Varsity Show Records, 1894-

Varsity Show Records, 1894-

Summary Information

Abstract

The Varsity Show Records document the history of Columbia University's Varsity Show, an annual student written and produced musical that lampoons Columbia life. The records contain programs, scores, scripts, photographs, posters and other memorabilia from past productions. Notable Varsity Show alumni include Richard Rodgers (CC' 23), Oscar Hammerstein II (CC' 16), Lorenz Hart (CC '18), Herman Wouk (CC '34) and I.A.L. Diamond (CC '41).

At a Glance

Call No.:
UA#0106
Bib ID:
7008843 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
Varsity Show (Columbia University)
Repository:
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Physical Description:
30.32 linear feet (12 document boxes, 18 flat boxes, 1 DVD box, 1 phonograph record storage box)
Language(s):
English .
Access:
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

The following boxes are located off-site: Boxes 2-4, 6-9, 12-15, 18, and 21. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Description

Summary

The Varsity Show Records document productions of Columbia University's annual Varsity Show. Materials for each production include original programs, scripts, scores, press clippings, photographs and correspondence or promotional materials relating to the show. The collection includes scripts by the Oscar winning writer I.A.L. Diamond, who wrote the book for four Varsity shows.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

The following boxes are located off-site: Boxes 2-4, 6-9, 12-15, 18, and 21. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Varsity Show Records; Box and Folder; University Archives, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accrual

Additions are expected annually

Immediate Source of Acquisition

2005.011: Source of acquisition--Various sources, I.A.L. Diamond, Marian Ferry Williams. Method of acquisition--Gifts; Date of acquisition--2005-2008.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Papers processed Darragh Martin 2008 October.

Revision Description

2009-10-29 File created.

2010-01-04 xml document instance created by Lea Osborne.

2017-08-22 xml document instance updated by Jocelyn Wilk.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Historical Note

Initially conceived as a fundraiser for the University's Athletics team, The Varsity Show has grown into Columbia University's oldest performing arts tradition, an annual extravaganza that has launched many students on their paths to careers in the arts and elicited cheers and blushes from those in the Columbia community who find themselves subject of its satire.

The first Varsity Show, Joan of Arc by Guy Wetmore Caryl, CC' 95, was conceived as a fundraiser for Columbia's fiscally struggling athletics team, with all funds benefiting the Columbia College Athletic Union. The original musical extravaganza was developed by The Columbia College Musical Society and featured many of the staples of early Varsity Shows: an exotic location, a far-fetched plot and humorous contemporary references (the 'All-France Football Team'). As Columbia lacked a suitable theatre for the performance, Joan of Arc was performed in The Manhattan Athletic Club Theatre. It proved a financial and artistic success, drawing praise from the press and funds from its audience.

Subsequent varsity shows followed a similar pattern: game Columbia students bewigged themselves as Egyptians, swashbuckled and time-traveled in a variety of gently ludicrous situations which helped earn funds for their athletics team. With modern musical comedy not yet developed, melodramatic operettas dominated the New York stage and these provided ample material for Columbia students to lampoon. As the costumes and settings became increasingly elaborate, the Varsity Show (a moniker first adopted for 1900's The Governer's Vrouw) moved further from its role as fiscal cheerleader for the varsity team and justified its existence in its own right. The Columbia University Players was established between 1904 and 1906 so that the Varsity Show could be performed as an annual spectacle whose raison d'etre was its own pomp rather than generating sports revenue.

Varsity Shows continued in this vein up to the 1950s, quickly becoming an important Columbia institution, though they continued to be performed off-campus, in impressive locations such as The Hotel Astor or the Waldolf-Astoria. These spaces helped to draw in the Broadway theatre crowd who might not have made it uptown and offered an invaluable opportunity for students to strut and sing on a professional stage, with a professional orchestra accompanying them. Though Varsity alums stepped in to help direct and produce, shows continued to be written, performed and composed entirely by students, many of whom used The Varsity Show as a springboard towards professional careers in the arts.

