Records of the Greater London Council (GLC) Staff Dramatic Club. The collection comprises a complete series of minute books from 1903, financial accounts, scrapbooks of programmes, notices, reviews, a rehearsal register and correspondence.

Archives of the Royal Opera House (ROH), comprising:
some business records of the ROH and associated companies including Board minutes and papers of various opera companies using the ROH, 1919-1939; box office returns and payment slips for artists and theatre staff, 1919-1939; individual artist files, containing biographical information, prints and photographs 18thc to present]; production files 1946-present; minutes of the Board of the Royal Opera House Ltd, sub-committees, and management groups, 1946-present; files of the General Administrator/Chief Executive Office, and Assistants to the General Administrator, 1946-present; files of the Chairman of the Board 1946-1997; files of the Company Secretary's office, 1948-1996; files of the Personnel Office -2002 (closed); Contract files 1946-1980s (closed);
Opera Company files 1970s - 1999; Ballet Company files 1947-1996; Birmingham Royal Ballet files 1970s-1991; some early performing company files are found with the General Administrator's files; Finance Department records, 1946-present;

19th century correspondence, including letters of Frederick Gye (1809-1878), opera manager; Giovanni Matteo Mario (1810-1883) Italian tenor; Giulia Grisi (1811-1869), and Michael Costa (1810-1884) conductor;

Press, Publication, Community Relations, Marketing and Box Office departmental files, 1980-2000; House Management files, 1948-1999; Orchestra Office files, 1948-present; Friends of Covent Garden files, 1964-1999;

Ballet for All - education initiative files, 1964-1970s; London Opera Centre records, 1963-1970s; Production Office files, 1946-1980; Fly Department files, 1947-1977; Technical Department files, 1952-present;

audiovisual collection comprising:
audio recordings of oral history interviews relating to the Royal Opera House Development Project, 1997-2000; Verdi Centenary, 2001-2002; recordings of interviews and events at the Royal Opera House, 1964-2003;

photographic collection comprising:
photographs by Donald Southern, including black and white negatives and colour transparencies of performances, events and personnel at the ROH, 1959-1991; photographs by John Graham, including negatives of ballet and opera performances at the ROH, 1940s-1950s; photographs by Felix Fonteyn, including negatives of ballet productions from 1950s; photographs by Richard Holttum, including black and white negatives and colour transparencies of the ROH interior and exterior prior to development 1988-1991; photographs by Rob Moore including contact prints and colour transparencies of the ROH development, 1997-2001; Schal time-lapse photography of the development of the ROH, 1996-1999; Historic Monuments Commission photographic survey of the ROH interior and exterior prior to site development 1990-1996; two albums of photographs compiled by Edwin Sachs of the redevelopment of the ROH stage, 1899-1900, and the workshops; glass plate negatives used to create ballet post cards, 1950s-1960s;

collection of music and choreographic scores comprising:
printed songs, 18th -early 19th century; operas scores (vocal and orchestral) and stage managers scores, 1840s-1939; annotated opera stage managers scores 1946- present; annotated ballet stage managers scores, 1946-present; Staff Director's annotated scores for opera productions, 1946-present; Ninette de Valois' printed and manuscript music for ballet, 1920s -1930s; printed and manuscript ballet music, 1840s-1950s;
choreographic scores for ballets performed by The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet;

design and costume and collections comprising:
Yolanda Sonnabend design collection including notebooks, reference files, and related material, 1973-1995;
Ian Spurling collection of designs, photographs and press cuttings, 1975-1994; Toby Ward collection of drawings of the ROH prior to and during development 1996-1999;
Glynne Boyd Hart collection of watercolours of the ROH development, 1998-1999;
Ruth Hurle collection of drawings of back state, craft workrooms, opera and ballet rehearsals, 1930s-1940s;

