Helen C. Clarke Collection of Richmond Theatre Guild Records, 1935-1950

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Helen C. Clarke Collection of Richmond Theatre Guild Records, 1935-1950 (bulk 1935-1940). Accession 42762. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Helen C. Clarke Collection of Richmond Theatre Guild Records, 1935-1950 (bulk 1935-1940). Accession 42762. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

The Helen C. Clarke Collection of Richmond Theatre Guild Records contains annual reports and financial statements, cash book, clippings, correspondence, histories, membership information, minutes, newsletters, photographs, programs, publicity information, and reviews. These records were collected by Helen C. Clarke, executive secretary and business manager of the Richmond Theatre Guild.

This series includes annual reports and fiscal statements, clippings, correspondence, membership campaign materials, minutes (1939 only), newsletters, and reports. The membership campaign material includes lists of members, advertisement campaign cards, instructions to campaign workers, receipts, and a notebook. Includes one newsletter from the Richmond Theatre Guild for 21 January 1938 and forms from the Play selection committee, with choices of play productions. Also includes information on publicity for the theatre, including letters and advertisement sent to clubs, local businesses, and newspapers promoting upcoming productions. A proclamation by Mayor J. Fulmer Bright, declaring the week of 1939 September 15 to 25th as Richmond Theatre Guild Week is also included.

Correspondence, 1936-1950, mostly includes letters from Bertram Yarborough to Helen Clarke, after he left the Richmond Theatre Guild and became director of the Nantucket Playhouse in Massachusetts and the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre in Michigan. Also includes membership cards and flyers for the Green Room Club, a social organization run by the Richmond Theatre Guild. Also of note is a "History of the Theatre in Virginia," written by Helen Clarke.

This series includes clippings, photographs, programs, reviews, and tickets documenting the plays produced by the Richmond Theatre Guild, 1935-1939. Also included are several miscellaneous programs from the Musicians Club of Richmond; National Theatre (Washington, D.C.); The Nantucket Playhouse (Nantucket, Mass.); Tenth Annual Theatrical Ball Local No. 87 of Richmond, Va.; The University of Richmond Players; and The Civic Theater (Indianapolis, In.).

Biographical / historical:

Helen Caroline Mattson Clarke (1894-1967) was married to Joseph Calvitt Clarke (1887-1970) of Chesterfield, Virginia, and served as business manager and secretary for the Richmond Theatre Guild.

The Richmond Theatre Guild, the successor to the Little Theatre League, was formally organized on 25 October 1935 in Richmond, Virginia. Bertram Yarborough served as Director, John M. Taylor Jr., President; Stuart Bryan, First Vice President; Mrs. David E. Satterfield Jr., Second Vice President; Helen Clarke, Executive Secretary; and Robert I. Boswell, Treasurer. The first production was "Fly Away Home," in December 1935. The theatre headquarters were established at 209 West Broad Street at the Lyric Theatre in Richmond. In 1939 Robert E. Prettyman took over as Director and the theatre moved its productions to the Mosque. It is unknown when the Richmond Theatre Guild ceased operations.

Acquisition information:
Purchased.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series I. Administrative Files
  • Series II. Theatre Productions

The plays are arranged chronologically by date of production, with miscellaneous material at the end.

Physical description:
2.35 cu. ft. (7 boxes)