Collection search - The Dominion Drama Festival - Theatre Canada fonds [multiple media]

Record information – Brief
1
The Dominion Drama Festival - Theatre Canada fonds [multiple media]

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1905-1979; 1984-1998.

Reference:

R5415-0-1-E, MG28-I50

Type of material:

Textual material, Photographs, Art, Sound recordings, Moving images, Objects (including medals and pins), Architectural and technical drawings

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

99527

Context of this record:

Show detail Hide detail

The Dominion Drama Festival - Theatre Canada fonds
Link to this record

Add to My Research

Link to this record

This link identifies the web page describing this particular record. Unlike the temporary link in your browser, this link will allow you to access, and reference, this page in the future. To link to this descriptive record, copy and paste the URL where ever needed (wiki, blog, document).

Sign in

Sign in to start saving records using My Research

Sign in
Record information – Details
Fonds includes:

25 lower level description(s)
View lower level description(s)

Date(s):

1905-1979; 1984-1998.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

36.83 m of textual records.
9 microfilm reels : negative & positive.
ca. 1,998 photographs : b&w and col.
170 prints : offset lithographs and posters.
ca. 96 audio reels.
ca. 72 audio cassettes.
6 audio discs.
2 film reels.
4 medals : aluminium; bronze.
1 badge
25 technical drawings.
8 drawings
14 pins : metal

Language of material:

English

Added language of material:

English, French

Scope and content:

Show detail Hide detail

Fonds contains the following series: papers relating to the constitution and structure, 1935-1976; papers relating to the Board of Governors, 1939-1978; individual officers' files, 1960-1974; papers relating to officers, 1959-1971; papers relating to the executive committee, 1935-1978; papers relating to committees, 1939-1978; Spensley Report, 1969-1974; briefs, 1949-1973; papers relating to finances, 1934-1978; correspondence, 1929-1978; papers relating to the training program, 1959-1978; papers relating to the regions, 1933-1978; papers relating to the regional and final festivals, 1955-1959; papers relating to the final festivals, 1932-1975; papers relating to the Multicultural Festival, 1974; scripts, 1969-1974; Love and Whisky (by Betty Lee), 1933-1975; subject files, 1933-1978; publications, 1934-1977; scrapbooks, 1905-1974; clippings, 1933-1953; and the John Hill papers, 1969-1970.

Microfilmed material includes scrapbook of the Theatre Guild of Brockville, 1930-1950; scrapbooks of the Grey Musical and Dramatic Trophy Competition, 1906-1911; papers relating to the Drama League and the Ottawa Little Theatre, 1928-1961, and other theatrical material (microfilm reels M-590, M-1655 to M-1657, M-1896, M-1902, M-1909, M-1940, M-2303).

Also included in the fonds:

A proclamation about the celebration in 1964 to commemorate the first Confederation conference at Charlottetown.

Graphic material consisting of a poster advertising the Dominion Drama Festival; posters of Theatre Canada productions; posters of the Guelph Spring Festival; cartoon drawings and set designs for The Prince and the Pauper (1976).

Medallic items: 100th Anniversary Charlottetown Conference medal, 1964; medals created for the centennial of the First Confederation Conference of Canada, 1964; Dominion Drama Festival pin; City of Monaco 5th World Amateur Theatre Festival/ Festival Mondial du Théâtre Amateur medal, 1973.

Photographs including portraits and various depictions of the activities of the Dominion Drama Festival and its successor, Theatre Canada.

Two films depicting a theatre workshop, and a news service film depicting drama festival footage from the late 1950s as well as footage from regional and local festivals. Sound recordings consisting of oral interviews, commentaries, adjudication of plays, proceedings of meetings and discussions, radio programs, a piano recital and opening ceremonies. Drawings pertaining to theatres and auditoriums in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Windsor, Sherbrooke, Charlottetown and St. John's. Performance spaces include the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (Edmonton), the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (Calgary), the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium, the National Arts Centre Theatre and the National Arts Centre Studio (Ottawa), the Cleary Auditorium and Memorial Convention Hall (Windsor), the Séminaire Saint-Charles-Borromée auditorium (Sherbrooke), the Confederation Centre Theatre (Charlottetown), and the Arts and Culture Centre (St. John's).