costumes and accessories, such as headdresses, jewellery, shoes and wigs, worn by artist appearing at he ROH, 1920s-2003;
Comelli costume design collection including artwork by Attilio Comelli and others for costumes of operas performed at the ROH 1880s-1920s;
Costume design artwork, 1946-present; design artwork for sets and props, 1946-present; models of sets for productions, 1946-present; Model Room files relating to ground plans, and technical drawing or set and prop construction 1946 to present; stage and ground plans, 1939; Production Wardrobe files relating to costume and accessories design 1946-present;

miscellaneous large prints and drawings of performers and performances 19th and 20th century;

collection of advertising posters, 19th century-present;

programme collection including programmes for Gala and Special performances, and decorative programmes 1750s-present;

press cuttings of announcements, reviews, interviews, 18th century, 1847-1939; Harold Rosenthal collection of press puttings, relating mainly to the ROH performances, 1847-1950s; press cuttings of reviews and articles about performers and performances, 1946-present;
miscellaneous albums and scrap books relating to Anna Pavlova, and Nellie Melba, amongst others 1920s;

library collection comprising books, periodicals and specialist publication relating to ballet, dance, opera, music and theatre; libretti, 1840-present; playtexts 1776-[1850]; reports commissioned by the ROH and general arts reports 1946-present; ROH publications and souvenir year books 1956-2002;

special collections comprising:
Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund collection of material relating to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Royal Ballet (RB), including papers, photographs, press cuttings, programmes concerning the RB and its predecessors - Vic Wells and Sadler's Wells Ballet companies 1931- 1950s;

Spellman Song Sheet Covers containing illustrations of operas, and ballets late 19th-early 20th century;

albums of Lady de Grey albums containing photographs of singers, composers, conductors, mostly autographed, dedicated to (Constance) Gladys De Grey, (1859-1917) Marchioness of Ripon, and opera patron, 1870-1920;

collection of Dame Margot Fonteyn De Arias (1918-1991) ballet dancer, including costumes, accessories, photographs, correspondence and books, 1920s-1980s;

collection of Dame Ninette de Valois (1898-2001) founder of The Royal Ballet, including awards, honours and correspondence, 1947-1993;

collection of Leslie Edwards (1916-2001), principal dancer The Royal Ballet, including photographs 1920s-1980s;

collection of Eva Turner (1892-1990) English soprano, relating to her singing career, including costumes, accessories, photographs, press cuttings, music and books 1920s-1940s;

diaries of Frederick Gye (1809-1878), Royal Italian Opera General manager, 1847-1878, his daughter Clara Gye, and son Ernest Gye, ROH Manager, 1847-1877;

collection of Olive Grime, dancer with the Beecham Opera Company, including press cuttings, contracts, correspondence, photographs, books and costumes, 1920s-1930s;

collection of Reginald Goodall (1901-1990) English conductor, including correspondence and personal papers, 1900-1958.

South-Western Polytechnic, Chelsea Polytechnic, Chelsea College of Science and Technology, and Chelsea College Photographs and Illustrations, 1891-1986. These comprise photographs of interiors of the Manresa Road buildings including chemistry and biology laboratories, library, gymnasium, cookery classroom and engineering workshops, [1895-1985]; exteriors of Chelsea buildings, 1891-[1985]; College events and student activities including outings, theatre productions, geology field trips, opening ceremonies, retirement drinks and sporting fixtures, [1920]-1986; portraits and group photographs of students and staff, notably departmental group photographs, photographs of successive Principals and other senior staff, sporting teams, 1900-[1985]; 12 boxes of 16mm film loops of electronics-related lecture material, [1970].

Tony Arnell is a casting director, who worked for well known television companies including LWT. Prior to this he worked at Spotlight, alongside talent spotter Cary Ellison, to encourage actors and actresses to sign up to be included in the publication. Throughout his career, Mr Arnell visited theatre productions to spot actors to either encourage to join Spotlight, or that he might want to cast in the shows he was working on. The Tony Arnell Theatre Programme Collection consists of programmes for theatrical productions seen by Tony Arnell from 1960s- 1980s, with his notes inside detailing his thoughts on the cast, production and play. The programmes are predominantly for shows in the South-East of England, and also include annotated programmes for performances by Drama School and as part of the London Fringe Festival. The collection also includes some from programmes from the 1990s and 2000s, although these are not annotated.

