Terrence McNally: A Preliminary Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

Terrence McNally:

A Preliminary Inventory of His Papers at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center

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	Repository:	Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin
	Creator:	McNally, Terrence, 1939-
	Title:	Terrence McNally Papers
	Dates:	1950s-2002
	Extent:	60 boxes, 2 oversize boxes, 2 oversize folders (26.8 linear feet)
	Abstract:	The papers, which document McNally's career as a dramatist, include all of his major works for stage, screen, and television, as well as correspondence, posters, production photographs, programs, and reviews. Articles by and about McNally, awards, and photographs are present in the papers. His public appearances, which include benefit performances, conferences, lectures, speeches, tributes, and memorials, are also represented.

Administrative Information

Acquisition:

Gifts, 1999-2003 (Gift no. 11458, 11513, 11686, 11870, 12188)

Processed by:

Liz Murray, Emily Barker, Sean Castilla, 2003

This collection of Terrence McNally's papers includes all his major works for stage, screen, and television, as well as unproduced works, correspondence, and career-related material. McNally's achievements include numerous plays, operas, and musicals such as Corpus Christi; Dead Man Walking; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; The Full Monty; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; The Lisbon Traviata; Love! Valour! Compassion!; Master Class; A Perfect Ganesh; Ragtime; The Rink; The Ritz; and The Visit. His collaborations with John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Jake Heggie, as well as his long-time association with the Manhattan Theatre Club, have been particularly productive and rewarding. Early in his career he was the recipient of two Guggenheim fellowships, followed by numerous awards, including four Tony Awards, an Emmy Award for "Andre's Mother," and Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards, among others. McNally's generous gift of his papers to the Ransom Center incorporates material previously held at the Wisconsin Historical Society. In all, the collection dates from McNally's high school years through the present.

The collection is organized in three series: I. Works; II. Career-Related and Personal; and III. Works of Others.

The works in Series I are arranged alphabetically by title. Unless described otherwise, the works are stage plays. Within titles, scripts are presented in order of creation, followed by correspondence, posters, production photographs, programs, and reviews. Translations and international productions are grouped separately, under each title.

The Career-Related and Personal material in Series II includes articles by and about McNally, awards, correspondence, interviews, papers and notes from high school and college years, and photographs, including an early series by Richard Avendon. Correspondence is arranged chronologically from 1955-2002. McNally's many public appearances, including benefit performances, conferences, lectures, speeches, tributes, and memorials, are also well-represented. His love of the opera is reflected in the opera-related projects and writings including his long-standing participation in the Metropolitan Opera Radio Network's "Opera News on the Air," as well as articles written on the subject.

Series III contains articles and programs collected by McNally but not directly related to his work, as well as writings by Tom Bywaters, Steven Lyons, and Royce Ryton.

Numerous books, serials, audio tapes, videos, compact discs, and memorabilia received with the papers have been transferred to appropriate departments within the Ransom Center.

Container List


I. Works
Box	Folder
1	1	All Together Now, script drafts with notes, n.d.
		And Things That Go Bump in the Night
			Early versions, variant titles
Box	Folder
1	2			"Mmm!"
	3			"There Is Something Out There"
	4-7		Scripts
	8			Broadway production script, annotated

2	1		Minneapolis production, 1964, reviews and associated material
	2		Broadway, Royale Theatre production, 1965, opening night telegrams and correspondence
	3		Articles about
		Andre's Mother, teleplay, American Playhouse, 1989
Box	Folder
2	4		Script, first draft, Jan. 22, 1989
	5		Correspondence and reviews
	6	Apple Pie (three one-act plays for television: "Tour," "Next," and "Botticelli"), 1968, correspondence, production photographs, and reviews
		Bad Habits
Box	Folder
2	7-10		Scripts, "Dunelawn" and "Ravenswood"
	11			Rewrite during Manhattan Theatre Club rehearsals, March 1990
	12		Production photographs, Booth Theater, 1974

3	1		Programs, reviews, and related material
	2		Television treatments
	3		"Ravenswood," teleplay, first draft, 1979
	4-5	Banana Peels, screenplay, drafts, 1990
	6	Better and Worse, television pilot
		Bingo!, musical
Box	Folder
3	7		Scene outline, lyrics, "Blanco!" script, holograph notes
	8-9		Scripts, 1987

