Guide to the J. C. Williamson Theatres General Theatre Programs, 1884-1984

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Summary

Collection number:

JCWGeneral

Language:

English and 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 theatre productions 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.

Please note that the list also includes programs for some films, as well as programs for overseas productions of plays collected by J.C. Williamson for their corporate archive.

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:

This collection finding aid has three sections:- Productions produced by J.C. Williamson or produced in J.C. Williamson theatres- Ephemera related to films that J.C. Williamson was involved in or showed in their venues- Programs of overseas productions collected by J.C. Williamson

The sole arrangement of this finding aid is alphabetical based on the title each production. All dates are based on evidence in the programs or ephemera, or have been confirmed by accessing newspaper articles and advertisements through Trove.

Entries for each program in the main section are arranged as follows: title of Production / creator if known; year of production. The scope and contents notes include extra information such as date (day and month); theatre/venue; headline performers; brief description of item , ie "1 program".

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