Guide to the J. C. Williamson collection of theatre programs: Opera, Comic Opera and Operetta, 1892-1969

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Summary

Collection number:

PROMPT JCW

Extent:

(23 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use this material should refer to the Ephemera PROMPT collection.

Citation of items from this collection should include references to author's/organisation's name, date, item title, Publisher and place of publication.

Example: J.C. Williamson (Firm). Theatre Royal (Adelaide, S.A.). 1950, Gilbert Sullivan opera season [theatre program] : The gondoliers J. C. Williamson Ltd [Adelaide]

Availability:

Available

Background

Content Summary:

This list includes productions of opera, comic opera and operettas held in J.C. Williamson theatres, as well as those produced by J.C. Williamson and performed in other theatres under venue hire arrangements.

Printed materials in the PROMPT collection include programs and printed ephemera such as brochures, leaflets, tickets, etc. Theatre programs are taken as the prime documentary evidence of a performance staged by the J.C. Williamson company. In a few cases however, the only evidence of a performance is a piece of printed ephemera. In these cases the type of piece is identified, eg, brochure.

The list is based on imperfect holdings and is updated as gaps in the Library's holdings for these artists are filled. Unless otherwise stated, all entries are based on published programs in the PROMPT collection.

Biographical / Historical:

James Cassius Williamson was an American actor who immigrated to Australia in the 1870s. Along with business partners, such as William Musgrove, his theatre company became one of the most dominant in colonial Australia. After his death in 1913 the company, now named J.C. Williamson Ltd. continued under the direction of George Tallis and the Tait brothers (who remained involved in the company until the 1970s).

J.C. Williamson continued to be one of the biggest theatre companies in Australia throughout the first three quarters of the 20th century. J.C. Williamson held the license for theatres in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and New Zealand (at times more than one theatre in each city). In 1976 the company closed, but the name was licensed until the mid 1980s.

Arrangement:

The primary arrangement of this finding aid is chronological based on the start date of each production. On occasion, when a one off production was produced during the run of a separate, extended season, the one off production is placed at either the beginning or end of the list of performances for the extended season.

All dates are based on evidence in the programs or ephemera, or have been confirmed by accessing newspaper articles and advertisements through Trove [https://trove.nla.gov.au/].

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