4	1		Scripts, cont'd
	2	Boo!, film outline
	3-4	Botticelli, teleplay script and play reviews, 1969
		Broadway, Broadway (originally Bye Bye Broadway)
Box	Folder
4	5-9		Scripts

5	1-3		Scripts, cont'd
	4		Programs and reviews, 1978
		By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea (Dusk)
Box	Folder
5	5-8		Scripts, 1995-96
	9		Reviews and programs, Bay Street Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club, 1995-96
		Central Park (The Food of Love), opera with Robert Beaser
Box	Folder
6	1		Script and score, 1999
	2-3		Programs and reviews
	4		Unused libretto for composer Aaron Jay Kernis, 1998
		Common Ground ( Mr. Roberts), teleplay
			Scripts
Box	Folder
6	5			First draft, Jan. 1999
	6			Edited pages, April 1999
	7			Third draft, May 1999
	8		Advertising with cast list, SHOWTIME premiere, Jan. 2000
		Corpus Christi
			Scripts
Box	Folder
6	9			First draft, Labor Day, 1997
	10			"Original," Sept. 1997

7	1			First revision
	2			Undated, uncorrected draft
	3			North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA), draft, Dec. 1997
	4			Rehearsal script, mid-way, McNally's copy
	5			Manhattan Theatre Club, spring 1998 draft
	6			Grove Press proofs, 1998
	7			German published edition, 1999
	8		Correspondence, 1998
	9		Reviews and general articles, various performances [oversize removed to Box 61]
	10			Bailiwick Arts Center, Chicago, 2001
				Manhattan Theatre Club, 1998
Box	Folder
7	11				Production photographs

8	1				Programs
	2-3				Reviews
	4			New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco, 2000
	5-6			International productions
		Cuba Si
Box	Folder
8	7		Script
	8		Reviews, 1968
	9		Screenplay
		Dead Man Walking, opera
			San Francisco Opera
Box	Folder
8	10			Vocal/piano score, n.d.

9	1			Vocal/piano score, Nov. 1999
	2			Script, revised 3/13/00
	3			Photographs, McNally at reception; with Jake Hegge and Sister Helen Prejean
	4-7			Programs and reviews

10	1			Reviews and articles
	2		Programs and reviews, various performances
	3			New York City Opera, 2002
	4			International productions
	5	The Education of Young Harry Bellair, Esq. or The Way of the World, pilot script, [also includes "Teacher's Break," pilot script, copy, revised 8/2/84] 1983-84
	6-7	Faith, Hope & Charity, "Hope" scripts, programs, and reviews, 1988
	8	The Five Forty Eight, teleplay based on the story by John Cheever, script, revised July 1979
		Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
Box	Folder
11	1-3		First drafts, Nov.-Dec. 1986
	4-7		Second drafts, Feb.-May 1987
	8-9		Production drafts, 1987
			Translations
Box	Folder
11	10			Danish, 1988

12	1			French, 1991
	2			Italian
	3			Japanese
	4			Romanian, 1997
	5			Spanish
	6		Correspondence
			Posters [removed to oversize folder]
Box	Folder
12	7-8		Programs and reviews, various performances

13	1			Belasco Theater, New York, 2002
	2			Boston Post Road Stage Company, 1990
	3-6			Manhattan Theater Club/Westside Arts Theater (Bates/Welsh), 1987-89
	7			Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1988
	8			Syracuse Stage, 1988

14	1			Westside Arts Theater, New York (Weitz/Kane), 1988
	2			International productions
	3				Comedy Theatre, London, 1989
	4				Ittre, Belgium, 1990
			Screenplay
Box	Folder
14	5			Rough treatment, May 1989
	6			First draft, March 1990
	7-8			Revision, June-July 1990

15	1-2			Revised first drafts, Sept. 1990-Feb. 1991
	3			Pacino rewrites, Oct. 1990
	4			Shooting script, Jan. 1991
	5			Rewrites, Feb.-March 1991
	6			Casting
	7			Shooting schedule
	8			Draft press kit
	9-10			Publicity, correspondence, and reviews
		The Full Monty, musical
			Scripts
Box	Folder
16	1-2			First drafts, with correspondence
	3-4			New York City Workshop draft and final, Feb. 2000
	5			San Diego rehearsal script, April 2000
	6-7				Revisions, post opening night, June 2000
	8				Rewrites

