Summary Information
Edward Choate Papers
1923-1973
- Choate, Edward, 1908-1975
U.S. Mss 108AN; Micro 470; Micro 624; Tape 507A
4.2 c.f. (11 archives boxes), 3 tape recordings, and 2 reels of microfilm (35mm)
Wisconsin Historical Society Archives / Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research Contact Information
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a theatrical producer and theater manager mainly consisting of scripts, correspondence, contracts, advertising, microfilmed clipping scrapbooks, photographs, and financial records of plays produced or considered for production. Of these, files on Decision (1944), Juno and the Paycock (1940), Kindred (1939), and Miss Liberty (1949) are most notable. Several boxes of correspondence, contracts and booking files, publicity, annotated scripts, production information, and company journals concern the Margaret Webster companies of which Choate was business manager and partner. Related material added by David Fennema consists of research correspondence, interviews with members of the Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company, and a microfilm copy of some Webster Papers at the New York Public Library. There is also a group of correspondence, financial records, and a magazine article concerning Choate's experiences with the Old Vic Theatre. Prominent correspondents scattered through the professional papers include Barry Fitzgerald, Moss Hart, Robert Edmond Jones, Elia Kazan, Alfred Lunt, Burgess Meredith, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Geraldine Page. Additional personal correspondence, 1938-1953, with Irish playwright John Vincent Carroll and co-producer Arthur Shields contains many references to productions on which they collaborated. Personal papers include general letters, contracts, miscellaneous biographical records, a scrapbook concerning his eulogy of S. N. Behrman, and papers of two groups of which he was an officer: the Independent Citizens committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions and the Stop Censorship Committee. The folder on the censorship committee includes a tape of a 1948 meeting at which Florence Eldridge, Jose Ferrer, Moss Hart, Albert Maltz, Burgess Meredith, and Margaret Webster spoke.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0108an ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Born in New York City on November 23, 1908, Edward Choate developed an early interest in the theatre and eventually became producer, managing director, and general manager for many Broadway and other theatrical productions. He worked on the staffs of Herman Shumlin and the Shubert Brothers in the 1930's and produced his first Broadway play, I Was Waiting For You, in 1933. From 1934 to 1945, he produced ten more shows on Broadway, both independently and in partnership. In 1946, he became company manager for the Old Vic productions at the Century Theatre, and in 1948 was business manager for the Pittsburgh Light Opera Company.
In 1948, Choate became managing director and partner with Margaret Webster in the Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company. This Company toured the United States and Canada in a bus and truck, carrying all their equipment and playing mainly to college audiences. The 1948-1949 tour presented Hamlet and MacBeth; the 1949-1950 tour, Julius Caesar and Taming of the Shrew. Due primarily to financial reasons, the tours were not continued.
In the summer of 1950, however, the Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company became the Margaret Webster Company and played at the Woodstock Playhouse in Long Island. Eva La Gallienne acted in Fortunato and The Corn Is Green; Miss Webster, in The Three Sisters and The Apollo of Bellac; seven other productions were also performed by the Company. Choate continued his association with the Company in partnership with Miss Webster and Michael Linenthal, managing director of the Woodstock Playhouse. The season was a financial disaster and marked the end of the Company's existence.
During the 1950's and 1960's, Choate was associated with sixteen productions and tours in New York and on the West Coast. In 1961 he was general manager for the Royale Theatre and in 1962 for Dore Schary Productions. Choate became general manager for the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center in 1968, and in 1969 returned to Broadway and commercial theatre management. He died July 23, 1975.
Scope and Content Note
The Edward Choate papers cover primarily the years 1933-1973 and consist of correspondence, contracts, financial records, scripts, clippings, and photographs for many of Choate's independent productions, his association with Margaret Webster, and his involvement in non-theatrical activities. The papers are arranged in seven series: Personal, Theatre, Old Vic Book, Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company, Margaret Webster Company, Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions, the Stop Censorship Committee, and Clippings.
The PERSONAL papers consist of records, contracts, and correspondence which are of a personal nature or concern theatrical productions not covered among the other series; they are arranged chronologically. Records, 1923-1969, are items of an official nature such as the program of Choate's graduation from Yale in 1930 and his divorce decree in 1961. Contracts, 1933-1972, concern miscellaneous productions with which Choate was associated, including his tenure with the New York State Theatre. General Correspondence, 1933-1973, comprises exchanges between Choate and members of his family, people involved in the theatre, and others. Correspondence, re. S.N. Behrman, 1973, originally bound in a scrapbook, deals with Samuel N. Behrman's death September 9, 1973, and includes obituaries, articles, and letters of appreciation to Choate for his eulogy of Behrman. The chronological arrangement found in Choate's scrapbook has been maintained.
