986

Box 3: 3

American Buffalo, 8/1/1986

Box 3: 4

Fallen Angels, July 9-Sept 13, 1986

Box 3: 5

A Lesson from Aloes, Sept 26-Nov 1, 1986

Box 3: 6

A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, Nov 21-Dec 20, 1986

Box 3: 7

Great Big Little Show, 1986

Box 3: 8

Two by Moliere, Jan 16-Feb 28, 1987

Box 3: 9

Justus, Feb 21-Feb 28, 1987

Box 3: 10

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, 1987

Box 3: 11

Fifth of July, Apr 3-May 16, 1987

Box 3: 12

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, May 29-June 27, 1987

Box 3: 13

Table Manners, July 10-Sept 5, 1987

Box 3: 14

Trifles and Other American Tales, Aug 3-Aug 4, 1987

Box 3: 15

A Critic and His Wife, Sept 18-Oct 31, 1987

Box 3: 16

On the Verge, Nov 6-Dec 19, 1987

Box 3: 17

Romeo and Juliet, Jan 22-Feb 27, 1988

Box 3: 18

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Mar 11-Apr 25, 1988

Box 4: 1

Ulysses in Nighttown, May 6-June 18, 1988

Box 4: 2

Blithe Spirit, July 8-Aug 21, 1988

Box 4: 3

The Old Jew/Out Comes Butch, Aug 15-Aug 30, 1988

Box 4: 4

O'Keeffe, 9/11/1988

Box 4: 5

Mrs. California, Oct 14-Dec 10, 1988

Box 4: 6

The Imaginary Invalid, Jan 20-Mar 18, 1989

Box 4: 7

Vincent, Feb 6-Feb 15, 1989

Box 4: 8

Neon Psalms, Mar 24-Apr 1, 1989

Box 4: 9

House of Blue Leaves, Apr 19-June 10, 1989

Box 4: 10

Orphans, June 11-June 16, 1989?

Box 4: 11

Shooting Stars, July 14-Sept 9, 1989

Box 4: 12

Benefit with Dame Judith Anderson, 11/5/1989

Box 5: 1

For the Use of the Hall, Oct 13-Dec 9, 1989

Box 5: 2

Scapin's Scandals, Jan 19-Mar 17, 1990

Box 5: 3

A Day from Diane, Mar 23-Mar 31, 1990

Box 5: 4

The Homecoming, Apr 27-June 16, 1990

Box 5: 5

Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, July 13-Sept 8, 1990

Box 5: 6

Death of a Salesman, Oct 12-Dec 1, 1990

Box 5: 7

The Rivals, Jan 18-Mar 9, 1991

Box 5: 8

Ote, Chiquitin, and the Devil, Feb 16-Feb 18, 1991

Box 5: 9

The Granny (La Nona), Mar 29-Apr 20, 1991

Box 5: 10

The Alto Part, May 10-June 22, 1991

Box 5: 11

Bullshot Crummond, July 12-Sept 7, 1991

Box 6: 1

A Streetcar Named Desire, Sept 27-Nov 11, 1991

Box 6: 2

Blue Horses, Oct 14-Nov 2, 1991

Box 6: 3

Mr. Pickwick's Christmas, Nov 28-Dec 22, 1991

Box 6: 4

Arms and the Man, Jan 17-Mar 1, 1992

Box 6: 5

Gertrude Stein and a Companion, Mar 20-Apr 20, 1992

Box 6: 6

Serenading Louie, May 8-June 21, 1992

Box 6: 7

The Cocktail Hour, July 10-Sept 6, 1992

Box 6: 8

The Rose Tattoo, Oct 9-Nov 15, 1992

Box 6: 9

The Impotance of Being Earnest, Jan 29-Mar 21, 1993

Box 6: 10

The Road to Mecca, Apr 9-May 22, 1993

Box 6: 11

Light Up the Sky, July 2-Aug 29, 1993

Box 7: 1

Marvin's Room, Oct 1-Nov 14, 1993

Box 7: 2

Painting Churches, Dec 3, 1993-Jan 2, 1994

Box 7: 3

Our Country's Good, Feb 18-Mar 20, 1994

Box 7: 4

Lettice and Lovage, Apr 29-May 29, 1994

Box 7: 5

What the Butler Saw, July 8-Aug 14, 1994

Box 7: 6

The Heiress, Oct 21-Nov 24, 1994

Box 7: 7

The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of a Christmas Carol!, Dec 7-Dec 31, 1994

