RPI Players.

Records, 1929-2005.

RPI Playhouse

 

 

AC #

29

Processed By:

T.A.Gobert, J. Faust

Vol.:

8.5 linear ft.

Date:

September 2004

Restrictions:

Open

 

 

 

 

Historical Note

 

The RPI Players are a theatrical club composed of Rensselaer students, staff, and faculty members, as well as people from the local community.  The purpose of the RPI Players is to foster an interest in all phases of the theater as well as to provide theatrical entertainment.  Formed in 1929, the Players succeeded an earlier Drama Club on campus.  In addition to carrying out several theatrical productions each year, the club maintains the RPI Playhouse and is affiliated with the honorary theater fraternity Alpha Psi Omega.  For further historical information, consult the club histories in Series 1 of the collection, or visit the Players web site at http://www.players.rpi.edu.  There is also a separate list of productions appended to this finding aid.

 

 

Scope and Content Note

 

The records of the RPI Players are organized into five series.  Each series is arranged chronologically unless otherwise specified.

 

Series 1.  General records include the constitution, histories of the club (1998 and undated), minutes (1929-1936), correspondence, financial records, membership lists and card files, promotional materials for club membership and activities, Playhouse floor plans, production lists, and miscellaneous news clippings.  Correspondents include Richard Schmeltzer, Jay R. Gould, George J. Scranton, Morris Koffmann, Isadore M. Fixman and other officers of the club.  Arranged by type of material.

 

Series 2.  Production information files hold promotional materials, tickets, and clippings for specific productions from 1930 to 2005.  In some cases there are also scripts, prompt copies, set designs and/or costume designs.

 

Series 3.  Scrapbooks and photographs largely document productions throughout the Players’ history, but also include a small number of photographs of individual club members and various performance spaces (the Old Gymnasium, 15th Street Lounge, and the Playhouse) used by the Players.

 

Series 4.  Posters used to advertise productions, 1949 to the present.  Many are oversized.

 

Series 5.  Playbills are the official programs of RPI Players productions.  Originally titled “Playbill,” they are now called “At the Playhouse.”  This is an incomplete run dating from 1930 to the present; most of the missing programs are from the first seven years of the Players’ existence.

 

Appendix. List of productions, 1930-2005.