Also included in the collection are items related to the '12' group- founded in 1958 by Cary Ellison as a gathering of casting directors, theatrical agents and other leading figures in the theatre industry. Tony Arnell took over as president in 1988 and continued to run the group until its closure in 2004. Items in the collection include a history of the group, and albums of photographs of 12 members taken at their annual garden parties from 1988 onwards.

First editions of some of Iris Murdoch's novels, and other rare texts- 13 volumes in total. Consists of:

KUAS25/1 Limited edition playscript for The One Alone (Colophon Press, 1995)

KUAS25/2 Copy of A Year of Birds poems by Iris Murdoch, engravings by Reynolds Stone (Compton Press, 1978)

KUAS25/3 Unrevised proof copy of The Time of the Angels (Viking Press, 1966)

KUAS25/4 Copies of Sartre; Romantic Rationalist by Iris Murdoch (Bowes and Borwes, 1953)

KUAS25/5 Playscript of The Italian Girl: A Play,/i> by Iris Murdoch and James Saunders (Samuel French, 1968)

KUAS25/6 Unrevised proof copy of The Italin Girl the novel (Viking Press, 1964)

KUAS25/7 Reprint of Existentialists and Mystics by Iris Murdoch (Delos Press, 1993)

KUAS25/8 Programme for the play The Black Prince adapted by Iris Murdoch's from her novel The Black Prince (1973)

KUAS25/9 First edition of Iris Murdoch's first novel, Under the Net (London, Chatto and Windus 1954). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/10 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Sandcastle (London, Chatto and Windus 1957). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/11 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Good Apprentice (London, Chatto and Windus - The Hogarth Press 1985). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/12 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Book and the Brotherhood, (London, Chatto and Windus 1987). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/13 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Message to the Planet, (London, Chatto and Windus 1989). With original dust jacket.

Brian Smith's collection of theatre programmes, compiled over several decades of visiting a range of theatrical productions in London and the surrounding area. The programmes date from 1954 up until the 2000s and as well as covering productions at theatres all over London’s West End there are some from New York, Paris, Sydney and Cape Town. Brian enjoyed a wide range of theatre including plays, musicals and variety shows. There is also a large collection of opera, ballet and concert programmes.

Cary Ellison was a talent spotter who worked for Spotlight. As part of his work from 1953-1980 he went on twice yearly tours around repertory performances across the UK to locate the up and coming performers, directors and plays. The Cary Ellison Theatre Programme Collection consists of the theatre programmes collected by Cary Ellison on these trips, complete with his added notes on the actors, plays and directors he saw. He commented on a number of well known actors in the early stages of their careers, as well as offering his view on several well known plays.

19 letters written to Florence Farr/Emery, 1891-1905. Correspondents include: George Alexander [later Sir George Alexander], Lady Betty Balfour [later Countess of Balfour], Mabel Beardsley [Wright], Frank Benson [later Sir Frank Benson], Arthur Bourchier, Beatrice Stella Campbell [Mrs Patrick Campbell], Edward Garnett, Jacob Thomas Grein, Jane Ellen Harrison, Charles Hawtrey [later Sir Charles Hawtrey], John Lane, Cyril Francis Maude, Thomas Sturge Moore, Frederick York Powell, Stepniak [i.e. Sergei Michailovich Kravchinsky], Herbert Beerbohm Tree [later Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree] and Arthur Bingham Walkley.

All letters are autograph, with signatures. Many of the letters relate to plays, theatrical performances and other social engagements.

2 letters written to Florence Farr/Emery. (1) From Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, 2 Aug 1892. Requesting a photograph of Farr. (2) From [Elizabeth] Robins, 26 Oct [1890s]. Agreeing terms for a permformance by Farr's.