Although the Varsity Show moved beyond its original mandate as a fundraiser for Columbia athletics, many members of the varsity team participated in the show as part of its infamous pony ballet. With women not admitted into Columbia until the 1980s, the Varsity Show featured Columbia students in drag for its female roles. While some of these men made very striking leading "ladies," the pony ballet sought out burly athletes to participate in its parade of dancing girls. This ballet became one of the most beloved features of the early Varsity Show and attempts to introduce Barnard and Teachers College female students in the 1930s were met with protest. It was not until the 1950s that women were allowed a space on the Varsity Show stage and since then female students have played an active role in performing, producing, authoring and composing subsequent Varsity Shows.

The mid-century heralded further changes for the Varsity Show. World War II necessitated a reduction in scale and 1944's On the Double performed in Columbia campus' Brander Matthews Theater. The move became permanent, with subsequent Varsity Shows performed uptown at Columbia instead of in the midst of the Broadway theatre district. Though the shows continued to be extravagant, it became increasingly difficult to maintain the enterprise as the twentieth century continued and despite successes such as 1954's bicentennial The Sky's The Limit, which featured contributions from Varsity alumni Herman Wouk and I.A.L. Diamond, and 1960s' A Little Bit Different by Terrence McNally, the Varsity Show struggled to find adequate funding for its spectacular stagings and ceased productions for over a decade after 1967's Feathertop. Though there were intermittent attempts at resurrecting the Varsity Show, such as 1978's The Great Columbia Riot of '78 it wasn't until 1982's Columbia Graffiti, a musical revue staged by enterprising sophomores, that the Varsity Show re-emerged as the biggest annual event in Columbia's performing arts calendar. Productions from the 1980s on focused their attentions on satirizing Columbia's administration and lampooning the personal anxieties and bureaucratic battles that Columbia students face. Many aspects of student life, from relationships with Professors to concern over Columbia's expansion into Manhattanville, have been turned into a song and dance number and 1994's Varsity Show even recruited several celebrities (including former Vice Presidential Nominee Geraldine Ferraro and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins) to cameo as God in Angels at Columbia.

The Varsity Show boasts many successful alumni. Oscar Hammerstein II (CC'16) and Richard Rodgers (CC'23), who would later collaborate on many celebrated musicals as lyricist and composer (including Oklahoma, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music), were involved in separate Varsity productions. Hammerstein donned blackface to portray "Washington Snow" in 1916's The Peace Pirates while Rodgers provided music for 1923's Half Moon Inn and collaborated with Lorenz Hart (CC'18) for 1920's Fly with Me. This partnership proved prolific outside Columbia's gates and Hart went on to write lyrics for Pal Joey and The Boys from Syracuse. I.A.L. Diamond (CC '41), who won an Oscar for co-writing 1960s The Apartment with Billy Wilder, flexed his writing muscles on the Varsity Show before he moved to Hollywood. Diamond is the only writer who was responsible for four consecutive Varsity Shows, devoting much of his time at Columbia to creating pithy scripts during World War II, including penning parts for Hitler and Mussolini in 1938's You've Got Something There. Other notable Varsity alumni include Herman Wouk (CC' 34) who wrote The Caine Mutiny, Ed Kleban (CC' 60) who wrote the lyrics for A Chorus Line and Terrence McNally (CC' 60) who wrote Love!Valour!Compassion!

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form
Scores (documents for music)
Name
Diamond, I. A. L.
Hammerstein, Oscar, II, 1895-1960
Hart, Lorenz, 1895-1943
Rodgers, Richard, 1902-1979
Wouk, Herman, 1915-2019
Subject
College musicals -- Columbia University
Musicals -- Scores

Series I: Productions, 1894-2008

Series I contains all non-photographic materials relating to individual productions of The Varsity Show, including original scripts and scores, programs, promotional materials and press clippings. For some productions there are also audio or video recordings available. Productions are arranged chronologically in ascending order from 1894 to the present. Some productions have extensive supplementary materials, including scripts, scores and musical parts for the orchestra. The Varsity Show was not performed every year and had a hiatus from 1967 to 1982. Info about the annual I.A.L. Diamond award (established in 2004) can also be found in the appropriate production files for a given year. For a list of past shows and links to YouTube recordings please visit https://www.thevarsityshow.com/past-shows