Box 7: 8

A Perfect Ganesh, Feb 3-Mar 5, 1995

Box 7: 9

Oleanna, Mar 10-Mar 26, 1995

Box 7: 10

The Loman Family Picnic, May 5-June 4, 1995

Box 7: 11

Hay Fever, July 7-Aug 13, 1995

Box 7: 12

The Little Foxes, Oct 20-Nov 19, 1995

Box 7: 13

Holiday Memories, Dec 8-Dec 31, 1995

Box 7: 14

Medea, Feb 9-Mar 10, 1996

Box 7: 15

All in the Timing, Apr 12-May 12, 1996

Box 7: 16

No Man's Land, May 17-June 2, 1996

Box 8: 1

Lips Together, Teeth Apart, July 12-Aug 18, 1996

Box 8: 2

Sight Unseen, Oct 11-Nov 10, 1996

Box 8: 3

The Real Inspector Hound/After Magritte, Dec 6-Dec 29, 1996

Box 8: 4

Traveler's Sonata, 12/15/1996

Box 8: 5

The Illusion, Jan 31-Mar 2, 1997

Box 8: 6

The Substance of Fire, Apr 4-May 4, 1997

Box 8: 7

Castaway, May 23-June 8, 1997

Box 8: 8

My Fair Lady, June 6-June 29, 1997

Box 8: 9

Sylvia, July 4-Aug 3, 1997

Box 8: 10

An Inspector Calls, Oct 10-Nov 9, 1997

Box 8: 11

Kindertransport, Oct 19-Nov 2, 1997

Box 8: 12

A Life in the Theatre, Dec 5, 1997-Jan 4, 1998

Box 8: 13

The Secret Rapture, Feb 13-Mar 15, 1998

Box 8: 14

Indiscretions, May 1-May 31, 1998

Box 8: 15

Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, June 26-July 26, 1998

Box 8: 16

Face the Music, Aug 28-Aug 29, 1998

Box 8: 17

A Delicate Balance, Oct 9-Nov 8, 1998

Box 8: 18

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, 10/1/1998

Box 8: 19

The Game of Love and Chance, Dec 4, 1998-Jan 3, 1999

Box 8: 20

The End of the Day, Feb 5-Mar 7, 1999

Box 8: 21

Echoes and Answers, 3/1/1999

Box 8: 22

Master Class, Apr 2-May 2, 1999

Box 8: 23

The Starting Point Series: Trains, Empress of Eden, and Sincerity Forever, May 10-May 20, 1999

Box 8: 24

Private Lives, June 25-July 25, 1999

Box 8: 25

How I Learned to Drive, Feb 4-Mar 5, 2000

Administrative files

Scope and Content Note

Series II, Administrative files, contains administrative files from the theater. The files are not complete, and only represent a portion of the probable material. Represented are newsletters, general publicity and brochures. There are no meeting minutes, or Board of Directors' files and aggregate financial information.

Box 9: 1

Administrative files, misc.

Box 9: 2

Advisory board steering committee, 1992

Box 9: 3, Box 10

Awards

Box 9: 4

Benefits

Box 9: 5

Children's outreach

Clippings and Publicity

Box 9: 6

1985-86

Box 9: 7

1986-87

Box 9: 8

1987-88

Box 9: 9

1988-89

Box 9: 10

1989-90

Box 9: 11

1990-91

Box 9: 12

1991-92

Box 9: 13

1992-93

Box 9: 14

1993-94

Box 9: 15

1994-95

Box 9: 16

1995-96

Box 9: 17

1996-97

Box 9: 18

1997-98

Box 9: 19

1998-99

Box 9: 20

1999-2000

Box 9: 21

2000-01

Box 9: 22

Community Outreach

Box 9: 23

Finance reports, 1989-1990

Box 9: 24

Newsletters

Box 9: 25

Performance Licenses

Box 9: 26

Production History

Box 9: 27

Photographs, misc.

Box 9: 28

Tax Exemptions

Box 9: 29

Theatre History

Box 9: 30

Web page

Videotapes

Scope and Content Note

Series III, Videotapes, contains a tape of a one play, production outtakes, interviews with staff on the local news as well as copies of commercials and PSAs produced by the theatre.

item V836/VHS

Evans, Gretchen, Interview, n.d.

item V837/VHS

Key News, ca. 1991

item V838/VHS

Medea, 2/28/1996

item V839/UM

Production Outtakes (three productions), n.d.

item V840/VHS

Weiss, Robert, Interview , 8/16/1995

item V841/VHS

White tie & tales, 19-Jul-99

Commercials and PSAs

item V842/VHS

Birds of a Feather, n.d.

item V843/VHS

Little Foxes, 11/3/1995

item V844/VHS

Picasso at the Lapin Agile, 12/3/1999

item V845/VHS

PSAs, 4/24/2000

item V846/VHS

Treasure Island Ticket Giveaway, n.d.

item V847/VHS

Velveteen Rabbit, n.d.

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