Provenance:

Show detail Hide detail

Theatre Canada

Additional name(s):

Show detail Hide detail

Theatre Canada

Biography/Administrative history:

Show detail Hide detail

Theatre Canada : The Dominion Drama Festival (DDF) was founded by the Governor General of Canada, Lord Bessborough, in the 1930s to showcase and promote Canadian amateur theatre across the country. The DDF was incorporated in 1936. Its organization consisted of a board of governors and an executive committee. Its officials included a president, an honorary chair and a director, selected by the board of governors. Except during the war years, the DDF held regional competitive festivals, along with a final festival, annually. This programming encouraged artists, actors and playwrights, and contributed to the cultural development of the nation. From this festival would emerge a number of Canada's most renowned professional stage artists of the mid-twentieth century, many of which would be at the forefront of, notably, the Stratford Theatre Festival (Amelia Hall, Christopher Plummer, James Gardner, William Hutt) and the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (Jean Gascon, Gratien Gélinas, Huguette Oligny, Jean-Louis Roux). As Canadian professional theatres expanded in the 1960s and 1970s, the DDF gradually became inactive. In the 1970s, it morphed into Theatre Canada, which promoted amateur theatre productions without the competition element. Funding problems forced the organization to fold in 1978 after 46 years of service to amateur theatre in Canada. One of its components, the National Multicultural Theatre Association (1975-1989), continued to produce national festivals reflecting Canada's cultural diversity (this included amateur theatre productions).

Finding aid:

Show detail Hide detail

Textual records (Electronic) The finding aid provides a file list of the material in volumes 1 to 199, a list of the material on microfilm M-590, M-1655 to M-1657, M-1896, M-1902, M-1909, M-1940, M-2303, a list of plays available in the National Library, a list of the material transferred to the Sound Archives Section and a list of the trophies donated by Theatre Canada to the National Museum of Man (Canadian History Museum). MSS0438 (90: Open)
http://data2.archives.ca/pdf/pdf001/p000001498.pdf

Sound recordings (Paper) A detailed list of the sound recordings is in the Theatre Canada AV sound file. (Restrictions not set)

Medals (Paper) Medal inventory number (acc. number 1980-035) 9294 (Restrictions not set)

Medals (Electronic) Item level description available on-line in Minisis (acc. number 1980-035) (Restrictions not set)

Medals (Paper) Medal inventory numbers: (acc. number 1980-013) 9706, 9707 (Restrictions not set)

Medals (Electronic) Item level descriptions available on-line in Minisis. (acc. number 1980-013) (Restrictions not set)

Architectural, technical drawings (Paper) Please consult lower level descriptions. An itemized listing is available. Theatre Canada 80103/39. (90: Open)

Additional information:

Show detail Hide detail

General note:

All original material was received in the period from 1961 to 1979 from Dominion Drama Festival and Theatre Canada with the exception of a scrapbook presented in 1979 by S.R. Beharriel of Kingston, Ontario. Material received in 1980 from Miss Gifford and Mrs. Mathews of Ottawa, and the John Hill papers, which were received in 1991 from John Hill of Brantford, Ontario.

Accruals received in 2020 from Theatre Ontario.
A declaration relating to the celebration of the centennial of the Confederation Conference and posters were placed in the vertical filing cabinet. Posters and a five-page document relating to "The Fifth Decade" were placed in the horizontal filing cabinet.

Location of originals note:

Material on microfilm was copied in 1969 and 1970 from originals in the possession of Mrs. C.I. Wilson of Belleville, Ontario, and in 1972 from originals belonging to Dr. J.L. Carroll of Brockville, Ontario.