17	1-2		Articles and reviews, 2001-02
	3		Programs, various performances
	4		International programs and reviews
	5-6	Goin' to the Chapel, screenplay, 1986
		Here's Where I Belong, musical based on Steinbeck's East of Eden
Box	Folder
17	7		Script

18	1-2		Programs, reviews, and sheet music, 1968
	3	Honkytonk, musical film, story outline and songs
	4	House, written with Jon Robin Baitz, play reviews
	5	Iris and Luigi Meet the Wolfman, screenplay, revised first draft, 1980
		It's Only a Play (originally Broadway, Broadway)
Box	Folder
18	6		Script
	7		Programs and reviews
	8			Manhattan Theatre Club, 1986
	9			UCLA Doolittle Theatre, 1992
	10	"Ken," short story
		Kiss of the Spider Woman, musical
Box	Folder
19	1-6		First draft and revisions, 1988-89
	7-9		Rehearsal version, SUNY Purchase, 1990

20	1-8		Scripts and rewrites, 1990-1993
	9		Proofs, Samuel French edition, 1996
	10		Correspondence, 1990-95
			Poster, Broadhurst Theatre, signed by cast [removed to oversize folder]
Box	Folder
21	1		Programs and reviews, various performances
	2			Broadhurst Theatre, New York, 1992
	3			SUNY Purchase, 1990
	4			International productions
	5				London, 1992
	6				Toronto, 1992
	7	The Lady of the Camellias, adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, program and reviews
	8	Last Gasps, teleplay, script, 1969
	9-10	The Last Mile, teleplay, scripts, notes, working papers, and reviews, 1992
	11	Let it Bleed, scripts and program
		Lips Together, Teeth Apart
Box	Folder
22	1-6		Scripts, various drafts, 1991
	7		Published version, setting copy, NAL/Dutton, 1992
			Translations
Box	Folder
23	1			French
	2			German, 1992
	3			Italian, 1993
	4		Correspondence, 1991-93
			Posters [removed to oversize folder]
Box	Folder
23	5-6		Programs and reviews, various performances [oversize removed to Box 61]
	7			Alley Theatre, 1993

24	1-2			Manhattan Theatre Club, 1991
	3			Market Theatre, Albany, New York, 1992
	4			Theatre in the Square, Marietta, Georgia, 1993
	5			International productions
		The Lisbon Traviata
Box	Folder
24	6		Notes and script fragments
			Scripts
Box	Folder
24	7			Undated early version
	8			Original typescript
	9-11			Revision, May-June 1985

25	1-2			Revision, cont'd May-June 1985,
				Manhattan Theatre Club
Box	Folder
25	3				Rehearsal draft, spring 1989
	4-7				Revisions: 4/24, 5/17 and 6/2/89

26	1-2				Revisions, cont'd: 6/15 and 6/30/89
	3-6			Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 9/4-11/8/90
	7			Published "final" version
			Translations
Box	Folder
27	1			French
	2			German
	3			Italian
	4			Swedish
	5		Programs and reviews, various performances
	6			Bailiwick Repertory, Chicago, 1991
	7-8			Manhattan Theatre Club, 1989

28	1			Manhattan Theatre Club, cont'd
	2			Marines Memorial Theater, San Francisco, 1990
	3			Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1990
	4			Theatre Off Park, New York, 1985
	5-8			International productions
		Love! Valour! Compassion!
Box	Folder
28	9		Research and notes
	10		Preliminary draft
			Scripts
Box	Folder
28	11			First draft, Dec. 1993

29	1-6			Revisions, March-Aug. 1994

30	1-2			Revisions, Sept.-Oct. 1994
	3			Pre-Broadway production
	4			Translations, French and Spanish
	5		First night correspondence, Manhattan Theatre Club

31	1-2		Reviews and programs, various performances
	3-6			Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, 1995

32	1-2			International productions
	3-5			Film version, reviews

33	1-3	Mama Malone, scripts for television pilot, 1982
		A Man of No Importance, musical
Box	Folder
33	4-8		Scripts, June 2000-Aug. 2002
	9		Programs, Lincoln Center Theater at the Newhouse, 2002

34	1	Man to Man, preliminary script, 1984
		Master Class
Box	Folder
34	2-4		Scripts, 1995
			Translations, 1996
Box	Folder
34	5-7			French
	8			Italian
	9			Japanese

