1907 saw the first recorded production of what was termed the "Saint Mary's Dramatic Class". Annual plays were conducted as a part of the College's closing activities, until 1940 when the formalized Saint Mary's College Playshop was formed. They presented a number of performances over the years, however, the move from the Windsor Street campus to Gorsebrook Campus in the early 1950s resulted in a hiatus of three years in dramatic productions. With the creation of basic stage facilities in the Fall of 1953, the group begin performing again, although not officially as SMU Drama Society until 1958.
Due to the fact SMU only had male students until 1968, female students from the convent of the Sacred Heart were invited to play female roles. The Saint Mary's University Dramatic Society is an amateur group of students, staff, alumni, and friends of the University who work together with a professional director, and a faculty moderator. It is funded from the operating budget of the University, and has traditionally been permitted to use any and all revenues generated from its productions. The society also provides assistance to amateur theatre groups through offering technical advice and the loan of equipment.
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Fonds consists of material relating to the productions and functioning of the Saint Mary's University Drama Society. The fonds includes playbills, tickets, news clippings, photos, scrapbooks, financial records, and other material.
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Series consists of material relating to the major productions of the SMU Drama Society (SMUDS). The series is organized by production (with one file for "other playbills"), and includes playbills, tickets, news clippings, and other material relating to plays/productions put on by the SMUDS.
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Series consists of copies of scripts made by the SMU Drama Society. Includes copies of "Bury the Dead", "You Can't Take it With You", "Egyptian Mysteries", and "Truscott: The Children's Hour".
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Series consists of materials relating to the administration of the SMU Drama Society. Includes correspondence, newsletters, financial information, agreements, news clippings, awards, rights information, and other material.
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Series consists of photographs, contact sheets, and photographic negatives depicting actors and productions put on by the SMU Drama Society.
Files are arranged by either subject (i.e., person photographed) or by production.
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Series consists of photo albums containing pictures from various productions and the history of the SMU Drama Society. Includes some associated ephemera (i.e., playbills).
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File consists of an album containing photos and ephemera from various productions of the SMU Drama Society. Includes pictures from "Twain by the Tale", "The Creature Creeps", "The Trial of Steven Truscott", "Play it Again, Sam", "Dirty Work at the Crossroads", "Crimes of the Heart", "She Stoops to Conquer", "The Ghost Train", and "Arms and the Man".
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File contains a photo album containing pictures of two SMU Drama Society productions, Charles McLellan's "Myths and Magic", and Sean O'Casey's "The Shadow of a Gunman". The album includes some ephemera such as playbills and tickets.
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File consists of an album of pictures from a SMU Drama Society of "Cyrano de Bergerac".
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File consists of an album of pictures from the following productions of the SMU Drama Society: "Stalag 17", "Laura", and "Becket". The sets for "Laura" were designed by C. Anthony and Jane Shaw Law.
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File includes a photo album containing pictures from the SMU Drama Society's productions of "Under the Milk Wood" and "The Happiest Days of Your Life". Includes some ephemera (i.e., playbills) as well.
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File is a photo album containing pictures from the SMU Drama Society productions of Philip King's "See How They Run" and Kay Hill's "Three to Get Married". The album includes some associated ephemera, such as playbills and tickets.
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File contains a photo album containing pictures and a program from the SMU Drama Society's production of Bertolt Brecht's "The Good Woman of Setzuan".
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File is a photo album of pictures depicting the history of SMU Drama Society. Pictures include award ceremonies, and some unidentified productions.
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File consists of a photo album containing pictures from the following SMU Drama Society productions: "The Taming of the Shrew" (1973), "Public Eye and Riders to the Sea" (1981), "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1974), "The Happiest Days of Your Life" (1977), "Myths and Magic" (1975), and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (1965). The album also contains several unidentified photos.
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Series consists of seven books collected by the SMU Drama Society on theatre, stagecraft, make-up, set deisgn, and related topics.
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Series consists of miscellaneous materials (i.e., a certificate presented to Faith Ward, a T-Shirt, material from the Stratford Theatre Festival), and financial material (expenses, employment records, and other documents) collected by the SMU Drama Society.
Materials originally housed together.
Restrictions on "Employment" file may apply.
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Series consists of a variety of scrapbooks containing ephemera (playbills, tickets, etc) and photographs from various SMU Drama Society productions.
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File consists of a binder containing ephemera (playbills and tickets) from plays and productions performed by the SMU Drama Society between 1954 and 1984.
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File consists of photographs and captions from productions put on by the SMU Drama Society between 1981 and 1983 ("The Public Eye and Riders to the Sea", "Lady Windermere's Fan", "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie", and "Pride and Prejudice".
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File consists of photos from SMU Drama Society productions (including, at least, "Becket" and "Marat/Sade"). The scrapbook also includes a playbill.
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Series consists of photographs and ephemera (i.e. playbills) from productions performed by the SMU Drama Society between 1960-1963, including "The Blood is Strong", "The Winslow Boy", "Mary Stuart", a"The Teahouse of August Moon", and "Charley's Aunt".
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File consists of photographs from the SMU Drama Society production of "Arsenic and Old Lace".
Files stored with oversized material in the Archives.
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Series consists of promotional posters (final copies, and some draft versions) used to promote SMU Drama Society productions. Also filed with the series is a ledger outlining amusement tax.