Theatre

Interested in the history of theater at Mount Holyoke College? Information about past productions, the MHC Theatre Arts department, and the role theater has played in the lives of MHC students and alumns can be found in LITS' Archives and Special Collections (ASC).

Visit the Archives

The finding aids below describe a sampling of the theater-related physical materials in Archives and Special Collections and can help you plan your visit. For information about ASC's hours, policies, and services see the ASC Research page.

• Theatre Arts Department records
  Abstract: The Theater Arts Department Records contain annual department reports; correspondence; course records, examinations, syllabi, and reading lists; performance programs; announcements; articles; press releases; invitations; department publications; scripts written by undergraduate and graduate students; non-Mount Holyoke scripts performed at Mount Holyoke; lists of performances; historical sketches; a dissertation written by Hilda Stahl Wagner on the history of theater arts and drama at Mount Holyoke from 1837 to 1950; and photographs.
  Dates: 1906-

• Summer theatre records
  Abstract: The records of Summer Theatre contain clippings, informational fliers, photographs and programs from the Mount Holyoke Summer Theatre. Historical note: The Mount Holyoke Summer Theatre was founded in 1970 by Jim Cavanaugh. Originally, plays for adults were performed in a tent on Woolley Green. Later the shows were presented on the back lawn of the Mandelles. The Children's Theatre plays were performed in the Ampitheatre.
  Dates: 1970-2001

• Wendy Wasserstein papers
  Overview: Wasserstein, Wendy, 1950-2006; playwright and author, Mount Holyoke College graduate, 1971. Papers consist of writings (plays and screenplays, short writings, and books); correspondence; diaries and notebooks; student material; awards and honors; address books, appointment books, and calendars; scrapbooks; memorabilia; biographical material; legal and financial documents; family papers; audiovisual material; photographs; and oversized material.
  Dates: 1954-2006

Explore online

Some ASC materials that are available online:

• Five College Compass: Digital Collections Digital reproductions of materials in Archives and Special Collections. Includes the Mount Holyoke College Student Newspaper Collection, yearbooks, photographs, student correspondence, scrapbooks, and more.
• College Web Archives Archives and Special Collections also captures various parts of the Mount Holyoke College website. These archived versions of the site can be found through Archive-It.org.

Get help

Questions? Contact the ASC's helpful staff at archives@mtholyoke.edu.