UVa Library Press Releases
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LIBRARY EXHIBITION TO CELEBRATE AMERICAN THEATRE
Contact: Charlotte Morford Scott at (434) 924-4254 or cwm6z@virginia.edu
WHO: Albert
and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
at the University of Virginia
WHAT: Exhibition "In
the Brilliancy of the Footlights: Creating America's
Theatre"
WHEN: June 21 - Oct. 26, 2002
WHERE: McGregor Room, Special Collections,
Alderman Library
"Out
in the brilliancy of the footlights-filling the attention
of perhaps a crowded audience, and making many a breath
and pulse swell and rise-O' so much passion and imparted
life!" -- Walt Whitman
June 27 , 2002 - The University of Virginia
Library exhibition "In the Brilliancy of the
Footlights: Creating America's Theatre" celebrates
the American stage-its playwrights and plays, and
that creative talent that transforms words into living
theatre. A testament to American cultural heritage,
the items assembled for the exhibition capture the
excitement and dynamism of more than two centuries
of American theatre history. The exhibition, on display
through Oct. 26, takes visitors simultaneously behind
the scenes and into the limelight.
"In the Brilliancy of the Footlights: Creating
America's Theatre" begins by exploring the relationship
between Colonial American theatre and the British
theatrical tradition. On display are Shakespeare's
second folio (1632) and the plays of Ben Jonson, David
Garrick and Oliver Goldsmith. From these roots, the
exhibition traces the first tentative steps of American
theatre during the 18th century.
According to exhibition curator Margaret Hrabe, the
19th century saw the development of a uniquely American
theatre tradition, with many plays and characters
based on popular fiction of the period. Exemplifying
this, the exhibition displays theatre tickets and
playbills announcing various performances of Harriet
Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. The 1852 novel
about the evils of slavery not only impacted literature
and politics, but also when translated to the stage
became one of the longest running shows in the history
of American theatre, playing across the country in
various incarnations for more than 75 years.
The 20th century saw Eugene O'Neill emerge as a major
American playwright. On display is the manuscript
of Beyond the Horizon, O'Neill's first play to be
produced on Broadway. Other featured 20th century
playwrights include Tennessee Williams (and his manuscript
for The Glass Menagerie), Lillian Hellman, Arthur
Miller, Langston Hughes and Sam Shepard. In addition
to these luminaries, the exhibition brings to light
plays of Mark Twain, William Faulkner, John Dos Passos,
Robert Frost and Peter Taylor, all of whom experimented
with playwriting before finding their niches in other
literary genres.
Reaching beyond Broadway, the exhibition encompasses
theatre criticism, drama at the University of Virginia
and regional theatre in Virginia. The stage of the
exhibition is set through manuscripts, plays, photographs,
letters, playbills and programs.
"In the Brilliancy of the Footlights: Creating
America's Theatre" is on display in the McGregor
Room of Alderman Library Monday through Saturday,
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Inquiries are advised for holiday
and summer schedules. For more information, call (434)
243-8969. The exhibition may be viewed online at www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/theatre.
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