Both letters are autograph, with signatures.

The Stephen Sondheim Society Archive documents the life and work of musical theatre composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The core of the collection was collected by antiquarian bookseller and Sondheim enthusiast Peter Wood- his collection later passed to the Society. Additional material has been added since, filling in gaps in the Peter Wood collection and documenting productions and publications that have occurred since it was transferred to the Society.

Both parts of the Collection contain a range of material on Stephen Sondheim and his work- notably programmes, leaflets, posters and press cuttings. There are also journals, books, audio visual material and collectables. The Collection dates from Sondheim's earliest work to the present and will continue to be added to as his works continue to be performed. There are also documents relating to the work of the Society itself, notably the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year awards (SSSSPOTY).

Records relate to the organisation and running of LIFT festivals and other events from 1981-2001 and include material about the companies that performed, planning documents, directors' notebooks, technical and artistic documents, and research and marketing material. Records exist here that also show the history of the company since its inception and include board papers and funding documents. The photograph and video series includes promotional material from companies and documentation of festival events, and spans 1981-2001, as does the audio collection which mainly includes recordings of LIFT talks and discussions. There are also some objects in the collection that are related to LIFT events. A large collection of international festival programmes also spans 1981-2001 and print material such as programmes, flyers, and posters exists for this period also.

The collection consists of minutes of management meetings, 1974 - 1994; membership lists; internal correspondence; external correspondence concerning the reactions of the public to the productions; correspondence regarding funding; copies of scripts written by members of the company and outside authors; audition notes and CVs; correspondence and accounts relating to tour arrangements; tour reports; posters and programmes for productions; photographs, video cassettes and loose film reel of productions; promotional material; newspaper cuttings relating to specific productions and Gay Sweatshop in general; theses based on Gay theatre.

Papers of Michael Glenny on Russia, 1919-1991, comprisng:
Published and unpublished émigré memoirs; sound cassettes and transcripts of interviews with Russian émigrés; catalogues and indexes of informant information; papers relating to Russian/Soviet emigration, prepared for book, The Other Russia, a collaboration between Michael Glenny and the historian Norman Stone. In preparation for this work on Russian émigrés from the Soviet Union, Glenny and researchers working under his direction recorded over 160 interviews of Russian émigrés as well as collecting a number of copies of unpublished manuscripts and memoirs that had been published in little known sources. Only around a third of the material was used in the published volume.

Literary manuscripts and translations by Glenny and related correspondence, notes and papers; periodicals, presscuttings, notes and theatre programmes relating to Russian literature and theatre; newspapers, periodicals and presscuttings containing articles re Soviet affairs; slides of Soviet art and obituaries of Glenny, 1957-1991

Theatre and opera programmes from Ekaterinburg and St Petersburg, Russia, 1912-1913; Trans-Siberian Railway dining car menu, 1915; International Sleeping Car and Express-Train Company leaflet of Far Eastern services, with map and timetables, 1919.

Papers of the Hackney Empire collection, 1962-2009, comprising:

Material relating to the CAST theatre troupe, 1962-1985, including: papers concerning Roland Muldoon's theatre training, membership of the Unity Theatre, drama classes at the Working Men's College, London, and the foundation of CAST, 1962-1969; correspondence, financial records, publicity material, scripts, press cuttings, tour schedules, photographs and audio recordings regarding CAST productions, 1966-1985, film reels of CAST film 'Planet of the Mugs', [1972];

Material relating to CAST Presentations Ltd, CAST New Variety Ltd and New Variety Performers Agency, 1982-[mid 1990s], including: minutes of management meetings, 1982-1990; correspondence and other administrative material relating to the running of CAST New Variety, [1983]-1986; proposals seeking home venues for the CAST New Variety, 1980-1985; minutes, correspondence, reports and other material relating to Diorama Arts Ltd, 1984-1989; publicity material for comedians, musicians and other cabaret acts either for spots in CAST New Variety shows or representation by New Variety Performers Agency, 1983-[mid 1990s]; posters and flyers advertising CAST New Variety shows, [1983]-1986; financial records, 1980-1991;

Material relating to Hackney Empire Theatre and Hackney New Variety Ltd, 1986-2009, including: minutes of management meetings, 1988-2005 (very incomplete); correspondence, 1988-2004 (very incomplete); press cuttings, 1986-2007; posters and programmes for Hackney Empire productions, 1986-2009; photographs, video recordings and other material relating to New Act of the Year, 1991-[2000] (very incomplete).