35	1		Correspondence, 1995-96
			Posters [removed to oversize folder]
Box	Folder
35	2		Production photographs, various performances
	3-5		Programs and reviews [oversize removed to Box 61]
	6			Golden Theatre, New York, 1995

36	1			Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1995
	2			Plays and Players Theatre, Philadelphia, 1996
	3-4			Stage Theatre, Denver, 1999
	5-7			International productions, various

37	1			International productions, cont'd
	2				Australia
	3				Canada
	4				France
	5				Germany
	6				Italy
	7		Book version, publicity
	8		Screenplay by Leonard Foglia, fourth draft, 1998

38	1	McNally's Talleys, script for Circle Repertory Company benefit
	2	Musicals, untitled, with Skip Kennon [?], drafts of scripts
	3	Native Tomatoes/Local Peaches, television comedy pilot, 1988
		Next
Box	Folder
38	4		Scripts
	5-6		Programs and reviews, various performances
	7			Berkshire Theatre Festival, with production photographs, 1968
	8		Television pilot, final draft, 1976
		Noon
Box	Folder
38	9		Scripts
	10		Programs and reviews for "Morning, Noon, and Night," 1968-69
	11-12		Screenplay, first draft including early treatment "Juicy," 1970,n.d.

39	1	Pal Joey, musical concert adaptation, programs and reviews, 1995-98
	2-3	Paying Up, script collaboration, 1993
		A Perfect Ganesh
Box	Folder
39	4-8		Scripts, 1992-93

40	1		Fragments
	2		Spanish translation
	3		Correspondence, 1993-98
	4-5		Programs and reviews
	6			International productions
	7		Screenplay, first draft, 1996
	8	Plaisir d'Amour, scripts and program for benefit
	9	The Play of Malcome, script based on James Purdy's novel, 1964

41	1-2	Positively 10th Street, television pilot drafts, 1978-79
	3	Prelude and Liebestod, notes, programs, reviews, 1987-89
	4	Prelude, Fugues, & Rifts, script, programs, and reviews, 1991
	5-8	Puccini, screenplay drafts, 1986-97
		Ragtime, musical
			Scripts
Box	Folder
41	9			1994

42	1-4			1995
	5-7			1996

43	1-3			1997-98
	4		Correspondence, 1996-98
	5		Production photographs
	6		Programs and reviews, various performances [oversize removed to Box 61]
	7-8			Ford Center for the Performing Arts, New York, 1996-98

44	1-2			Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles, 1997
	3		Livent promotional materials
		The Rink, musical
Box	Folder
44	4-8		Scripts and rewrites, 1983-95
	9		Correspondence, 1983-84

45	1		Programs and reviews, various performances, 1988-96
	2			Martin Beck Theatre, New York, 1984
	3			International productions
	4				Cambridge Theatre, London, 1988
		The Ritz (originally The Tubs)
Box	Folder
45	5-7		Scripts for The Tubs, n.d.

46	1-6		Scripts, cont'd, 1974

47	1-2		Scripts, cont'd
	3		Programs, reviews, and production photographs for The Tubs, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1974
	4-7		Scripts and revisions for The Ritz, 1974-75

48	1		Programs and reviews, various performances, 1974-97
	2		Screenplay, second draft, 1976
	3		Film reviews
	4	The Roller Coaster, script, 1960
	5	Sam Found Out or the Queen of Mabababwe, teleplay written with Wendy Wasserstein, scripts and reviews, 1988
	6	Sand between the Sheets, teleplay, first draft, 1991
	7	Sex and Love, programs and reviews, Caracas, poster removed to oversize file folder 2000;
	8	Some Christmas Letters, text and programs, benefit concert 1999
	9	Some Easter, play for Circle Repertory gala, script and programs 1987
		Sweet Eros and Witness
Box	Folder
48	10-13		Scripts
	14		Production photographs

49	1		Reviews, 1968-69
	2		Screenplay, first draft
	3	Television script ideas
	4	Terrence McNally: Five Short Plays, program and reviews, 1996
	5	This Side of the Door, script, 1963
	6	Time Framed (2:00 PM), script for The First Annual Playwrights Support Fund Benefit, May 9, 1983
	7	Tour in " Collision Course," scripts and reviews, 1968
	8	Trying Times II: L/S/M/F/T, teleplay scripts, 1989
	9-10	XXIII Skidoo, scripts, 1983
	11	Two-Thousand Sixty-Eight, play for Circle Repertory Company's 20th anniversary benefit, script and program 1988,
	12	"Untitled" corrected playscript; notes for plays
		Up in Saratoga
Box	Folder
49	13-14		Scripts, 1988