This series also includes a small amount of miscellaneous supplementary materials, which document other Columbia musicals related to the Varsity Show including Clare de Lune, a 1923 musical comedy by Barnard's Edythe Sheehan and The Soldier's Wedding, a 1907 musical by Varsity writer Walter E. Kelley


Box 1 Folder 1

General, 1925-2014


Box 1 Folder 2

Joan of Arc , 1894


The Buccaneer


Box 1 Folder 3

General, 1896


Box 7 Folder 1

Score-Fragments, 1896


Box 7 Folder 2

Script-Partial, 1896


Box 7 Folder 3

Vocal Selections, 1896


Cleopatra


Box 1 Folder 4

General, 1897


Box 2 Folder 1

Bass Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 2

Bassoon Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 3

Cello Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 4

Clarinet Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 5

Cornet Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 6

Flute Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 7

Horns Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 8

Oboe Part, 1897


Box 2 Folder 9

Overture, 1897


Box 2 Folder 10

Score, 1897


Box 3 Folder 2

Act One Score, 1897, (2 Folders)


Box 3 Folder 3

Act One Number Four Score, 1897


Box 3 Folder 4

Second Violin Part, 1897


Box 3 Folder 5

Trombone Part, 1897


Box 3 Folder 6

Tympani Drums Part, 1897


Box 3 Folder 7

Viola Part, 1897


Box 3 Folder 8

Violin Part, 1897


Box 1 Folder 5

Cleopatra , 1899


Box 1 Folder 6

The Governor's Vrouw , 1900


Box 1 Folder 7

The Princess Proud , 1901


The Vanity Fair


Box 1 Folder 8

General, 1902


Box 3 Folder 11

Bass Part, 1902


Box 3 Folder 12

Bassoon Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 1

Cornet Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 2

First Violin Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 3

Oboe Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 4 to 5

Score, 1902, (2 Folders)


Box 4 Folder 6

Second Violin, 1902


Box 4 Folder 7

Timpani and Drum Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 8

Trombone Part, 1902


Box 4 Folder 9

Viola Part, 1902


Box 1 Folder 9

The Mischief Maker , 1903


Box 1 Folder 10

The Isle of Illusia , 1904


Box 1 Folder 11

The Khan of Kathan , 1905


Box 4 Folder 10

Vocal Numbers, 1905


The Conspirators


Box 1 Folder 12

General, 1906


Box 15 Folder 9

He Just Wants You Score, circa 1906


Box 15 Folder 10 to 12

Score, circa, 1906, (3 Folders)


Box 15 Folder 13

The Typhoon Score, circa 1906


Box 1 Folder 13

The Ides of March , 1907


Box 1 Folder 14

Mr. King , 1908


Box 1 Folder 15

In Newport , 1909


The King of Hilaria


Box 5 Folder 1

General, 1910


Box 5 Folder 2

Script, 1910


Box 5 Folder 3

Costume Plot, 1910


Box 6 Folder 1

Bass Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 1

Bassoon Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 2

Cello Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 2

Clarinet Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 3

Cornet Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 3

First Violin Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 4

Flute Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 4

Horns Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 5

Oboe Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 5

Piano Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 6

Second Violin Part, 1910


Box 21 Folder 6

Timpani Drums Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 7

Trombone Part, 1910


Box 6 Folder 8

Viola Part, 1910


Made in India


Box 5 Folder 4

General, 1911


Box 7 Folder 4

Score, 1911


Box 5 Folder 5

The Mysterious Miss Apache , 1912


Box 5 Folder 6

The Brigands , 1913


The Merry Lunatics


Box 5 Folder 7

General, 1914


Box 7 Folder .5

Bass Clarinet Part, 1914


Box 7 Folder 6

Bassoon Part, 1914


Box 14 Folder 1

Clarinet Part, 1914


Box 14 Folder 2

Contra Bassoon Part, 1914


Box 14 Folder 3

First Violin Part, 1914


Box 14 Folder 4

Horns Part, 1914


Box 7 Folder 7

Oboe Part, 1914


Box 7 Folder 8

Overture, 1914


Box 7 Folder 9

Piano Part, 1914


Box 14 Folder 5 to 6

Score, 1914, (2 Folders)


