Director, The Mystery of Edwin Drood: Director's Prompt Book, 1996

The Graham Whitehead Papers, 1938-2009, document the career of this playwright, director, actor, artistic director, and dramaturge. The bulk of materials cover his career with Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, Arizona State University, Childsplay, and his freelance work from 1969 to 2008. Included are: promptbooks; playscripts; play research materials; dramaturgical notes; director's notes; musical scores; set, lighting and costume renderings; rehearsal schedules; calendars; newspaper and periodical articles; correspondence; biographies; curriculum vita; tour journals; photographs; posters; study guides; playbills; photo albums; contracts; awards; grants; ephemera; video cassettes; and computer disks. The collection consists of fourteen series: Biographical, Mermaid Theatre, Arizona State University Department of Theatre, Arizona State University Lyric Opera Theatre, Childsplay, Freelance Artist, Script Writing, Resource Publications, Audiovisual, Awards, Posters, Technical and Design Drawings, Ephemera, and Oversize Manuscript Materials. Many series are divided into Sub-Series.

Series I: Biographical (1976-2001) provides an overview of Whitehead's career and theatrical accomplishments through resumes, articles written by him, and materials describing his involvement with professional organizations. Included are: biographies; curriculum vita; personal photographs; correspondence; employment documents; photocopies of reviews from 1976 to 1991; documents regarding conferences, panels, retreats, and symposia attended; photocopies of dedications inscribed in published books; and tour journals. The files are arranged chronologically.

Series II: Mermaid Theatre (1982-1991) documents the plays Whitehead wrote, performed in, and directed for this Canadian company. The files are arranged chronologically by play. This series is divided into two Sub-Series: Director/Dramaturge, and Plays Authored.

Sub-Series A: Director/Dramaturge, 1982-1991, documents Whitehead's directing and dramaturgical work with Mermaid Theatre. Included are: play research materials; promptbooks; playscripts; dramaturgical notes; director's notes; musical scores; set, lighting and costume renderings; programs; rehearsal schedules; calendars; publicity fliers and postcards; newspaper and periodical articles; photographs; rehearsal reports; correspondence; cast contact sheets; study guides; and tour schedules.

Sub-Series B: Plays Authored, 1983-1991, documents plays adapted or co-written by Whitehead for Mermaid Theatre. He also directed these productions. Included are: play research materials; promptbooks; playscripts; handwritten notes; study guides; fabric samples; correspondence; scenarios; set and costume renderings; floor plans; musical scores; rehearsal schedules; publicity fliers; newspaper and periodical articles; photographs; rehearsal reports; cast contact sheets; programs, and tour schedules.

Series III: Arizona State University Department of Theatre (1992-1994) documents the plays Whitehead directed at Arizona State University while he was an associate professor in the Department of Theatre. Some of the plays directed were joint productions with the Department of Music. Included are: play research materials; promptbooks; handwritten notes; director's notes; musical scores; set renderings and elevations; floor plans; rehearsal schedules; publicity fliers; newspaper and periodical articles; cast contact sheets; and programs. The files are arranged chronologically by play.

Series IV: Arizona State University Lyric Opera Theatre (1993-2009) documents the plays directed by Whitehead for the Lyric Opera Theatre in the Department of Music at Arizona State University. Included are: concept notes; prop notes; play research materials; promptbooks; musical scores; set, lighting and costume renderings; programs; rehearsal schedules; publicity fliers; newspaper and periodical articles and reviews; rehearsal reports; correspondence; and cast contact sheets. The files are arranged chronologically.

Series V: Childsplay (1995-2008) documents the plays Whitehead developed, performed in, and directed for Childsplay. Included are: play research materials; promptbooks; playscripts; dramaturgical notes; director's notes; musical scores; set, lighting and costume renderings; scene breakdowns; floor plans; fabric samples; handwritten notes; concept notes; rehearsal schedules; publicity fliers and postcards; newspaper and periodical articles; photographs; correspondence; cast contact sheets; study guides; and tour schedules. The files are arranged chronologically by play.

Series VI: Freelance Artist (1969-2008) documents the plays Whitehead developed, performed in, and directed as a freelance artist throughout the United States, Canada, and Russia. Included are: play research materials; promptbooks; playscripts; dramaturgical notes; musical scores; set, lighting and costume renderings; rehearsal schedules; publicity fliers; concept notes; newspaper and periodical articles; photographs; correspondence; cast contact sheets; study guides; and tour schedules. The files are arranged chronologically, by play. Bulk dates are 1969, 1971, 1973, 1977-1978, 1982-2006, 2008.