Related material:

Related materials can be found within the Gino Empry fonds, the Marian Wilson fonds and the Performing Arts collection.
Subject heading:

Show detail Hide detail

Dominion Drama Festival

Theatre Canada - Charter, [1935-1976] News Letters, Special Bulletins, Highlights

Theatre Canada - By-laws, [1935-1976] Theatre Canada

Theatre Canada - Records and correspondence, [1935-1976] Spensely Report, 1974

Theatre Canada. Board of Governors - Records and correspondence, [1939-1978] Royal Commission on National Development in Arts, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada - Constitution, [1935-1976] Letters and Sciences, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada. Board of Governors - Reports, [1935-1976] Bilingualism and Biculturalism Commission, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada. Board of Governors - Meetings, [1939-1978] Canada Council, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada. Board of Governors - Employees, [1939-1978] Canada. Secretary of State, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada. Executive Committee - Records and correspondence, [1935-1978 Ontario Arts Council, [1949-1973]

Theatre Canada. Governors Courts - Records and correspondence, [1935-1978] Love and Whiskey, [1933-1975]

Dominion Drama Festival - Anniversaries, etc., [1939-1978]

Dominion Drama Festival - Records and correspondence, [1939-1978]

Theatre Canada - Membership, [1953-1978]

Canada Council - Records and correspondence, [1959-1978]

Quebec (Province). Ministre des Affaires Culturelles - Records and correspondence, [1959-1978]

Canada. Secretary of State - Records and correspondence, [1959-1978]

Theatre - Canada, [between 1933 and 1978]

Theatre groups - Canada, [between 1933 and 1978]

Final Festivals - Records and correspondence, [1932-1975]

Multicultural Festival - Records and correspondence, 1974

Province of Ontario Council of the Arts - Records and correspondence, [1959-1978]

Theatre Canada - Income tax, [1938-1978]

Theatre Canada - Insurance, [1938-1978]

Fund raising - Canada, [1953-1978]

Theatre - Canada

Théâtre - Canada
Source:

Private

Related control no.:

Show detail Hide detail

(1973-06-02)
119-020081-3
1964-011 NPC
1971-322 NPC
1972-054 PIC
1972-064 PIC
1980-0048 MISA
1980-013 MED
1980-013 PIC
1980-0263 MISA
1980-035 MED
1980-058 NPC
1980-178 NPC
1981-004 PIC
2020-00128-4
MG28-I50

Former archival reference no.:

Show detail Hide detail

MG28-I50
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Show detail Hide detail

Textual records

[Consultation90 Open]

Volume [MG28 I 50] 205

[Consultation 90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 438] 46

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Textual records: microform

[Consultation90 Open]

Graphic (photo)

[Consultation90 Open]

Graphic (art)

[Consultation90 Open]

Sound recordings

[Consultation90 Open]

Moving images (film)

[Consultation90 Open]

Object

[Consultation90 Open]

Architectural: technical drawings

[Consultation90 Open]

Terms of use:

Show detail Hide detail

Photographs: No restrictions on use or reproduction. Various copyrights on items less than 50 years; copyright expired on items greater than 50 years old. Credit: Name of photographer / Library and Archives Canada / Copy negative number.
Prints and drawings: Nno restrictions on use or reproduction. Various copyrights. Credit: Library and Archives of Canada. Accession no. 1972-054 must be consulted under close supervision for conservation reasons.
Sound recordings: Use and/or reproduction with written permission of copyright owner; no donor restrictions.
Films: Use and/or reproduction with written permission of copyright owner. Copyright unknown.
Medallic items: No restrictions on use or reproduction. Various copyrights. Credit: Library and Archives of Canada.
Architectural, technical drawings: No restrictions. Credit Library and Archives Canada.

You can order materials in advance to be ready for you when you visit. You will need a user card to do this.

Cannot visit us on site? You can purchase a copy to be sent to you. Some restrictions may apply.