Series IV: Class and Lecture Notes

The Nellie McCaslin Papers document the writing and teaching career from 1957-2005 of this mostly New York City-based theatre for youth author, actress, workshop leader, playwright, and university professor. Included are: speeches, articles by and about McCaslin, lecture notes, book publicity and drafts, playscripts, correspondence, awards, and research for a dissertation on McCaslin. It is divided into the following ten series: Biographical, Correspondence, Workshops/Lectures, Class and Lecture Notes, Books by McCaslin, Plays by McCaslin, Articles by McCaslin, Marc Janover Dissertation Research, Awards, and Oversized Materials.

SERIES I: Biographical (Box 1), dating from 1943-2005, provides a quick overview of McCaslin’s career. Included are: resumes, photographs, book plates, newspaper and journal articles, interviews, reviews, a conference attendance certificate, theatre programs, correspondence, press releases, and an obituary. The series is arranged chronologically. Bulk dates are: 1943, 1974-1976, 1981-1986, and 1992-2005.

SERIES II: Correspondence (Box 2), dating from 1957-2005, contains correspondence between McCaslin and various individuals. A large portion are letters between McCaslin and two artist/educators from Moscow. The series is arranged chronologically. Bulk dates are: 1957, 1964, and 1977-2005.

SERIES III: Workshops/Lectures (Box 3), dating from 1959-2002, contains materials relating to workshops, lectures, and shows directed by McCaslin. Included are: correspondence, flyers, articles, photographs, posters, conference papers, handwritten notes, and programs. Of note are: flyers for theatre performances in Bulgaria in 1997; and papers presented at the International Drama/Theatre Education Conference in Taiwan in 1991 (most in Chinese), notably Jukebox of the Mind: An Exploration of the Relationship between the Real and the World of Drama Fiction by John Somers, and The Drama Teacher’s Quality and Teaching Techniques by Shiro Kobayashi. The series is arranged chronologically. Bulk dates are: 1959, 1973-1999, and 2002

SERIES IV: Class and Lecture Notes (Box 4), most undated, contains note cards used by McCaslin for lectures on creative drama, children’s theatre, and theatre education advocacy.

SERIES V: Books by McCaslin (Boxes 5-7), dating from 1957-1999, contains research, pre-publication notes and drafts, publisher’s and chapter contributors correspondence, and publicity for books written or edited by McCaslin. Included are: abstracts, classroom resource guides, essays, journal articles, correspondence, advertisements, reviews, flyers, bookmarks, and book covers. The series is arranged by title of publication, then chronologically. Of note are drafts for a chapter titled I’ve Never Been in a Story Before!: Audience Participation and the Theatrical Frame by Anthony Tony Jackson. Bulk dates are: 1957, 1962, 1974-1992, 1995, and 1999.

SERIES VI: Plays By McCaslin (Box 8), dating from 1945-2003, contains pre-publication notes and drafts, publishers’ correspondence, and theatre production materials for plays written by McCaslin, some of which appear in her anthologies Legends in Action and More Legends in Action. Included are: correspondence, contracts, typescripts, newspaper articles and reviews. Bulk dates are: 1945-1983, 2001, and 2003.

SERIES VII: Articles by McCaslin (Boxes 9-10), dating from 1954-2004, contains short writings by McCaslin. Included are: newspaper, magazine, and journal articles; book forewords; a study guide; letters to the editor; and speeches. The series is arranged chronologically. Bulk dates are: 1954-1955, 1963, 1968, 1973, and 1977-2004.

SERIES VIII: Marc Janover Dissertation Research (Box 11), dating from 1985-1988, contains information collected by Marc Janover and obtained by Ann McCormack for dissertations on Nellie McCaslin. Ann McCormack was the only one to complete her graduate study, which was titled, Nellie McCaslin: An American Leader in the Development of Creative Drama and Theatre for Young Audiences, written for her PhD in Educational Theatre at New York University. Included are: correspondence with colleagues, students, and friends of McCaslin; a list of contacts to interview; and handwritten interview notes. Of note are interviews with Nellie McCaslin, Aurand Harris, and Joanna Halpert Kraus.

SERIES IX: Awards (Boxes 12-18), dating from 1968-2004, chronicles awards presented to McCaslin by various national and local organizations and schools. Included are: plaques, trophies, and certificates. Of note is the Campton Bell Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. This series is arranged chronologically. Bulk dates are: 1968, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1985-1992, 1995-1996, and 2001-2004.

SERIES X: Oversized Materials (Boxes 19-20), dating from 1981-2002, contains materials removed from previous boxes because of their size. This series is arranged in box number order.