Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
University of Utah Department of Theatre records University of Utah Department of Theatre records, 1962-2017
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- University of Utah. Department of Theatre
- Title
- University of Utah Department of Theatre recordsUniversity of Utah Department of Theatre records
- Dates
- 1962-2017 (inclusive)19622017
- Quantity
- 3.25 linear feet + 2 oversized boxes
- Collection Number
- Acc0566
- Summary
- The Department of Theatre provides academic training for students who wish to pursue careers in theatre, related fields, or advanced graduate education. This collection consists of both administrative office files, bound programs, and oversized scrapbooks.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, University Archives and Records Management
University Archives and Records Management, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
666 Guardsman Way
Salt Lake City, UT
84112
Telephone: 8015818242
david.buhler@utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Materials must be used on-site; advance notice suggested. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
In the early 1900's, the theatre curriculum became a part of the Speech Department. Theatre was seperated from the Speech Department in 1962 with the creation of the Department of Theatre and Ballet. This department was later divided into the Department of Theatre and the Department of Ballet in 1966. Film studies and video production were added to the department's curriculum in the 1970s. A seperate Film Program was created in 2000.
During the period covered by this collection, the Department of Theatre was sued by former student Christina Axson-Flynn who alleged that she was expelled from the Actors Training Program in 1999 because she was unwilling to use profanity or blasphemy as part of her course work since it was contrary to her LDS beliefs. She filed a civil action against the University of Utah in district court in 2001 alleging religious discrimination. This lawsuit was dismissed in 2002 and an appeal was was then filed in the Tenth District Court in Denver, Colorado. The University settled with Axson-Flynn outside of court in 2004. As part of the settlement, the University agreed to create a policy that provided guidelines for when and how accomodations could be made for students' belief in course work or other school activities.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The bulk of this collection covers the administrations of Chairpersons William Siska (1991-1997), Xan Johnson (July-December 1998), David Dynak (1999-2005), Bob Nelson (2006-2009), and Gage Williams (2009-2018). The first series of this collection consists of 1.5 linear feet of general administrative files which includes correspondence, memoranda, minutes, and reports. Approximately one half of a linear foot of this material pertains to the Christina Axson-Flynn case. The second series is comprised of 1.75 linear feet of bound programs from the Babcock Theatre, the Pioneer Memorial Theatre, and from student productions. The third series conisists of two oversized boxes containg a binder of undated course outlines, three scrapbooks dating from 1992 to 2006, a binder of SAC historical material compiled in 2002, and a tie-dyed t-shirt dating from approximately 2010.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: University of Utah Department of Theatre records, Acc. 566, Box [ ]. University Archives and Records Management. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.
Following Citations:Acc. 566
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is divided into the following three series: Administrative Office, Bound Programs, and Oversize. The Administrative Office Files are arranged alphabetically by subject while the bound programs and scrapbooks are arranged chronologically.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Administrative Office FilesReturn to Top
Container(s): Series 1
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 1 | Alumni to Axson-Flynn, Christina |
|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Alumni Lists |
1998-2001 |
| 2 | Axson-Flynn, Christina - Correspondence |
1998-2004 |
| 3-4 | Axson-Flynn, Christina - Court Documents |
2000-2004 |
| 5 | Axson-Flynn, Christina - News Articles |
2000-2002 |
| 2 | Babcock Theatre to Full Faculty Meeting Minutes |
|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Babcock Theatre |
1985-2014 |
| 2 | Correspondence |
1982-2006 |
| 3 | Department History |
1986-2012 |
| 4 | Distinguished Alumni |
1998-2012 |
| 5 | Distinguished Alumni - Blackhurst, Klea |
2002 |
| 6 | Distinguished Alumni - Decker, Anne |
2006-2012 |
| 7 | Distinguished Alumni - Jory, Jon V. |
2001-2009 |
| 8 | Distinguished Alumni - Keene, Curtis |
1998-2005 |
| 9 | Distinguished Alumni - Washington, Kenneth H. |
2011 |
| 10 | Executive Committee Meeting Minutes |
1998-2008 |
| 11 | Faculty " Think Tank" Meeting Minutes |
1999-2006 |
| 12 | Film/Theatre Split |
1999-2002 |
| 13-14 | Full Faculty Meeting Minutes |
1998-2008 |
| 3 | Full Time Faculty and Staff Meeting Minutes to Youth Theatre |
|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Full Time Faculty and Staff Meeting Minutes |
1999-2008 |
| 2-3 | Graduate Council Review |
2004; 2008 |
| 4 | Higher Education Arts Data Services - Theatre Data Summaries 2004-2005 |
|
| 5 | Miscellaneous |
1985-2017 |
| 6 | Pioneer Theatre Company White Paper |
2005 October 14 |
| 7 | Quinton, Amy |
1999; 2008 |
| 8 | Salt Lake Shakespeare |
2002-2011 |
| 9 | Strategic Planning |
2000-2011 |
| 10 | Student Handbook |
2007 August |
| 11-12 | Student Orientation Handbook |
1990-1991; 1997-1998 |
| 13 | Studio 115 |
2003 |
| 14 | Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Meeting Minutes |
2000-2006 |
| 15 | West Institute Building |
1984-1988 |
| 16 | Youth Theatre at the U. |
2006-2011 |
Bound ProgramsReturn to Top
Container(s): Series 2
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 4 | Babcock Theatre Programs |
1993-2003 |
| 5 | Babcock Theatre and Pioneer Memorial Theatre Programs |
1962-1982 |
| 6-7 | Student Productions |
1972-1992 |
Oversize ItemsReturn to Top
Container(s): Series 3
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 8 | Oversize |
|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | Course Outlines |
undated |
| 2 | Scrapbook |
1992-1998 |
| 3 | Scrapbook |
1997-2002 |
| 4 | Scrapbook |
2002-2006 |
| 9 | Oversize |
|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | SAC History |
2002 |
| 2 | Tie Dyed T-shirt |
Circa 2010 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Education--Drama
- Theater
Personal Names
- Axson-Flynn, Christina
- Dynak, David M.
- Johnson, Xan S.
- Nelson, Robert A.
- Siska, William Charles
- Williams, Gage
Corporate Names
- Babcock Theatre (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- University of Utah. College of Fine Arts
- University of Utah. Pioneer Memorial Theatre
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Ephemera
- Memorandums
- Minutes
- Playbills
- Reports
- Scrapbooks
- Syllabi
Finding aid created by David Buhler
2018
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