The THEATRE series is arranged alphabetically by title of production. Included are plays Choate produced, plays he considered for production, and other scripts in the production of which he apparently did not participate. Scripts, correspondence, contracts, and financial records are filed together under the title of production in chronological order.
The OLD VIC BOOK concerns Choate's attempt to write about this company's tenure in the United States. Arranged in chronological order, the majority of correspondence reflects monetary contributions made to the book by many of Choate's friends. An article on “The Old Vic” which Choate wrote for Theatre Arts in 1946 is also included along with scattered financial records Choate used for research. A few chapters from the proposed manuscript are arranged in sequential order, although it has been impossible to ascertain whether this work was actually published.
A large quantity of the Choate papers concerns the MARGARET WEBSTER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY. Included is correspondence with Miss Webster, with Louisa Horton, an actress in the Company, with Bill Blair, road manager for the second tour, and with Joseph Verner Reed, financial backer of the tours. Also present is correspondence concerning contracts and bookings, the contracts themselves, a small file of publicity materials, annotated scripts from Julius Caesar and MacBeth, photographs, and looseleaf journals recording places the Company played, problems encountered and general comments on the productions. Also filed with this series are research materials generated by David Fennema, a University of Wisconsin student who wrote a master's thesis on the Company. Included are his correspondence and interviews with members of the Company, a bibliography of articles about the Company, a microfilm copy of portions of the Margaret Webster Papers at the New York Public Library, and other notes. Several of the files contain inventories of their contents by Mr. Fennema.
The sixth series contains papers relating to the MARGARET WEBSTER COMPANY at the Woodstock Playhouse. Comprising this section is correspondence with Michael Linenthal, and with his father Mark who invested in the productions; scripts for The Apollo of Bellac and Dandy Dick, two of the plays presented; and general papers including a playbill, casting lists, and two programs. Relevant letters can also be found in the correspondence files of the preceding series, the MARGARET WEBSTER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY.
The file concerning the INDEPENDENT CITIZENS COMMITTEE OF THE ARTS, SCIENCES, AND PROFESSIONS (ICC), of which Choate was a member of the National Board in 1946, includes letters of reaction to an unfavorable article about the ICC published in Time magazine on September 9, 1946. This organization was comprised of notable people in the arts, sciences, and professions which collectively took a stand on many national and international policy decisions of the United States.
Choate was secretary-treasurer of the STOP CENSORSHIP COMMITTEE in 1948. This organization of artists, musicians, writers and publishers, radio, movie and theatre people who were concerned with blacklisting and the artistic intimidation generated by the House Un-American Activities Committee investigation into communist influence in the arts. Choate's file includes registration sheets from an organizational meeting; tape recordings with transcriptions of a March 11, 1948 meeting at New York's Astor Hotel at which speakers sought funds and support; and a letter of resignation from the Committee from Henry Morgan who protested supporting the defense of the Hollywood Ten.
The CLIPPINGS series, recorded entirely on microfilm, contains material related to several of the series within this collection. The Personal and Miscellaneous clippings consist of articles about Choate, his friends, and miscellaneous theatre productions not covered in the THEATRE series. The Theatre clippings contain publicity, reviews, and articles on five of Choate's productions: Gently Does It, Harvey, Rhinoceros, The Sleeping Prince, and Yankee Point. Old Vic clippings concern that Company's productions in the United States. The Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company clippings are articles, reviews, and publicity about the Company's tours across the country. The three Scrapbooks, arranged in chronological order, contain clippings for the following productions: 1944, Kindred, Juno and the Paycock, and Decision; 1944-1945, Star in the Window, the Tempest, and Common Ground; and 1949-1950, the Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, and miscellaneous other activities.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Placed on deposit by Edward Choate, New York, N.Y., 1968-1974, with additions presented by David Fennema, Kenosha, Wisconsin, September 21, 1971. Accession Number: MCHC68-72, -96; MCHC 69-72; MCHC71-108; MCHC72-97; MCHC74-47 -60 -118; M87-349.
Processed by Karen Baumann (FGH class), 1971; M.J. Haberman (FGH intern), 1977; and Carolyn J. Mattern, 1988.
