Programs, 1960 - 1970
Scope and Contents
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: 1960 - 1970
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
Production List
1960- Dark of the Moon / Summer and Smoke / The Teahouse of the August Moon / Othello / The Pajama Game 1962- Taming of the Shrew / The Waltz of the Toreadors / Candida 1963- Rhinoceros /He Who Gets Slapped /Guys and Dolls /She Stoops to Conquer / Cyrano de Bergerac 1964- The Master Builder /An Evening of Absurdities / Look Homeward, Angel / Twelfth Night 1965- The Devil's Disciple /Tom Sawyer /South Pacific / The Doctor In Spite of Himself / The Fantasticks / Androcles and the Lion /A Christmas Carol 1966- The Physicists / A Midsummer Night's Dream /A Streetcar Named Desire / Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1967- The Adding Machine / The Three Sisters / The Rivals / The Importance of Being Earnest / Harvey / Alice in Wonderland 1968- The Tragicial History of Doctor Faustus / The Plough and the Stars / Brigadoon / Ring Round the Moon / Don Quixote 1969- The House of Bernarda Alba / An Italian Straw Hat / The Royal Hunt of the Sun / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Repository Details
Part of the Eastern Michigan University Archives Repository
Bruce T. Halle Library, Room 310
955 West Circle Drive
Ypsilanti Michigan 48197
734-487-2673
lib_archives@emich.edu