Stageworks Records

The Stageworks Records, 1979-2008, are comprised of: correspondence, agendas and minutes, production materials, audition forms, event reports, publicity fliers, press releases, play typescripts, attendance and box office reports, schedules, calendars, contact lists, handwritten notes, set and costume renderings, theatre interior drawings, production and publicity photographs, negatives, slides, resource materials, newspaper articles and reviews, study guides, budgets, organizational charts, fundraising campaign materials, promptbooks, musical scores, contracts, programs, class curricula and volunteer forms. The collection documents the early formation of this community theatre, their productions, education programming and volunteer groups. The records bulk dates are 1982 through 1999 and are divided into nine series: Administrative (Box 1-2), Support Groups (Box 3-7), Budgets (Box 8), Marketing (Box 9-10), Production (Box 11-24), Education (Box 25-28), Photographs (Box 29-35), Posters (Box 36) and Design Materials (Box 37).

Series I: Administrative (1979-1999) contains materials documenting the daily operations, procedures, facilities arrangements and fundraising efforts of the theatre company. It consists of correspondence, staff meeting minutes and notes, organizational charts, box office and ticketing procedures, event reports, theatre interior drawings, calendars, facilities planning and development materials, grant proposals, fundraising campaign materials, employee and ethics handbooks and contracts. Of note are Mesa Little Theatre Records, 1980-1983, an adult company which shared the Gaslight Theater with Stageworks and was also part of the City of Mesa's Parks and Recreation Division.

Series II: Support Groups (1979-2000) documents the many and varied support and volunteer groups that enabled the company to develop and maintain numerous programs and productions. The series is further divided into the subgroups: Friends of Mesa Youtheatre, Volunteer Groups and Volunteer Timesheets.

Subseries A: Friends of Mesa Youtheatre (1986-1999) demonstrates the fundraising and benefits work done by the Friends of Mesa Youtheatre. It contains: board packets; by-laws; meeting minutes; annual Murder Mystery program fundraiser materials including an audience participation playscript; budgets; membership forms and lists; and correspondence. This subseries arrangement is chronological.

Subseries B: Volunteer Groups (1979-1999) contains records of the volunteer groups: Star Factory, Action, Curtain Raisers and Techniks. It consists of by-laws, meeting minutes, correspondence and membership lists. The subseries arrangement is chronological.

Subseries C: Volunteer Timesheets (1984-2000) provides detailed information on the volunteer efforts of teens and adults in productions, administrative tasks, and education programs. The timesheets contain the volunteer's name, contact information, time and date, and description of work. The subseries arrangement is chronological.

Series III: Budgets (1985-1991) contains records of incoming and outgoing company funds. It consists of income and expense ledgers' sheets, invoice payments, City of Mesa-Parks and Recreation Division budget guidelines, and correspondence. The series arrangement is chronological.

Series IV: Marketing (1980-2000) contains mostly press releases and newspaper articles on Stageworks productions and other company activities. The remainder of the series focuses on press release policies, procedures and strategies. The records consist of promotional press releases and fliers, newspaper articles, marketing activity plans and strategies, correspondence, City of Mesa marketing guidelines, internet website pages, a press kit and a few photographs. The series arrangement is chronological.

Series V: Production (1982-2005) documents various productions and associated season planning. The series is divided into the subseries: Season Brochures, Planning by Season, Planning by Play, and Promptbooks.

Subseries A: Season Brochures (1982-2000) consists of Stageworks season brochures, which list and describe play productions. The subseries arrangement is chronological.

Subseries B: Planning by Season (1982-1998) demonstrates the many facets of planning and staging productions by season. The records consist of play fliers and programs, ticket sales reports, correspondence, budgets, calendars, timelines and study guides. The subseries arrangement is chronological.

Subseries C: Planning by Play (1982-2005) demonstrates the many facets of planning and staging productions by play. The records consist of: play fliers, programs, attendance and box office reports, correspondence, budgets, calendars and timelines, study guides, cast lists, audition forms, play typescripts, photographs, slides, set and costume renderings, resources and newspaper reviews. Of note, at the end of the subseries are individual programs by play. The arrangement is chronological.

Subseries D: Promptbooks (1985-1999) consists of 3-ring binders for each play that contain playscripts with directors, stage managers or lighting and sound board operators' blocking and/or cue notations. Also included are: rehearsal schedules, floor plans, prop lists, set designs, cast contact lists, programs, rehearsal and performance reports, musical scores, contracts, newspaper articles, CDs, audiotapes, photographs, negatives and slides. The subseries arrangement is chronological.

Series VI: Education (1983-1999) contains mostly information regarding the Summer Arts Camp with the remaining materials documenting performing arts classes. Both demonstrate Stageworks' early education programming for youth. The Summer Arts Camp, 1989-1998, materials consist of: annual camp registration forms and participants' photographs; contact lists; correspondence; staff meeting agendas and notes; activity plans; sign-in sheets; job descriptions; agreements; invoices; and budgets. The class materials, 1983-1999, consist of: lesson plans and handouts; arts standards publications; handicapped activity guides; surveys; schedules; and curriculum and outreach materials. The series arrangement is chronological.

Series VII: Photographs consists of numerous black and white and color production and publicity photographs, some mounted for display purposes, negatives, and slides. A few are arranged by play, but most have no arrangement, description or dates.

Series VIII: Design Materials consists of production floor plans, light plots, set elevations and furniture drawings. The series arrangement is by play.

Series IX: Posters contains numerous posters advertising Stageworks productions. A few are mounted. There are no dates and there is no arrangement to this series.