Box 15 Folder 1

Second Bassoon Part, 1914


Box 15 Folder 2

Second Oboe Part, 1914


Box 8 Folder 1

Trombone Part, 1914


Box 8 Folder 2

Trumpet Part, 1914


Box 15 Folder 3

Tuba Part, 1914


Box 15 Folder 4 to 5

Tympani Part, 1914, (2 Folders)


Box 5 Folder 8

On Your Way , 1915


Box 5 Folder 9

The Peace Pirates , 1916


Home, James


Box 5 Folder 10

General, 1917


Box 5 Folder 11

Script--with Notes, 1917


Box 21 Folder 6

Assorted Musical Parts, 1917


Box 8 Folder 3

Cello Part, 1917


Box 8 Folder 4

Drums Part, 1917


Box 8 Folder 5

Flute Part, 1917


Box 8 Folder 6

Score--Incomplete, 1917


Ten for Five


Box 5 Folder 12

General, 1918


Box 8 Folder 7

Bass Part, 1918


Box 8 Folder 8

Cello Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 1

Clarinet Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 2

Drums Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 3

First Violin Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 4

Flute Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 5 to 7

Score--Incomplete, 1918, (3 Folders)


Box 9 Folder 8

Trombone Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 9

Trumpet Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 10

Tympani and Drums Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 11

Viola Part, 1918


Box 9 Folder 12

Violin Part, 1918


Box 10 Folder 1

Take a Chance , 1919


Fly with Me , 1920s


Box 10 Folder 2

General, 1920


Box 21 Folder 7

Score, 1920


Box 10 Folder 3

You'll Never Know , 1921


Steppe Around


Box 10 Folder 4

General, 1922


Box 9 Folder 13 to 14

Actors' Parts, 1922, (2 Folders)


Box 9 Folder 15

Score, 1922


Box 10 Folder 5

Half Moon Inn , 1923


Box 10 Folder 6

Old King's , 1924


Box 10 Folder 7

Half Moon Inn , 1925


Box 10 Folder 8

His Majesty, The Queen , 1926


Box 10 Folder 9

Betty Behave , 1927


Box 10 Folder 10

Zuleika , 1928


Box 11 Folder 1

Oh Hector , 1929


Box 11 Folder 2

Heigo Pharaoh , 1930


Box 11 Folder 3

Great Shakes , 1931


Box 11 Folder 4

How Revolting , 1932


Box 11 Folder 5

Home James , 1933


Box 11 Folder 6

Laugh it Off! , 1934


Box 11 Folder 7

Flair Flair the Idol of Paree , 1935


Box 11 Folder 8

Off your Marx , 1936


Some of the People


Box 11 Folder 9

General, 1937


Box 12 Folder 1 to 2

Alto Saxophone Part, 1937, (2 Folders)


Box 12 Folder 3

Bass Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 4

Cello Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 5

Drums Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 6

First Violin Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 7

Flute Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 8 to 9

Tenor Saxophone Part, 1937, (2 Folders)


Box 12 Folder 10 to 12

Trumpet Part, 1937, (3 Folders)


Box 12 Folder 13

Violin Cello Part, 1937


Box 12 Folder 14

Violin Part, 1937


You've got Something There


Box 11 Folder 10

General, 1938


Box 13 Folder 1 to 2

Alto Saxophone Part, 1938, (2 Folders)


Box 13 Folder 3

Bass Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 4

Cello Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 5

Drums Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 6

First Trumpet Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 7

First Violin Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 8

Tenor Saxophone Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 9

Second Trumpet Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 10

Third Trumpet Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 11

Trombone Part, 1938


Box 13 Folder 12

Violin Part, 1938


Box 11 Folder 11

Fair Enough , 1939


Life Begins in '40


Box 11 Folder 12

General, 1940


Box 15 Folder 6

Score, 1940


Box 16 Folder 1

Hit the Road , 1941


Box 16 Folder 2

Saints Alive , 1942


Box 16 Folder 3

Second the Motion , 1945


Step Right Up


Box 16 Folder 4

General, 1946


Box 15 Folder 7

Lullaby Music , circa 1946


Box 15 Folder 8

Madeline Waltz Music , circa 1946


Box 16 Folder 5

Dead to Rights , 1947


Box 16 Folder 6

Streets of New York , 1948


Box 16 Folder 7

Mr. Oscar , 1949


Box 16 Folder 8

Wait for It , 1950


Streets of New York


Box 16 Folder 9

General, 1952


Box 30

Record Album, 1952


Digital copy available

Varsity Show Recordings

(B-side of album contains music from T.S Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral performed by Columbia University Players.)