Series VII: Script Writing (1976-2007) documents Whitehead's theatrical, film and television writing career other than at the Mermaid Theatre. Whitehead also directed or acted in some of these productions. Included are: playscripts; handwritten notes; concept notes; promptbooks; programs; research materials; gift books; correspondence; set elevations and renderings; lighting notes; floor plans; costume renderings; press kits; study guides; musical scores; publicity fliers; newspaper and periodical articles; correspondence; and tour schedules. Of note are development and production materials for Comet in Moominland, a puppet play that was produced with multiple companies and was performed at the New Victory Theatre in New York City. The files are arranged chronologically by play. Bulk dates are 1976, 1979-1981, 1989-1995, 1997, and 2007.

Series VIII: Resource Publications contains published books saved by Whitehead that influenced his directing, teaching, and writing careers. Many are inscribed and/or annotated. The series is divided into four Sub-Series: Publications that Influenced His Career; Books Used in Teaching; Books Used as Director or Actor; and Books Collected on Trips.

Sub-Series A: Publications that Influenced His Career (copyright dates from 1965-2000) contains books on puppetry, child development, playwriting, directing, art, theatre for young audiences, creativity, arts advocacy, and Broadway posters.

Sub-Series B: Books Used in Teaching (copyright dates from 1963-1997) contains books on directing, improvisation, acting, and Canadian theatre for young audiences.

Sub-Series C: Books Used as Director or Actor (copyright dates from 1938-1998) contains books on children's games, young adult novels, Shakespeare scripts, and a Lincoln biography. Many of these books were adapted into scripts for young audiences.

Sub-Series D: Books Collected on Trips (copyright dates from 1964-1990) contains books collected on theatre tours and residencies in Japan and Canada.

Series IX: Audiovisual is format-based and documents various productions worked on by Whitehead. This series is divided into two Sub-Series: Moving Images, and Computer Disks. The tapes are arranged chronologically.

Sub-Series A: Moving Images, 1991-2005, contains sixteen VHS video tapes of productions directed, written, acted in, and developed by Whitehead.

Sub-Series B: Computer Disks, 2003-2007, contains two DVDs and five CDs with production renderings, photographs, musical scores, and soundscapes.

Series X: Awards (1986-2004) contains AriZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence presented to Whitehead for directing in the Phoenix area.

Series XI: Posters (most undated) contains posters collected by Whitehead throughout his career. This series is divided into five Sub-Series: Mermaid Theatre, Other Plays Directed, Oversize Play Posters, Gift Posters, and Festival Posters. It is arranged by size.

Sub-Series A: Mermaid Theatre, 1983-1988, posters for plays that Whitehead directed and adapted while working at the Mermaid Theatre in Nova Scotia.

Sub-Series B: Other Plays Directed, 1977-2009, contains posters for plays directed by Whitehead in Canada and America.

Sub-Series C: Oversize Play Posters, most undated, documents Whitehead's early directing career in Canada. Included are posters from plays directed and/or written by Whitehead for performance in Canada, and one for a production at the Arizona State University's Lyric Opera Theatre.

Sub-Series D: Gift Posters, most undated, contains posters with the signatures of casts and crew for productions directed by Whitehead.

Sub-Series E: Festival Posters, 1985-1988, contains posters from theatre festivals in Japan, Canada, and at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Series XII: Technical and Design Drawings documents the design and technical aspects of shows directed by Whitehead. This series is arranged by size, then chronologically and is divided into three Sub-Series: Childsplay, Other Shows Directed, and Oversize.

Sub-Series A: Childsplay, 1995-2004, contains floor plans, costume renderings, and set renderings and elevations for productions directed at Childsplay.

Sub-Series B: Other Shows Directed, 1991-1995, includes floor plans, set renderings, costume renderings, set elevations for productions directed by Whitehead at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Arizona State University's Lyric Opera Theatre and Department of Theatre, and the California Theatre Center.

Sub-Series C: Oversize, 1993-2004 contains set elevations, floor plans, and set renderings for productions directed by Whitehead at the California Theatre Center, Arizona State University's Lyric Opera Theatre, Childsplay, the Arizona Jewish Theatre Company, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Series XIII: Ephemera (1995-2005) contains three-dimensional objects that were used in plays or were presented to Whitehead by cast members.

Series XIV: Oversize Manuscript Materials (1993-2002) contains materials removed from other folders because of their size.