Mission
The American Theatre Archive Project (ATAP) supports theatre makers in archiving records of their work for the benefit of artists, scholars, patrons, and the public.
Goals
- To preserve records of current theatrical process and product for future generations.
- To employ theatre legacy to develop theatres’ fiscal health and support new work.
- To promote a better understanding of theatre as a vital element of cultural history.
- To encourage scholarly research in contemporary American theatre.
- To increase funding for establishing and maintaining theatre archives.
- To support collaborations among theatre archivists, practitioners, and scholars.
Description
An initiative of the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), ATAP is a network of archivists, dramaturgs, and scholars dedicated to preserving the legacy of the American theatre. ATAP is guided by the work of four Committees, which help develop partnerships, facilitate communication, create guidelines, seek funding, and disseminate best practices. Location-based Teams help individual theatre companies evaluate their records, develop an archiving plan, and secure funding to support long-term archive health. Once created and made accessible to theatre makers, scholars, patrons, and funders on premises online, and/or in a repository, a theatre's archives support institutional integrity and development.
Partner Organizations
- Theatre Library Association (TLA)
- Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA)
- The Performing Arts Roundtable of the Society of American Archivists (SAA)
- Theatre Communications Group (TCG)
- The Broadway League
Committees
The Steering Committee develops core documents, establishes partnerships, recruits volunteers, pursues funding, and disseminates progress reports.
- Susan Brady – Archivist, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University – New Haven, CT
- Ken Cerniglia – Dramaturg and Literary Manager, Disney Theatrical Group – New York, NY
- Jessica Green - Archives Intern, Ernest Hemmingway Collection, JFK Library; Graduate Student of Library and Information Science, Simmons College - Boston, MA
- Brian Herrera - Assistant Professor of Theatre, University of New Mexico - Albuquerque, NM
- Helice Koffler - Manuscripts and Special Collections Materials Cataloging Libarian, University of Washington - Seattle, WA
- Ann Haugo - Associate Professor, Illinois State University - Central Illinois
The Communications Committee develops and maintains the ATAP website and facilitates communication with members through announcements and the listserv.
- Sharon Knieper – U Michigan School of Information graduate with performing arts background and database design experience – New York, NY
- Cynthia Tobar – Archivist, The Winthrop Group – New York, NY
- Christa Williford – theatre historian who works in D.C. on the Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant program – Philadelphia, PA
The Training Committee develops and supervises archival guidelines and training workshops.
- Susan Brady – Archivist, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University – New Haven, CT
- Maryann Chach – Director, The Shubert Archive – New York, NY
- Sharon Lehner – Archivist, Brooklyn Academy of Music – Brooklyn, NY
- Tiffany Nixon – Archivist, Roundabout Theatre – New York, NY
The Advisory Committee comprises leaders of partner organizations and other established professionals in related fields and advises on ATAP policy and development.
- Danielle Mages Amato – President, Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA); Literary Manager and Dramaturg, Old Globe Theatre – San Diego, CA
- Rhonda Blair – Professor of Theatre, Southern Methodist University – Dallas, TX
- Ann Haugo – Professor of Theatre, Illinois State University, President of the Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC) – Normal, IL
- Susan Jonas – Assistant Professor, Ithaca College, former program officer for New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) – Ithaca, NY
- David Mayer – Emeritus Professor, Manchester University, former advisor to the Theatre Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, London – Manchester, UK
- Geoff Proehl – Professor of Theatre, University of Puget Sound, Archivist of LMDA – Tacoma, WA
- Arvid Sponberg – Professor of English, Valparaiso College, Founder of the Chicago Theatre History Project – Chicago, IL
- Gavin Witt - Resident Dramaturg, CenterStage - Baltimore, MD
- Stacy Wolf - Professor of English, Princeton University - Princeton, NJ
Teams
ATAP is carried out through the work of Teams, which self-organize based on concentration of theatrical activity and the particular needs of a given area, whether a city, county, state or region. See the Roster for current membership.