Contents List
|
U.S. Mss 108AN
|
Series: Personal
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
1
|
Records, 1923-1969
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
Contracts, 1933-1972
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
3-9
|
General Correspondence, 1933-1973
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
|
Box
1
Folder
10
|
re. S.N. Behrman, 1973
|
|
|
Carroll, Paul Vincent
|
|
|
Box
11
Folder
1
|
re Kindred, 1938-1939, n.d.
|
|
|
Box
11
Folder
2
|
1946-1953
|
|
|
Box
11
Folder
3
|
re Strings, 1941-1944
|
|
|
Box
11
Folder
4
|
Madden, Richard J., Play Company, 1940
|
|
|
Box
11
Folder
5
|
Shields, Arthur, and Aideen O'Connor, 1939-1950
|
|
|
Series: Theatre
|
|
|
Alice in Arms (N.Y.C., 1945, January 31, The National Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
|
Script, by L. Bush-Fekete, Sidney Sheldon, and Mary Helen Fay, n.d.
|
|
|
Chalk Garden (Santa Barbara, CA., 1956, September 9, Lobero Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
2
|
Correspondence, 1956-1958
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
3
|
Correspondence, re. Ruth Chatterton, 1956-1957
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
4
|
Contracts and financial records, 1956.
|
|
|
Common Ground (N.Y.C., 1945, April 25, Fulton Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
2
Folder
5
|
Script, by Edward Chodorov, 1945
|
|
|
Decision (N.Y.C., 1944, February 2, Belasco Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1
|
Script, by Edward Chodorov, 1943
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
2
|
Correspondence, 1943-1944
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
3
|
Contracts and financial records, 1943-1950
|
|
|
Duveen - production not realized
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
4
|
Correspondence, 1952
|
|
|
Edmund Kean
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
5
|
Script, by Alexandre Dumas, n.d.
|
|
|
The Flying Gerardos (N.Y.C., 1940, December 29, Playhouse Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
6
|
Script, by Kenneth Nicholson and Charles Robinson, n.d.
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
7
|
Correspondence, 1940-1943
|
|
|
Box
3
Folder
8
|
Contracts and financial records, 1940-1941
|
|
|
Scrapbook (Flying Geraldos, Yankee Point, columns of Paul Vincent Carroll), 1940-1943
|
|
|
Gently Does It (N.Y.C., 1953, October 28, Playhouse Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
1
|
Correspondence, 1952-1958
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
2
|
Telegrams, 1953
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
3
|
Contract, 1953
|
|
|
The Happy Medium
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
4
|
Script, by Ronald Alexander, n.d.
|
|
|
Harvey (West Coast Tour, 1953-1954)
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
5
|
Correspondence, 1953-1954
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
6
|
Contracts and financial records, 1953
|
|
|
I Was Waiting For You (N.Y.C., 1933, November 13, Booth Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
7
|
Contract, 1933
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
8
|
Script, by Melville Baker, n.d.
|
|
|
Juno and the Paycock (N.Y.C., 1940, January 16, Mansfield Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
9
|
Papers, 1939-1942
|
|
|
Kindred (N.Y.C., 1939, December 26, Maxine Elliott's Theatre
|
|
|
Box
4
Folder
10
|
Correspondence, 1939-1940
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
1
|
Contracts and financial records, 1939-1940
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
2
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, 1939
|
|
|
King Oedipus (N.Y.C., 1946, May 20, Century Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
3
|
Script, by W.B. Yeats, n.d.
|
|
|
Lord Pengo - project not realized
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
4
|
Correspondence, 1958-1959
|
|
|
The Master of Thornfield (N.Y.C., 1958, May 1, Belasco Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
5
|
Script, by Huntington Hartford, 1956
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
6
|
Contract, 1957
|
|
|
Miss Liberty (N.Y.C., 1949, July 15, Imperial Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
7
|
Casting file, 1949
|
|
|
My Fat Friend (N.Y.C., 1974, March 31, Brooks Atkinson Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
8
|
Script, by Charles Laurence, 1973
|
|
|
The Old Foolishness (N.Y.C., 1940, December 20 Windsor, Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
5
Folder
9
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, n.d.
|
|
|
Postal Urge - project not realized
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
1
|
Correspondence, 1969
|
|
|
Rhinoceros (San Francisco, CA., 1961, October 3, Alcazar Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
2
|
Correspondence, 1961
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
3
|
Contracts and financial records, 1961
|
|
|
Royal Family - project not realized
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
4
|
Correspondence, 1969
|
|
|
Signor Chicago (for amateur production, 1947)
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
5
|
Script, by Edward Chodorov, n.d.
|
|
|
The Sleeping Prince (Hollywood, CA., 1956, November 22, Huntington Hartford Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
6
|
Script, by Terence Rattigan, n.d.