Shape of Things


Box 16 Folder 10

General, 1953


Box 30

Record Album, 1953


Digital copy available

Varsity Show Recordings


Sky's the Limit , 1954


Box 16 Folder 11

General, 1954


Box 30

Record Album, 1954


Digital copy available

Varsity Show Recordings


When in Rome


Box 16 Folder 12

General, 1955


Box 30

Record Album, 1955, 2 phonograph records


Digital copy available

Varsity Show Recordings


Box 30

Not Fit to Print , 1956, 2 phonograph records

(Record Albums only)


Box 30

The Voice of the Sea , 1957, 3 phonograph records

(Record Albums only)


Box 30

The Streets of New York - Revival , 1958

(Record Album only)


Box 30

Dig That Treasure , 1959

(Record Album only)


Box 16 Folder 13

Elsinore , 1963


Box 16 Folder 14

The Bawd's Opera , 1966


Box 16 Folder 15

The Feathertop , 1967


Box 16 Folder 16

The Great Columbia Riots of '78 , 1978


Fly with Me , 1980

A phonograph recording of this production is found in the Historical files. A digitized copy can be accessed here: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-mzy1-s464.


Box 16 Folder 17 to 18

General, 1980, (2 Folders)


Box 22

Conductor's Score, (2 volumes)


Box 23 Folder 1

Harp Part


Box 23 Folder 2

Cello 1 Part


Box 23 Folder 3

Cello 2 Part


Box 23 Folder 4

Viola 1 Part


Box 23 Folder 5

Viola 2 Part


Box 24 Folder 1

Bass 1 Part


Box 24 Folder 2

Violin A1 Part


Box 24 Folder 3

Violin A2 Part


Box 24 Folder 4

Violin B1 Part


Box 24 Folder 5

Violin B2 Part


Box 25 Folder 1

Oboe 1 Part


Box 25 Folder 2

Bassoon 1 Part


Box 25 Folder 3

Clarinet 1 Part


Box 25 Folder 4

Clarinet 2 Part


Box 25 Folder 5

Flute 1 Part


Box 26 Folder 1

Horns 1 and 2 Parts


Box 26 Folder 2

Tuba 1 Part


Box 26 Folder 3

Trumpets 1 and 2 Parts


Box 26 Folder 4

Trombone 1 Part


Box 26 Folder 5

Percussion Part


Box 27 Folder 1-7

Script, (7 copies)


Box 28 Folder 1

Bass Part


Box 28 Folder 2

Piano Part


Box 28 Folder 3

Contact Sheet


Box 28 Folder 4

Notes


Box 28 Folder 5

Dinner


Box 28 Folder 6-7

Research Notes


Box 28 Folder 8

Publicity--Advertising Campaign


Box 28 Folder 9

Publicity--Media Coverage (reviews and ads)


Box 28 Folder 10

Logos


Box 28 Folder 12

Programs


Box 28 Folder 13

Short Film


Box 28 Folder 14

Recording Orders


Box 28 Folder 15

Recording


Box 29 Folder 1

Recording--Bruce Yeko Files


Box 29 Folder 2

Proposal to Publish


Box 29 Folder 3-4

Royalties


Box 29 Folder 5

Proposal and Budget


Box 29 Folder 6

Copyright


Box 29 Folder 7

Contracts


Box 29 Folder 8

Richard Rodgers and Mrs. Dorothy Feiner Rodgers


Box 29 Folder 9-12

Correspondence


Box 29 Folder 13

McMillin Theatre


Box 29 Folder 14

Alumni and Trustees


Box 29 Folder 15

Reel to Reel tape of WQXR "Listening Room", 1980 April 21


(Host: Robert Sherman. 2 track stereo, 7 1/2 IPS)


Box 29 Folder 16

Videocassette of Production

(U-matic tape. Handwritten note on tape says "Promo Reel, Director of Photography, Michael Negrin")


