University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Manuscript Register
for

Flat Rock Playhouse Archive

M2006.11.1


Scene from "Fools", Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock, N.C.

Title Flat Rock Playhouse Archive
Alt. Title Flat Rock Playhouse: State Theater of North Carolina
Identifier http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/flat_rock_playhouse/
default_flat_rock_playhouse.htm
Creator Flat Rock Playhouse ; http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org/
Alt. Creator State Theater of North Carolina
Subject Keyword Flat Rock Playhouse ; State Theater of North Carolina ; theater ; plays ; actors ; theater management ; stagecraft ; Carl Sandburg ; Robroy Farquhar
Subject LCSH Farquhar, Robroy
Farquhar, Robin
Theater -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Flat Rock Playhouse -- Records and correspondence
Theater management -- North Carolina -- Flat Rock Playhouse
Theater management -- North Carolina -- State Theater of North Carolina
Theater -- Production and direction -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Flat Rock Playhouse archives
State Theater of North Carolina archives
Drama in education -- North Carolina
 
Description The Flat Rock Theater Archives (1924-present) is the comprehensive collection of materials related to the history and management and productions of the state theater of North Carolina.  The materials included in the collection include playbills, scripts, scores, director's notes, posters, programs, photographic prints, films, workshop notebooks, reviews, correspondence, legal and financial documents, blueprints, and promotional material of the theater.

The Flat Rock Playhouse Archives is arranged in three large series according to format:  Series 1. Manuscripts and Printed Materials ; 2. Photographs, Slides, Video, Sound Recordings 3. Oversized Materials . Content series are found across all three formats. They include 1. History, 2. Business Records, 4. Plays, and 3. Memorabilia. The largest body of items are those associated with the productions of the theater.

The History of the theater from its beginnings as the Vagabond Players under the organization of Managing Director Robroy Farquhar in 1937 in New York, to the re-location of the theater to the Old Mill Playhouse in North Carolina in 1940, to the Lake Summit Playhouse located at Tuxedo, NC and the eventual location of the theater in Flat Rock, NC in 1952, is found in the extensive collection of records of operation and in the correspondence of Robroy Farquhar. 

The Theater pulled thespians from throughout the country and "gave them professional training in voice, diction, pantomime, interpretation and characterization, as well as practical experience in all phases of play production, " much as it does today. Often pulling their repertoire from local sources, the company went on tour from 1953 to 1955 and presented such productions as "North Carolina's Paul Green," Four From O. Henry," The World of Carl Sandburg," and other offerings. Today, the theater works closely with the schools in the area and is committed to children's theater, as well as a broad range of adult offerings.

In 1961 the theater was officially designated by joint resolution of the General Assembly of North Carolina, as THE STATE THEATER OF NORTH CAROLINA.

Business Records include general correspondence, grant proposals and related correspondence, legal documents, financial documents, building records, workshop material, and promotional material.

Spanning the years 1924 to the present, the Plays series is devoted to plays performed by the North Carolina State Theater Company, the Vagabond Players and by the Flat Rock Playhouse and includes play scripts, scores, director's notes, posters, programs, films, photographic prints, and reviews.

Memorabilia includes scrapbooks and manuscripts.

Photographs, film and slides offer a comprehensive visual history of the theater as it has evolved over the years and provides extensive documentation of lighting, stage-craft, and actors and acting.

Date Date issued: 2001-01-20
Publisher D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections,  University of North Carolina at Asheville 28804
Contributor North Carolina State Theater
Type Collection ; Text ; Image  (Printed material, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks)
Format 25 cu. ft.
Source M2006.11.1-25
Language English
Relation Related Collections:  Flat Rock Playhouse, Inc.,  http://www.flatrockplayhouse.org/ ; American Society for Theatre Research ; SIBMAS International Directory of Performing Arts Collections and Institutions ;
Coverage 1924-present ; Flat Rock, NC
Rights Flat Rock Playhouse, Inc. ; University of North Carolina at Asheville, D. Hiden Ramsey Library, Special Collections/University Archives. Copyright: Retained by the authors of certain items in the collection, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Donor  Donor number:
Acquisition 2006-01-20
Processed by Flat Rock Playhouse staff ; UNCA Special Collections staff 2001
CHRONOLOGY Chronology of Flat Rock Playhouse, Inc.
CONTEXT History of Flat Rock Playhouse, Inc.
SERIES  LIST SERIES
NO.
 
 Manuscripts and Printed Material
  1. Charter (founding papers)
2. History [published and unpublished accounts of history of playhouse]
3. Business Records and Administration
      Robroy Farquhar Business and Administrative records
      Robin Farquhar Business and Administrative records
      Grant proposals and related correspondence
      Building records
      Construction records
      Financial Records
      Legal Documents
  4. Correspondence (by year)
      Robroy Farquhar Correspondence
      Robin Farquhar Correspondence
      Physical facility
      Personnel
      Intellectual property correspondence
  5. Board of Directors Documents and Correspondence
  6. Playbills [arranged by year]
  7. Plays [arranged by year and within each play by the following]
      Scripts
      Scores
      Director's notes
      Posters
      Films
      Reviews
  8. Publicity
  9. Literary Publications
  10. Miscellaneous Materials, Documents
  11. Newspaper Clippings [Clippings related to productions are generally filed with production]
Photographs, Slides, Video, Sound Recordings
  12. Photographs [Prints, Negatives and Glass Plates - filed together]
      Arranged  by date and by  production when known.
  12b   Unidentified photographs
  13. Slides
      Arranged  by date and by  production when known.
  14. Video
      Arranged  by date and by  production when known.
  15. Sound Recordings
      Arranged  by date and by  production when known.
  16. Digital Image Formats [CD,  DVD, Other]
      Arranged  by date and by  production when known.
     
Oversize Materials
    Oversize Scrapbooks
        Sue Hasting Marionettes Scrapbooks
      Scrapbook I
      Scrapbook II
      Newspaper clippings, misc. paperwork
  18. Oversize Newspaper Clippings
  19. Oversize Charts, Posters
Supplemental material:
  20. List of Plays by Title and Year
  21. List of Plays by Year and by Title
  22. List of Directors
  23. List of Actors by Play [includes some biographies]
  24 List of Production Staff by Play
  25  Realia [R206.11.1]
Includes wood print plates

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