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 DRAMA LIBRARY COLLECTIONS  
Special Collections at the Yale Drama School Library

Collection Quicklinks


Rockefeller Collection
Design Collections
Design Collections from the Yale Drama School Design Department
Doolittle Collection
Costume Collection

Address:
Yale School of Drama Library
222 York Street
Box 208244
New Haven, CT 06520-8244

Telephone: (203) 432-1554
Fax: (203) 432-1550
email: drama.library@yale.edu



 


Rockefeller Collection

Location:
Yale Drama School Library
222 York Street, New Haven

The Rockefeller Collection was compiled in 1930 by Ph.D. students in theatre history, with the help of Allardyce Nicoll and funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. Over the course of two summer trips to Europe, photographs were taken of theatres, museum exhibits, sets, and anything related to theatre. The photos were mounted and filed as the Rockefeller Collection. Some articles and photos from New York productions were added later, but the bulk of the collection consists of European theatre before 1930. The collection is very well organized and cross-referenced; however, due to non-acid-free mounting paper, the collection is deteriorating and not well preserved. The Rockefeller Collection is used regularly by the Yale drama students, and it is available for loan for exhibits.




Design Collections


Location:
Yale Drama School Library
222 York Street, New Haven

Donald Oenslager, one of the original drama school faculty members, started the design department at Yale in 1926. The Oenslager Collection at the drama school library consists of:

  1. pencil sketches of set designs by Oenslager (graph paper not larger than 8 ½ x 11)
  2. color designs of sets and costumes by Oenslager (poster sized), arranged by show—both Yale and professional
  3. 100 books on design/costuming used by Oenslager in his work
  4. costume plates and pictures used by Oenslager in his work
  5. Oenslager's students - designs of sets and costumes (sketches and colored drawings) designed by Oenslager's students for professional or other performances (individually specified).

The Oenslager collection is catalogued in books found at the circulation desk. The drama library is very willing to loan the collection for exhibit purposes.


Yale Drama Library's design collections also include the
Joe Greenhoe Collection—framed reproductions of designs and costume plates from Stratford, Canada.


Design Collections from the Yale Drama School Design Department

Location:
Yale Drama School Design Department
Drama School Theatre Annex
205 Park Street

The Robert Edmund Jones Collection includes:

  • A Large number of painter’s elevations for the revival of Green Pastures in the late 40s
  • Some photos of his work
  • A few of his own sketches (mostly black and white)

Donald Oenslager's Theatrical Print Collection - Oenslager's personal collection of framed prints (etchings, lithographs) from the Italian Renaissance, some from other periods, but no American works.

The design department is hesitant to loan these collections for exhibits, as not a lot of information is known about their origins or subject matter. The department would be willing to discuss, however, whether an exhibit of the collection would be worthwhile. Contact William B. Warfel, co-chairman of design, for a consultation with the design department (776-8784 or 436-2758).



Doolittle Collection


Location:
Yale Drama School Library
222 York Street, New Haven

The Doolittle Collection is a collection of Japanese drama (some Chinese) that was given to the drama library as a gift. Not much is known about the origin of the collection itself, but it is in excellent condition and the contents have been very well catalogued. Some major features of the collection include:

  1. Prints—ranging from 10 x 14" encased in plastic to smaller prints on cloth or rice paper. The prints depict scenes or costumes from specific Japanese productions.
  2. Scrolls—painted with Japanese masks or scenes
  3. Japanese fans
  4. Japanese manuscripts
  5. Some Chinese prints on rice paper

The collection is available for exhibit purposes: contact Pamela Jordan at the drama library: 436-2213.




Costume Collection

Location:
Yale Drama School Costume Department
222 York Street, New Haven

The Drama School Costume Collection fills four medium-sized rooms, with costumes consisting of many styles of clothing representing different eras. Nineteenth-century ladies’ dresses are a particular strong point of the collection. Approximately five new outfits are made for each production, and older costumes are donated for credit to the Costume Collection in New York.

The costume department loans costumes to major theatres with whom they have a "reciprocal loan agreement." They do not loan costumes for personal use; however, special arrangements may be made for certain exhibits. The drama school does not loan dress forms for exhibiting purposes. For information regarding costumes and the department’s loan policy, contact Lisa Logan at the costume department: 436-1471.



 

 


        
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