Box 16 Folder 19

Columbia Graffiti , 1982


Box 16 Folder 20

College on Broadway , 1982


Box 16 Folder 21

Fear of Scaffolding , 1983


Box 16 Folder 22

The New U , 1984


Box 16 Folder 23

Lost in Place , 1985


Box 17 Folder 1

Sans Souci be Happy , 1989


Box 17 Folder 2

Behind the Lion Curtain , 1990


Box 17 Folder 3

The Silence of the Lions , 1991


Box 32

Audio Cassette, 1991



Box 17 Folder 4

The Lion Game , 1993


Box 17 Folder 5

Columbia History of the World , 1994


Box 17 Folder 6

Step Inside , 1995


Box 17 Folder 7

Enlargement and Enhancement , 1997


Box 17 Folder 8

Love is Indefinite , 1998


Box 17 Folder 9

Sex, Lions, and Videotape , 2001


Dial D for Deadline


Box 17 Folder 9A

General, 2003


Box 32

DVD, 2003



Off Broadway


Box 17 Folder 10

General, 2004


Box 32

DVD (3 copies), 2004



Box 31 Folder 7

The Varsity Show: A Celebration - digital artwork and text files, 2003-2004

Digital files used to create the book. Consists of (10)optical discs


Box 31 Folder 8

The Varsity Show: A Celebration , 2004

Celebratory volume documenting the history of the Varsity Show made possible by a grant from Columbia250


The Sound of the Muses


Box 17 Folder 11

General, 2005

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD, 2005



Misery Loves Columbia


Box 17 Folder 12

General, 2006

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD , 2006



Insufficent Funds


Box 17 Folder 13

General, 2007

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD, 2007



Morningside Hates , 2008


Box Electronic folder

General, 2008

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD, 2008



The Gates of Wrath


Box 17 Folder 14

General, 2009

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD, 2009



College Walk of Shame


Box 17 Folder 15

General, 2010

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 32

DVD, 2010



Box 17 Folder 16

Another Scandal! , 2011

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 17 Folder 17

The Corporate Core , 2012

PDF script and digital music files available in the UA office


Box 31 Folder 2

The Great Netscape , 2013

PDF script and digital music files available in the UA office


Box 31 Folder 3

Morningside Nights , 2014

Digital script and music files available in the UA office


Box 31 Folder 4

Almagedon , 2015


Box 31 Folder 5

A King's College , 2016

PDF script and score files available in the UA office


Box 31 Folder 6

A Tale of Two Colleges , 2017

PDF files of scripts and score available in UA office


Box Electronic folder

Lights Out on Broadway , 2018

PDF files of script and score available in UA office


Box Electronic folder

We Hope This Musical Finds You Well , 2020-2021

PDF script available in UA office


Box Electronic folder

Campus in the Cloud , 2021

PDF script and recording instruction notes document available in UA office


Box 31 Folder 9

Well Endowed , 2022

PDF of script, score and poster available in UA office


Box 31 Folder 10

Transfer of Power , 2023

PDF of script and score and digital photos available in UA office


Box 31 Folder 1

Unidentified Script Fragment, undated


Unidentified Scores


Box 18 Folder 1

French Song, undated


Box 18 Folder 2

Wooden Shoe Dance , undated


Box 18 Folder 3 to 9

Unidentified Scores, undated, (7 Folders)


Box 21 Folder 8

Unidentified Score--by Hugo Frey, circa 1916


Box 20 Folder 22

Miscellaneous Supplementary Materials, 1907-1923

Series II: Photographs, 1894-

Series II is composed of photographs from Varsity Shows from 1894 onwards. Most photographs are production photographs, but some backstage and rehearsal photographs are also included. Productions are arranged chronologically in ascending order from 1894 to the present. Where possible, photographs have been organized by individual productions; some of I.A.L. Diamond's photographs, which span the late 1930s and early 1940s have been retained in their original folder to avoid potential misidentification


