Little Theatre Guild Scrapbooks, ca. 1921-ca. 1932.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: A collection of three scrapbooks, featuring newspaper clippings about The Little Theatre Guild, Inc., of Nashville, Tennessee. The articles were published in "The Banner," and "The Tennessean" newspapers, ca. 1921-ca. 1932. The main theatrical performance venue was Hillsboro Theater.

Scrapbook #1, ca. 1927-ca. 1928, contains clippings created by the Publicity Department of the Little Theatre Guild, with information about theatrical productions, beginning with the 2nd full-length season in 1927. The topics include theatrical productions of the season, Director Ramon Savich, guest performers and cast, and theatrical reviews. Among the productions are: "The Poor Nut," "The Black Flamingo," "The Servant in the House," "The Butter and Egg Man," "The Last of Mrs. Cheney," "Loose Ankles," "Craig's Wife," "Meet the Wife," "Happy Husband," and "The Dover Road." Includes newspaper coverage about prominent performing artists and literary editors such as Coleman Harwell, Donald Davidson, Ralph McGill, Professor A. M. Harris, R. L. Alexander, Jr., and Ruth Erbrich.

Scrapbook #2, ca. 1921-ca. 1929, contains clippings about the theatrical productions of the Little Theatre Guild, Nashville Drama League, Dr. Edwin Mims' lecture on the "Art of Thinking," Mrs. B. Kirk Rankin, the Stagecrafters, and Centennial Club programs.

Scrapbook #3, ca. 1927-ca. 1932, contains clippings about the third consecutive season, the performers and cast, and several dramatic reviews. Includes information about theatrical productions such as "The Black Flamingo," Liliom," "Hay Fever," "Wild Duck," "A Doll's House," "Broadway," "A Noble Outcast," "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," "Ladies of the Jury," "The Lost Sheep," "Ghosts," and "Diplomacy." A sampling of names includes Mrs. B. Kirk Ranking, Andrew Lytle, Julian Rochelle, Nancy Rice Anderson, Dr. H. B. Schermerhorn, Edwin Keeble, Helen Roth, and Mrs. B. Kirk Rankin, Jr.

Includes a program of the Junior League and Little Theatre presenting "Alice in Wonderland."

Cite as: Little Theatre Guild Scrapbooks, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code).

Margery Hargrove;,gift;,1978;,Acc. RT-204.

The Little Theatre Guild of Nashville was founded by the famous Nashvillian and Broadway stage actor John Lark Taylor. Upon returning to Nashville from New York City in August 1924, Taylor worked towards establishing the theatrical company "with local amateurs and bringing on (guest) stars with their popular sucesses." He was encouraged in his efforts by Pauline Townsend, drama instructor at Nashville's Ward Belmont College, as a part of a growning national movement, to promote theatrical productions in local playhouses. John Lark Taylor headed the theater in 1926, initially located in a movie house one block from the Belcourt Theatre in Hillsboro Village. The Tennessean newspaper wrote "At last Nashville, Athens of the South, leader in things artistic, but long neglectful of the drama, is to have an active Little Theater." In 1927, Ramon Savich became the new director, with seasonal productions at the Guild's own playhouse, the Hillsboro Theater. Since it's beginning as a local performance guild, a close cooperation existed with Nashville's oldest dramatic organization, the "Stagecrafters."

In English

No further accruals are expected.