Theater -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History -- Sources

Chicago Public Library put on a series of 25 lectures and panel discussions devoted to the history and development of theater in Chicago. The programs were held jointly by the Lake View Branch of Chicago Public Library and the CPL/Cultural Center, and made possible in part through grants from the Illinois Humanities Council and Illinois Arts Council.

This scrapbook includes primarily Chicago, New York and Detroit programs, as well as reviews from Chicago newspapers.

Felix Fantus (1886-1955) was an active theater-goer. He collected playbills from the Grand Opera House, Illinois, Powers’, Dearborn and McVicker’s theaters among others. Fantus included these programs and other clippings and ephemera in his theater scrapbook.

Founded by Gary Tucker (pseudonym “Eleven”) in 1971. Includes programs and promotional material for six productions starring such well-known Chicago theater personalities as Linda Kimbrough and Jack Wallace.

Virgil Johnson is an award-winning costume designer whose work has been seen at numerous theaters in Chicago, including Goodman, Court, Victory Gardens, Body Politic, Steppenwolf, Northlight, St. Nicholas and Apollo. Collection includes costume sketches and renderings as well as programs and notes.

Established in 1974 by Byrne and Joyce Piven, who were also founding members of the Playwrights’ Theatre, the group that spawned Second City. The workshop is located in Evanston, Ill. and boasts such recognizable alums as Joan and John Cusack, Aidan Quinn and Jeremy Piven. The collection includes information on Piven Theatre Workshop productions as well as promotional materials on classes and workshops.

The scrapbooks document theater productions in Chicago and elsewhere. Yondorf frequently annotated her programs with the names of her companions and her opinion of the productions.