Box 19 Folder 1

Joan of Arc , 1894


Box 19 Folder 2

The Buccaneers , 1896


Box 19 Folder 3

Cleopatra , 1897


Box 18 Folder 9

Cleopatra--Oversize Photographs, 1897


Box 18 Folder 10

Cleopatra--Oversize Photographs, 1899


Box 19 Folder 4

Cleopatra , 1899


Box 19 Folder 5

Vanity Fair , 1902


Box 19 Folder 6

The Mischief Maker , 1903


Box 19 Folder 7

The Isle of Illusia , 1904


Box 19 Folder 8

The Khan of Kathan , 1905


Box 19 Folder 9

The Conspirators , 1906


Box 19 Folder 10

The Ides of March , 1907


Box 19 Folder 11

Mr King , 1908


Box 19 Folder 12

In Newport , 1909


Box 19 Folder 13

Made in India , 1911


Box 19 Folder 14

The Brigands , 1913


Box 19 Folder 15

The Merry Lunatic , 1914


Box 19 Folder 16

You'll Never Know , 1921


Box 19 Folder 17

Steppe Around , 1922


Box 19 Folder 18

His Majesty, the Queen , 1926


Box 20 Folder 1

Oh Hector , 1929


Box 20 Folder 2

Heigho Pharaoh , 1930


Box 20 Folder 3

Great Shakes! , 1931


Box 20 Folder 4

How Revolting , 1932


Box 20 Folder 5

Home James , 1933


Box 20 Folder 6

Flair-Flair, the Idol of Paree , 1935


Box 20 Folder 7

I.A.L. Diamond Photographs--Miscellaneous Productions, circa 1939-1941


Box 20 Folder 9

Fair Enough , 1939


Box 20 Folder 10

Life Begins in '40 , 1940


Box 20 Folder 11

Saints Alive , 1942


Box 20 Folder 12

Step Right Up , 1946


Box 20 Folder 13

Streets of New York , 1948


Box 20 Folder 14

Babe in the Woods , 1951


Box 20 Folder 15

Streets of New York , 1952


Box 20 Folder 16

The Shape of Things , 1953


Box 20 Folder 17

Sky's the Limit , 1954


Box 20 Folder 18

When in Rome , 1955


Come Fly with Me , 1980


Box 20 Folder 19

Photographs, 1980


Box 28 Folder 11

Production Photographs, 1980


Box 20 Folder 20

College on Broadway , 1982


Box 20 Folder 21

General, undated

Series III: Posters, 1909-1955

Series III consists of publicity posters from Varsity Shows from 1909 onwards. Posters are generally 11" by 17" in size and in good condition. Most posters are printed, however, some from the 1950s are handmade on cardboard, with the image and title etched with paint and glitter: 1954's The Sky's the Limit features an excitable Alma Mater dancing alongside her owl. Posters are stored as part of the University Archive's Flat Files Collection (UA#0180), so the box numbers for this series refer to these flat file boxes.


Box Flat Files 4 Folder 1

In Newport--Can Can Girl Illustration, 1909


Box 14-UA-4

In Newport , 1909


Box Flat Files 14

Made in India , 1911


Box Flat Files 14

The Mysterious Miss Apache with Jester Advertisement, 1912


Box Flat Files 13 Folder 3

You'll Never Know , 1921


Box Flat Files 13

Steppe Around , 1922


Box Flat Files 13

Half Moon Inn , 1923


Box Flat Files 13

Her Majesty the Queen , 1926


Box Flat Files 14 Folder 3

You've Got Something There , 1938


Box Flat Files 12 Folder 5

Fair Enough-- Varsity Drag Advertisement, 1939


Box Flat Files 14 Folder 3

Hit the Road , 1941


Box Flat Files 14

Saints Alive , 1942


Box Flat Files 14

On The Double , 1944


Box Flat Files 14 Folder 2

The Shape of Things , 1953


Box Flat Files 14

The Sky's the Limit , 1954


Box Flat Files 14

When in Rome , 1955


Box Flat Files 14

Almagedon , 2015


Box Flat Files 14

A King's College , 2016


Box Flat Files 14

A Tale of Two Colleges , 2017


Box Flat Files 16 Folder 14

Lights Out on Broadway , 2018


Box Flat Files 16 Folder 14

Transfer of Power , 2023

Two copies of the poster - one is signed by the cast.