History
Since 1969 the library has been acquiring theatre collections, but it was really during the 1980s after the formal establishment of Archival & Special Collections that Leonard Conolly’s leadership as chair of the Drama Department (1981-1988) and later as Associate Vice-President Academic (1988-1992) helped firmly establish the University of Guelph as a destination for the study of theatre history. It was through Conolly’s contacts and discussions with significant Ontario theatres such as Phoenix and Tarragon in Toronto and the Grand in London, that soon led to their boards to agree to donate what was then a precious but endangered cultural heritage for Canadian drama and theatre. These rich and varied holdings, now known as The L.W. Conolly Theatre Archives, have become a major resource used by Guelph faculty and students as well as researchers within Canada and from around the world.
Collection strengths
The collections are focused on the work of Bernard Shaw; modern Ontario theatre companies; and playwrights, actors, directors, designers, cutters, and administrators active in Ontario theatre life. Over the years, the library's commitment has grown significantly to the point that it has become the largest collection of Canadian theatre and Shaw-related materials in Canada with more than 200 collections in its holdings.
| Title | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Nunn | British-born actor and administrator who worked in theatres across England and Canada, including the Red Barn, Crest Theatre, National Arts Centre, National Ballet School, Shaw and Stratford Festivals | 1934-2003 |
| Andy McKim | An award-winning Canadian director, dramaturge, and teacher with a distinguished career in supporting new play development in Canada. | 1960-2019 |
| Arthur Penson | A Canadian set and costume designer originally from British Columbia who has designed for theatres across the country, as well as in England and Ireland. | 1978-2002 |
| Associated Designers of Canada | A professional association that acts as a bartering agent primarily for set designers. This collection focuses on Canada's participation in the Prague Quadriennale. | 1966-1988 |
| Association for Canadian Theatre Research | This professional association is dedicated to preserving Canadian theatre by bringing arts and academics together. It publishes in Theatre Research in Canada/Recherche du théâtre au Canada. | 1976-2003 |
| Augustin Hamon | A French socialist-anarchist who translated George Bernard Shaw's plays into French. | 1876-1939 |
| Barry MacGregor | Canadian actor, director, teacher, and theatre administrator notable for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the UK and the Shaw and Stratford Festivals in Ontario. | 1920-2016 |
| Barry Morse | English-Canadian actor known for his roles in the TV series The Figitive and sci-fi film Space 1999 but who performed thousands of roles in TV, radio, film, and theatre | 1919-2011 |
| Black Theatre Canada | Primarily production and publicity records for one of Canada's best known late-twentieth century Black theatre companies, which has since ceased operation. | 1973-1988 |
| Blyth Festival | This is a smaller company that operates out of Blyth, Ontario, and focuses on featuring and producing exclusively Canadian content. | 1975-present |
| Cahoots Theatre Project | Cahoots is a multicultural theatre company that promotes and supports new writing projects. It now functions under the name Cahoots Theatre Company. | 1986-1991 |
| Cameron Porteous | Set and costume designer, notable for his work as head of design at the Vancouver Playhouse (1972-1981) and director of design at the Shaw Festival (1980-1997). | 1972-2005 |
| Canadian Players | Canadian Players was a professional theatre company that toured Canada, primarily performing the works of George Bernard Shaw and William Shakespeare. It has since ceased operation. | 1954-1966 |
| Canadian Stage Company | Administrative and production records of this major professional theatre company in Toronto, ON, formed from a merger of Toronto Free Theatre and CentreStage. | 1988-present |
| Carole Corbeil | Montreal-born arts critic and award-winning novelist with a fondness and sensitivity to theatre. | 1952-2000 |
| Carousel Players | Designed for a younger audience, this theatre company focuses on encouraging the innovation and creation of new works by school-aged children. | 1972-2014 |
| Cecil O'Neal | Director of Productions at Stratford Festival (1975-1985) and Professor of Theatre, Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University (1988 to 2011). | 1975-1985 |
| CentreStage | Production, publicity, and administrative files of CentreStage, a professional theatre company in Toronto, ON, which merged in 1988 with Toronto Free Theatre to form the Canadian Stage Company. | 1963-1988 |
| Charles Palmer and Lillian Graham | British-born actors who moved to Vancouver in 1937 and in 1946 resettled in Toronto and resumed their acting careers. | 1845-1990 |
| Christopher Newton | British-born actor, playwright, and artistic director, founding director of Theatre Calgary (1968-1971), artistic director of the Vancouver Playhouse (1973-1979), and of the Shaw Festival (1980-2002). | 1941-2013 |