The collection includes :

Scrapbooks: 1 very large and delicate scrapbook containing material relating to Assemblies given by Theresa Cornelys at Carlisle House, Soho Square, 1763-1780; Indexed scrapbook containing 19th century and early 20th Century press cuttings on dancers from The Illustrated London News and other sources, compiled by Mark E Perugini; Richardson's OBE Scrapbooks containing press cuttings and messages of congratulations following his appointment in 1951.

Notebooks: 6 notebooks containing a variety of press cuttings and articles related to Richardson's work 1921-1926; 1 notebook containing handwritten notes for four chapters of The Autobiography of a Dancer

Articles and Illustrations from various publications, 1919-1950

Papers and Correspondence: including notices of 19th Century Assemblies in Richmond and London, 1804-1822

Programmes including "The Star" Ball and Ballroom Championship programmes (1925-1966); Blackpool Annual Dance Festivals (1946-1975); Butlin's Annual Re-Union Programmes, including the Amateur Veleta Challenge Trophy Competition.

The collection contains administrative papers relating to Company contracts and internal and external correspondence; financial papers relating to budgets and funding, miscellaneous personal papers of the Company's director, Jonathan Holloway; production records including scripts, technical notes, rehearsal and production notes and directions, stage directions, information on casts, and tour and venue information; audiovisual recordings of productions; promotional, marketing and educational-outreach material; press-cuttings and reviews, photographs of named and un-named actors and productions; publications inspiring Red Shift productions; a study of the Company's production of 'The Love Child'; and an untitled script.

Collection of ephemera, 1857-1869 and undated {1850s-1860s}, largely printed, including playbills, programmes, song sheets, catalogues and guides, relating to events, including sport, music, fireworks, fountains and illuminations, at the Crystal Palace (Sydenham, Kent); to operas at the Royal English Opera and the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden (Westminster); and to theatrical, musical and other recreational events, including comedies, ballets, tableaux, dioramas, exhibitions, and popular scientific events, at various premises including in Westminster, St Marylebone, Paddington, St Pancras, St Giles in the Fields, South Kensington, Kew, and Greenwich.

Copies of correspondence and memoranda relating to a dispute between the proprietors of the Theatre Royal at Covent Garden and performers.

Scrapbook relating to the Enfield Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, including theatrical programmes, playbills and newspaper cuttings of reviews for performances by both the Society and other operatic and theatrical societies.

Items related to musical theatre collected by scholar and musician Alan Poulton. Includes programmes, books, research and other items relating to the work of Stephen Sondheim, and other items relating more widely to the world of musical theatre including journals, books and recordings.

Leaflets, fliers and ephemera documenting an exhibition of the works of Charlotte Salomon, 1998-1999.

Papers of Reichsverband der Juedischen Kulturbuende in Deutschland, 1936, comprise a concert flyer advertising a performance in Berlin put on by the Reichsverband der Juedischen Kulturbuende in Deutschland.

