Series 2 - Theatre

0.3 m of textual records
109 photoprints : b&w ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller
9 photoprints : colour ; 25 x 20 cm.

The series partially documents Francess Halpenny’s involvement as a performer in theatre productions with the Village Players company, later the New Play Society, from 1939 to 1947. It also partially documents her involvement as a performer, director and/or author with the University Alumnae Dramatic Club, later the Alumnae Theatre, from 1946 to 1993, including the first time played in Canada production of Samuel Beckett’s "Waiting for Godot" in 1958. Most of the 1940s and 1950s productions of the University Alumnae Dramatic Club were also performed during Central Ontario region and/or national edition of the Dominion Drama Festival.

The series consists of 52 files including programmes, press clippings, correspondence, drafts and annotated scripts. It also includes a souvenir book of the 1st Stratford Festival ; Halpenny’s article about the history of the University Alumnae Dramatic Club, published in the Graduate, 1968 ; a program for the tribute to Dora Mavor Moore at the St. Lawrence Centre, 30 November 1971 ; and an Exhibition catalogues for the exhibit "Dramatis Personae: An Exhibition of Amateur Theatre at the University of Toronto", presented at the University of Toronto Archives in 1986 and 1992. The series also includes photographs of play scenes ; a studio portrait of Halpenny in costume for Mistress Quickly in "Henry V" production, by J. Roy Kemp, 1941 ; a photograph of Marion Jones, Francess Halpenny, Herbert Wittaker, Ruth Norris and John Colicos when being attributed the award for the best play at the Central Ontario Drama Festival, 1951 ; a photograph of L. C. Tobias presenting the best supporting actor award to Francess Halpenny for her contribution in the play "Uncle Vanya", 1955.

Open

Permission must be obtained from the script copyright holder(s) pior to reproduction, citation and/or publication of scripts.

Press clippings have been reproduced for conservation reasons and dated [reproduced in 2001].

Files contain annotations from Francess Halpenny, dated 2000.