| Christopher Newton | Former Artistic Director of the Vancouver Playhouse and Shaw Festival, founding Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary, and director at numerous Canadian and international theatre companies | 1968-present |
| Citizens Theatre (Glasgow) | An international Scottish flagship company based in Glasgow. | 1944-1985 |
| Colleen Curran | Montreal-based playwright and novelist whose work is a favourite at the Blyth Festival. | 1981-2005 |
| Colleen Murphy | Governor-General's Award winning Quebec-born playwright, screenwriter, librettist, and film director. | 1918-2017 |
| Creative Trust | This professional organization worked with theatre, dance, and music companies to help with organizational sustainability and improving financial standing. It has since ceased operation. | 1998-2010 |
| Crest Theatre | Operating between 1954-1966, Crest Theatre was a company that focused on both modern and classic works. It is no longer in operation. | 1954-1966 |
| Dan H Laurence & Shaviana Collections | Materials collected by George Bernard Shaw scholar and bibliographer Dan Laurence with some additions by other Shaw researchers. | 1856-2005 |
| David Antscherl | Ontario-based artist, instructor, actor, art director, and a set and production designer for both stage and film | |
| David Lee fonds | Photographic work of Toronto-based freelance photographer David Lee, related to Canadian theatres. | 1984-2003, bulk 1990-1992 |
| Earle Grey Shakespeare Festival | Formed by British actors Earle Grey and Mary Godwin, the Earle Grey Shakespearean Festival is a topical festival focusing solely on the works of William Shakespeare. It ceased operation in 1958. | 1949-1958 |
| Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres | A collection featuring two theatres that operated in the same building. These theatres are no longer producing live performances. | 1914-15, 1987-1990 |
| Equity Showcase Theatre | This not-for-profit organisation encouraged the artistic development of theatre professionals. | 1959-2007 |
| Eugene Benson fonds | Contains first editions, draft editions and working copies of creative works by Eugene Benson, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photos and slides. | 1915-2012 |
| FLIP Publicity | A public relations agency with a focus on theatre and other performing arts. | 1988-2010 |
| Factory Theatre | Factory Theatre is an experimental theatre based in Toronto which creates and features new Canadian Content only. | 1970-1996 |
| Gaiety Theatre (Manchester) | A now closed theatre that was used throughout the early to mid 20th Century in England. | 1904 |
| Grand Theatre | A professional Ontario theatre that opened in 1901 and is still producing live performances today. | 1985-Present |
| Great Canadian Theatre Company | Formed in 1975, this Canadian theatre was created by U of Ottawa Students and Professors. | 1975-1993 |
| Ground Zero Productions | This controversial topical theatre was originally based in Toronto but has since moved to Alberta. | 1982-1997 |
| Guelph Light Opera Company | A small company, focused on vocal talent, that is no longer in operation. | 1971 |
| Guelph Spring Festival | A local festival that has been in operation since 1968 featuring both national and international talent. | 1968-present. |
| Independent Theatre London (England) | A theatre that once put on a performance of Bernard Shaw's Widowers' Houses. | 1891-1894 |
| International Stage in the Bernhardt Era Conference | A conference that coincided with the Guelph Spring Festival in 1977. | 1977 |
| International Women Playwrights Conference | A yearly conference organised by women for women. | 1984-1991 |
| Jacob & Sparrow's Opera House | A small opera company that functioned out of Toronto, ON. It is no longer in operation. | 1891, ca. 1895 |
| Leonard Conolly fonds | Distinguished Ontario-based author, editor, teacher and theatre scholar. | 1900-2017 |
| Lighthouse Festival Theatre | A professional Ontario theatre in Southern Ontario that focuses on producing purely Canadian shows. | 1980-2007 |
| Linda Griffiths fonds | Scripts, reviews, posters, DVDs, VHS, books, research material. | 1978-2014 |
| Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People | This is a smaller theatre company that produces Canadian works featuring school aged children. | 1966-2003 |
| Maxine Alexandra Graham | original set and costumes designed by Maxine Alexandra Graham covering some of her work with Theatre Aquarius and major theatre across Canada dating back to 1965. | 1965-2007 |
| Museum Children's Theatre | A theatre company that offered opportunities for children to experience theatre and the arts. | 1964-65 |
| Native Earth Performing Arts | A topical production company focusing on providing opportunities both on stage and behind the scenes for Indigenous people. | 1981-2000 |
| Ne'er Do Well Thespians | This Toronto based company focused solely on Canadian content. It is no longer in operation. | 1975-1982 |
| Necessary Angel | Necessary Angel is a professional company that focuses on creating works that challenge and engage audiences. It is still in operation. | 1978-present |
| New Theatre | This was an alternate theatre in Toronto. | 1971-1982 |
| Nightwood Theatre | The oldest professional women's theatre company in Canada, operating out of Toronto, ON. | 1979-present |
| Open Circle Theatre | This topical theatre produced socially centred works as well as adaptations to classics and musicals. It is no longer in operation. | 1973-1982 |
