Theater Collections

A college production of "Our Town," starring the playwright
Thornton Wilder as Stage Manager in 1950.

The Gregg D. Wolfe Memorial Library of the Theatre is a collection of books, photographs, playbills, and other materials relating to American and British theatre at the turn of the century. Wolfe, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was known as "Ohio's champion first-nighter." He attended more than 7,300 performances, ranging from Shakespeare and opera to vaudeville and burlesque.

Programs, reviews, and other memorabilia, dating 1884-1946, constitute the most distinctive part of the collection and provide background for the study of regional theatre. An index and database provide easy access to the playbill collection. The book collection includes many first editions and association volumes.

Theatre at the college is represented by the W. Stanley Schutz Theatre Collection. In 1990, Dr. Schutz, former chair of the Theatre Department, donated his collection of photographs, playbills, prop books, theatre notebook, and files on performances produced at the college.

Highlights from this collection include departmental files, photographs, and correspondence related to the May 1950 production of Our Town, starring Thornton Wilder as Stage Manager. As requested by Dr. Schutz, since 1990 the library has continued to collect and document our campus production history. An index and database provide easy access to the playbill collection. There are also two scrapbooks from 1937 to 1975 which include signatures of actors and crew members, newspaper clippings and memorabilia.

Thornton Wilder (from left), President Howard F. Lowry
and Professor William C. Craig talk after Wilder was
given an honorary doctorate by the college. (May 11, 1950)