Crescent Players records

Series

Identifier: RG 17-1

Staff Only

Content Description

The Crescent Players records collection (1953-2023; 3.7 cubic feet) documents the growth, plays, set design, history, and community outreach of the student-run organization the Crescent Players. Types of materials include: advertisements, articles, correspondence, digital documents, negatives, newspaper clippings, photographs, play bills, posters, prompt books, writings, and artifacts.

Dates

Creation: 1953 - 2023

Language of Materials

Materials primarily in English, with some records in Latin.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use, but some items are in fragile condition.

Conditions Governing Use

Some of these materials are not copyrighted or have unknown copyright. It is under the transgression of the researcher to provide adequate copyright terms for materials they wish to select.

Other materials are copyright of Special Collections and Archives, Hilton C. Buley library, Southern Connecticut State University.

Historical Note

The Crescent Players are a student-run organization on the Southern Connecticut State University campus. Founded in 1954, it is the longest running club/organization on campus and is still currently active. Crescent Players produce and present theatre plays and musicals and frequently collaborates with the Theatre Department. There are also performances, workshops, and events produced solely by Crescent Players. The organization was founded by Robert E. Kendall and undergraduate students in 1954. After Kendall retired as chairman of the Theatre Department in 1978, the Drama Lab's name on campus was changed to "Robert E. Kendall Drama Lab" in honor of his contributions to the Department of Theatre. The organization is open to the whole Southern Connecticut State University community.

Source: Materials within the collection.

Extent

3 Cubic Feet (5 document boxes, 1 records box,1 oversize flat box, 1 model )

0.036 Gigabytes (13 digital files)

Additional Description

Arrangement

Series 1. Administrative Information, 2012-2023 (0.036 Gigabytes). This series contains digital meeting minutes from the Crescent Players board and general meetings. The materials are not arranged. The Constitutions of the organization are also included in this series.

Series 5. Photographs, 1980-2008 (0.6 cubic feet). This series contains photographs taken for the productions. Included are also some playbills and newspaper clippings with images from plays. The photographs are all in chronological order.

Series 3. X, 1956-2020 (0.1 cubic feet). This series contains scripts, newspaper clippings, and alumni news articles that pertain to the organization. Included in this series is the Laurel 1956 Yearbook with a dedicated book plate to the Crescent Players from Robert E. Kendall dated 1978. This series is in chronological order.

Series 6. 3-D Objects, 1955-1978 (2.2 cubic feet). This series contains the Kendall Pewter Cups of 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1975, and 1978. It also contains the Kendall Pewter Tray of 1974 for the play Romeo and Juliet, as well as the 3-D maquette of the set for Romeo and Juliet. The series is in chronological order.

Series 2. Promotional Materials, 1953-2021 (0.5 cubic feet). This series contains posters and playbills for the productions between the years 1953-2021. This series is in chronological order.

Series 4. Prompt Books, 1960-1969 (0.3 cubic feet). This series contains the prompt books for the plays "Twelfth Night", "The Knack", and "Jocasta and Great Catherine". The series is in rough chronological order.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to the digital materials will be available only at the Special Collections reading room. Requests for the access of these digital materials must be made at least 72 hours in advance of visiting the Special Collections reading room. After the request has been completed, please confirm with a Special Collections reference staff member about viewing the digital materials.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession number 2023-038, donated by Mary Pelkey, 28 June 2023.

Accession number 2024-003, donated by Cameron Munoz, 20 September 2023.

Processing Information

Materials were placed in new acid-free boxes and folders.

The collection was arranged into series based on the original order of the records as per maintained by the organization's members. Original folder titles were not retained and any duplicate publications were removed.