| Outaouais Popular Theatre Archives | An Ottawa based topical theatre company that challenged the societal norms with its productions. It is no longer in operation. | 1975-1994 |
| Pacific Shaw Festival | An offshoot of the Shaw Festival taking part on the Canadian west coast, sponsored by the Coconut Theatre Society in Vancouver. It lasted for one season, 1990-1991. | 1990-1991 |
| Penguin Theatre | This company, formed in Ottawa in 1976, focused on small, intimate productions to allow interaction between the actors and audience. It has since ceased operation. | 1976-1980 |
| Phillip Silver fonds | Professional papers of Phillip Silver, a significant Canadian set designer, lighting designer, and costume designer. | 1967-2019, bulk 1967-2012 |
| Phoenix Theatre | Founded in Edmonton in 1981 by Keith Digby, Phoenix Theatre focused on Canadian works. It has since ceased operation. | 1974-1983 |
| Play Actors | Play Actors operated out of Toronto from 1953-1958. | 1953-1958 |
| Playwrights Union of Canada | Having gone by many names, the Playwrights Union of Canada functioned from 1984-2002, when it was renamed the Playwrights Guild of Canada. Its purpose was to support playwrights locally and abroad. | 1971-1985 |
| Playwrights' Workshop Montreal | A play development organisation that was founded in 1963. | 1963-2010 |
| Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) | A professional company that helps Canadian Theatres with promotion and providing leadership. | 1976-1991 |
| Road Show Theatre Company | A travelling theatre company that began in the Muskokas and then settled in Guelph. It is no longer in operation. | 1975-1981 |
| Royal Alexandra Theatre | A theatre house operating out of Toronto, ON, which began operation in 1907. It has since been the centre of many of the largest productions in Canada. | 1920-1980 |
| Shaw Festival Fonds | Administrative and production records of the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake | 1962-present |
| Shaw Festival fonds | Administrative and production records of Canada's leading repertory theatre company devoted to the works by and in the spirit of George Bernard Shaw. | 1962-present |
| Skylight Theatre | Founded in 1979, Skylight Theatre was Toronto's first open-air Theatre. This company has since ceased operation. | 1979-1992 |
| Stratford Festvial | This theatre festival specialized in the works of Shakespeare when it was founded in 1953, but quickly branched out to feature other classic works. It is still in operation today. | 1953-2014 |
| Tarragon Theatre | Administrative and production records of this major professional theatre company in Toronto, ON. | 1971-present |
| Theatre Aquarius fonds | Administrative and production records of this major professional theatre company from Hamilton, ON. | 1972-present |
| Theatre Centre | Founded as an experimental facility, the Theatre Centre has now become a successful cooperative theatre incubator and live arts hub. | 1979-1992 |
| Theatre Columbus | Founded in Toronto in 1983, Theatre Columbus used clown technique to present shows on socially relevant issues. It is now known as Common Boots Theatre. | 1984-1994 |
| Theatre Compact | A theatre company that featured key players in the field. It has since ceased operation. | 1976-1978 |
| Theatre Ontario | A professional association that provided its members with a variety of services. It is still in operation today. | 1986-1991 |
| Theatre Passe Muraille | Theatre Passe Muraille is a pioneering alternative theatre based out of Toronto, ON, that encourages the performance to move beyond the four walls. It is still in operation. | 1988-present |
| Theatre Plus | A theatre that set out originally to present boundary pushing political and social works. | 1973-1993 |
| Theatre Smith-Gilmour | An innovative theatre company based in Toronto, ON, that presents original comedy plays in dell'arte style. It is still in operation. | 1981-1991 |
| Theatre Terra Nova | A short live theatre company the performed solely Canadian works. It was founded in 1988 and ceased operations in 1991. | 1988-1991 |
| Theatre on the Move | A travelling Theatre that performed shows for a younger audience. It is no longer in operation. | 1971-1994 |
| Théâtre Français de Toronto | Formerly known as Théâtre du P'tit Bonheur, Théâtre Français is the largest Canadian francophone theatre outside of Québec. It was founded in 1967 and is still in operation today. | 1967-2016 |
| Timothy Findley Collection | Published and unpublished plays, letters, correspondence, videos, memorabilia, and other materials relating to the career of actor, playwright and writer Timothy Findley (1930-2002). | 1910-2001 |
| Toronto Free Theatre | Administrative and production records of this professional theatre company in Toronto, ON, which merged with CentreStage in 1988 to form the Canadian Stage Company. | 1972-1988 |
| Toronto Workshop Productions | Founded in 1959, TWP is one of the first well known experimental theatres. It ceased operations in 1989. | 1959-1989 |
| Guelph Royal Opera House | The Guelph Royal Opera House was a theatre that featured live performances before being turned into a movie theatre. It has since ceased operation. | 1873-1926 |
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