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
7
|
Correspondence, 1956-1957
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
8
|
Contracts and financial records, 1956-1957
|
|
|
The Star Turns Red
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
9
|
Script, by Sean O'Casey, published 1940
|
|
|
The Strings, My Lord, Are False (N.Y.C., 1942 May 19, Royale Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
10
|
Correspondence, 1941-1942
|
|
|
Box
6
Folder
11
|
Contracts and financial records, 1941-1942
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
1
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, 1941
|
|
|
Things That Are Caesar's (N.Y.C., 1932, October 17, Martin Beck Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
2
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, n.d.
|
|
|
Weep For Tomorrow
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
3
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, 1947-1948
|
|
|
The Wise Have Not Spoken (N.Y.C., 1954, February 10, Cherry Lane Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
4
|
Script, by Paul Vincent Carroll, n.d.
|
|
|
Yankee Point (N.Y.C., 1942, November 23, Longacre Theatre)
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
5
|
Script, by Gladys Hurlbut
|
|
|
Series: Old Vic Book
|
|
|
Correspondence
|
|
|
Box
7
Folder
6
|
January 1946-August 1946
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
1
|
September 1946-April 1947, 1950, n.d.
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
2
|
Article - “The Old Vic: The Statistics.” by Edward Choate and John F. Matthews, from Theatre Arts, 1946.
|
|
|
Financial Records
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
3
|
Of the Old Vic Company, 1946
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
4
|
Of the Old Vic Book, 1949
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
5
|
Chapters
|
|
|
Series: Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company
|
|
|
General Correspondence
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
6
|
with Margaret Webster, 1947-1950
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
7
|
with Louisa Horton, 1949-1950
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
8
|
with Bill Blair, 1949-1950
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
9
|
with Joseph Verner Reed, 1948-1950
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
10
|
Correspondence, re. contracts and bookings, 1949-1950
|
|
|
Contracts
|
|
|
Box
8
Folder
11
|
1948-1949
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
1
|
1949-1950
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
2
|
Financial reports on Marweb Production, 1949
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
3
|
Music cues, The Taming of the Shrew, 1950
|
|
|
Journals
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
4
|
Volume 1 - “Hamlet and MacBeth, 1948-1949” and Volume 2 - “Season 1950-1951, Taming of the Shrew, Midsummer Night's Dream, St. Joan”
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
5
|
Volume 3 - unlabeled
|
|
|
Annotated Scripts
|
|
|
Julius Caesar
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
6
|
Script 1
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
7
|
Script 2
|
|
|
Box
9
Folder
8
|
MacBeth
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
1
|
Chapter of book by Margaret Webster, “By Bus and Truck.”
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
2-3
|
David Fennema Research File, re. the Company
|
|
|
Micro 470
|
A copy of portions of the Margaret Webster Papers at the New York Public Library.
|
|
|
U.S. Mss 108AN
|
Series: Margaret Webster Company
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
4
|
General papers, 1949-1950
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
5
|
Correspondence with Michael and Mark Linenthal, 1949-1950
|
|
|
Scripts
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
6
|
The Apollo of Bellac
(2 scripts)
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
7
|
Dandy Dick
(2 scripts)
|
|
|
Series: Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions (ICC)
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
8
|
Papers, 1946
|
|
|
Series: Stop Censorship Committee
|
|
|
Box
10
Folder
9
|
Papers, 1948
|
|
|
Tape 507A
No.
1-3
|
Tape recordings, 1948
|
|
|
Micro 624
|
Series: Clippings
|
|
|
Personal and Miscellaneous, 1913-1963, October 12, n.d.
|
|
|
Theatre
|
|
|
Gently Does It, 1953, January 7-1953, December, n.d.
|
|
|
Harvey, 1953, December 30-1954, February 1, n.d.
|
|
|
Rhinoceros, 1961, October 5.
|
|
|
The Sleeping Prince, 1956, December 9-1957, January 3.
|
|
|
Yankee Point, 1942, November 24-1942, December 12.
|
|
|
Old Vic
|
|
|
1946, May 20-1958, November 26, n.d.
|
|
|
Margaret Webster Shakespeare Company, 1945, February 10-1972, August 18, n.d.
|
|
|
Scrapbook
|
|
|
1944, January 24-1944, February 20, n.d.
|
|
|
1944, November 6-1945, June 6, n.d.
|
|
|
1949, October 13-1950, May 29.
|
|
|
