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Summer Players

 File — oversize: 30, Object: 1-15

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The P. George Bird papers documents the work of emeritus faculty member Paul George Bird during his time at the Michigan State Normal College, Eastern Michigan College and Eastern Michigan University between 1955 and 2007 teaching in the Theatre Department.

The materials in the collection include a few materials from his undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin, correspondence from the Eastern Michigan University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors, mostly related to Bird's unwillingness to join the AAUP Union.

Two awards and a needlepoint of the Peer Gynt production poster make up the series Awards and Gifts. The rest of the materials are arranged into two primary series Course Materials and Notes and Theater Productions. For the length of time that Bird spent teaching in the Theatre program there should be more materials in the Course Materials and Notes series, as it stands there are materials for the Greek Literature Lecture and History of the Theatre to 1642, Course number 406 and CTA 450.

The Theater Production series is where the real weight of the collection lies, with production and set photographs, original posters created and screen printed by his first wife in the basement of their home, prompt books from a few productions, programs that are arranged chronologically, and clippings from the earliest productions through the 1980s, and slides. The last folders of materials include posters collected by Bird as well as three transcripts of oral histories conducted in the spring of 2016, two with Professor Bird and the third with Professors George Bird and Reinhard Wittke. All three oral histories are available online.

The PDF version of the Finding Aid includes a listing of theatre productions that Bird was directly involved in.

Dates

  • Creation: 1950 - 1990

Conditions Governing Access

Researchers are asked to request materials 24 hours prior to visiting the the University Archives.

Extent

From the Collection: 20 Linear Feet (1 record center carton, 5 slide boxes, 37 oversize files, and 2 objects)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Productions Include

Time of A Cuckcoo, The Waltz of Toreadors, Rain, The Doctor in Spite of Himself, The Ring Round the Moon, Twelfth Night, Arms and the Man, Lysistrata, The Heiress, The Happy Time, Thurber Carnival, The Importance of Being Earnest, Juno and the Paycock, Barefoot in the Park, She Stoops to Conquer

Repository Details

Part of the Eastern Michigan University Archives Repository

Contact:
Bruce T. Halle Library, Room 310
955 West Circle Drive
Ypsilanti Michigan 48197
734-487-2673