50	1-2		Scripts, cont'd, 1988-892
	3		Programs and reviews, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, 1989
	4-5	Urban Blight, scripts, programs and reviews, 1988
		The Visit, musical
Box	Folder
50	6-9		Scripts, with Frank Galati's notes and editing 1999,

51	1-3		Scripts, cont'd, 2000
	4		Correspondence, Angela Lansbury and Frank Galati
	5		Programs and reviews
		Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?
Box	Folder
51	6-9		Scripts, 1969-70

52	1-3		Scripts, cont'd
	4		Programs and reviews, 1971
	5			Yale Repertory Theatre
	6			New York, various venues
		Whiskey
Box	Folder
52	7		Scripts
	8		Production photographs
	9		Programs and reviews, 1973
	10	The Wibbly, Wobbly, Wiggly Dance that Cleopatra Did, scripts and program, 1993
	11	Women's Rites, script, 1967
	12	You and Hugh ( "Hugh and Son"), libretto and program, 1994
		Collected plays, publicity and reviews
Box	Folder
53	1		Collected Plays: Volume II, 1996
	2		15 Short Plays, 1994
	3-4		Three Plays, with setting copy, 1990
	5		Reviews, various titles


II. Career-Related and Personal
Box	Folder
53	6-8	Articles about McNally

54	1	Articles by McNally
		Awards
			By play title
Box	Folder
54	2			A-L
	3			M-V
			By year, playwright
Box	Folder
54	4			1985-93
	5			1994-96
	6-7			1998
	8			1999-2001
			Tony Awards
Box	Folder
55	1			Kiss of the Spider Woman 1993,
	1			Love! Valour! Compassion! 1995,
	2			Master Class 1996,
	3			Ragtime 1998,
	4			The Full Monty (nominated) 2001,
	5-6	Benefits, 1987-2002
	7	Career-related writings, primarily for publications
	8-9		"Letters from a Playwright," New York Guide, May-Aug. 1979

56	1	Conferences and festivals, 1988-98
	2		OPERA America's 24th annual conference, including McNally's keynote address 1994,
	3		William Inge Festival, 1994
		Correspondence
Box	Folder
56	4		1955-68
	5		1989-92
	6		1993-97
	7		1998
	8		1999-2002
	9		Undated

57	1	Daybooks, blank
	2	The Dramatists Guild, 1985
	3	Guggenheim Fellowships, 1966 and 1969
	4-7	High school and college papers and writings

58	1		College plays, programs, 1959-1960s
	2-3	Interviews
	4	Lectures and speeches
	5		Address to members of the League of American Theaters and Producers, Toronto, 1991
	6		Juilliard commencement, May 22, 1998
	7		"The Faces of Love: An Evening of Songs by Jake Heggie," narrated by McNally, Lincoln Center, May 2000
	8	Opera-related projects and writings
	9-12		Texaco-Metropolitan Opera Radio Network, "Opera News on the Air", 1981-92

59	1			1995-2000
	2		Articles on opera in Horizon, 1985
	3		"Wozzeck," for the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Great Opera cassette series, 1989
	4-5	Photographs, including Richard Avendon photos of McNally [oversize removed to Box 62]
	6		McNally with President Bill Clinton at the White House, 1998
	7-9	Tributes and memorials, including Jimmy Coco, Fred Ebb, Ruth Goodman Goetz, John Kander, Jimmy Kirkwood, Angela Lansbury, Patricia Brooks Mann, Leonard Melfi, and Chita Rivera


III. Works of Others
Box	Folder
60	1	Articles and clippings about others [oversize removed to Box 61]
	2-3	Bywaters, Tom. "Summer of 1991" and "Summer of 1993"
	4	Lyons, Steven. "Cockroach Infestation"
	5-6	Programs, various non-McNally performances
	7-9	Ryton, Royce. "The Unvarnished Truth"

61-62		Oversize

Harry Ransom CenterThe University of Texas at Austin

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