Correspondence, 1892-1943, between Benson and various academic colleagues, mainly on subjects relating to botany, and the reading and publication of papers by women to scientific societies, notably with Professor Francis Wall Oliver, Professor of Botany at University College London, Professor Sir Albert Charles Seward, Professor of Botany at Cambridge University, and Dukinfield Henry Scott, President of the Linnean Society. Papers, 1871, 1906 and [1936] relating to Benson's death, including her childhood exercise book, 1897, given to Professor Elizabeth Marianne Blackwell, Head of Botany at Royal Holloway College, various copies of the obituary notice written by Blackwell, [1936], and material relating to a bequest by Benson to the Botanical Laboratory at Royal Holloway College, [1936]. Photographs, [1893-1922] of staff and student life at Royal Holloway College, including boating scenes, costume tableaux in the College quad, formal portraits of Benson in academic dress, and laboratories in the College.

Programme of Ealing Theatre for performances by Mr. Herbert Sleath's Company of "What happened to Jones" by George H. Broadhurst, preceded by the Comedietta "A Morning Call", with note of forthcoming performances and many advertisements, 1900.

Manuscript copies of one-act plays written by William Poel, newspaper clippings relating to a production of Samson Agonistes and a copy of "Monthly Letters" on performing Shakespeare, collected and published.

Records of the Waldorf Theatre Syndicate Limited, comprising trust deeds and other legal documents, 1905-1910.

Assignment of a rent of two shillings each night of performance at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and free privilege for 21 years, between Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Thomas Linley and James Ford; and Anna Maria Ford.

The David Heneker Archive contains the working papers of musical theatre composer David Heneker, who wrote or contributed to several well known musicals incluing 'Half a Sixpence' and 'Charlie Girl'. The Archive contains materials relating to each of the shows David Heneker worked on including drafts of songs and scripts, musicals scores, correspondence and publicity. There is also material relating to his work as a songwriter in the 1930s and 1940s (including the Second World War), and his work for films and advertising. There are also materials relating to shows and films that David Heneker worked on that never reached the final production stage.

Papers and books belonging to the theatre critic Sheridan Morley (1941-2007). Includes correspondence, records relating to his various productions, volumes of press coverings covering his reviews, research notes and transcripts of some of his publications, photographs, records relating to his father Robert Morley and Grandmother Gladys Cooper, records relating to Noel Coward, theatre memorabilia and ephemera and objects.

Letter from Oliver Elton of Woodstock Road, Oxford to G F Troup Horne, 11 Apr 1933. 'I quite see the difficulty of playing the Hind under the circumstances'.

Autograph, with signature.

25 letters, mainly written to Florence Farr/Emery, 1891-1911. Correspondents include: William Archer, J M Barrie, Annie Besant, Edward Carpenter, Arnold Dolmetsch, Richard Le Gallienne, John William Mackail, Edward Martyn, George Robert Stow Mead, Gilbert Aimé Murray, Sir W M Flinders Petrie, Sir Arthur Wing Pinero, the Princess Royal (HRH Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife), Charles Ricketts, Robert Baldwin Ross, Charles Haslewood Shannon, George Bernard Shaw, Arthur Symons, John Todhunter, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, W B Yeats.

All letters are autograph, with signatures. Many of the letters relate to plays, theatrical performances and drama criticism; other topics covered include theosophy, Indian religion and Egyptology.

The Grieve collection comprises: 655 original scene designs (and 3 folders of slides), including panoramas and perspective 'cut-outs' in watercolours and wash by members of the Grieve family, covering performances of various revival productions of Shakespeare plays, along with works by Isaac Pocock, M.R.Lacy, Thomas Otway, Michael Costa, Samuel Beazley, Douglas Jerrold, G.Meyerbeer, Charles A.Somerset, Edward Fitzball, Rossini and others, staged at the Theatre Royal (Drury Lane), the Theatre Royal (Covent Garden) and Her Majesty's Theatre, 1813-1857.

The collection consists of member lists and registers; correspondence, notes and publications relating to the building of the new theatre; financial papers relating to loans; financial papers concerning various productions; legal papers relating to the lease of land; applications to the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Greater London Council for funding, including annual reports and accounts; papers and publicity material relating to productions; scripts; programmes and posters for plays; material concerned with the Women's festival of June 1986; publications about fringe theatres and the East End of London; photographs of productions and cast; press cuttings.