Leeds Playhouse Archive
Contains records with digital mediaDetails
Type of record: Archive
Title: Leeds Playhouse Archive
Classmark: BC MS 20c Theatre West Yorkshire Playhouse
Creator(s): Leeds Playhouse(); West Yorkshire Playhouse()
Date(s): 1964-2022
Language: English
Size and medium: 556 boxes; manuscript papers, typescript papers, photographs, slides, negatives, positives, artwork, flyers, posters, pamphlets, CDs, video tapes, cassette tapes, plans, notebooks, newspaper cuttings, technical drawings, menu, models, music scores, faxes, floppy discs, volumes; DVDs; papier-mâché beads; felt props
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/7313
Collection group(s): Performing Arts Collections
Description
The Leeds Playhouse archive is the collection of the Leeds Playhouse and the West Yorkshire Playhouse. It contains extensive documentation for staged plays, musicals and dance in particular. There is some administrative and financial material.
The earliest papers in the collection are from the campaign for a repertory theatre in Leeds in the 1960s. The latest are play scripts and photographs from recent productions at the Playhouse.
The collection covers the first two decades of the theatre’s existence from 1970-1990, when it was known as the Leeds Playhouse and operated from a venue on the University of Leeds campus. This sub-collection contains material relating to Leeds Playhouse’s productions and educational activities which includes play scripts, press reviews, programmes and photographs.
The majority of material relates to productions at Leeds Playhouse’s successor theatre, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, 1990-2018. This opened in a new building at Quarry Hill in March 1990. The sub-collection is rich in play scripts, technical drawings, programmes, press reviews, photographs, flyers and posters. There is also material relating to touring productions. The collection contains papers and photographs from the Playhouse's community and educational activities.
The Playhouse rebranded as the Leeds Playhouse in 2018. The third sub-collection contains archives generated by the Leeds Playhouse from the time of its rebranding.
Biography or history
Following a campaign begun in 1964, the Leeds Playhouse opened in 1970 on a site loaned to the Leeds Theatre Trust by the University of Leeds for a ten year period. The conditions of the loan were that the Trust built a theatre in such a way that it could be removed at the end of the ten year period, and converted to a sports hall. Ultimately the theatre remained at the University site until 1990, when the Company moved to Quarry Hill. The Playhouse changed its name to West Yorkshire Playhouse. The Quarry Hill site had first been earmarked by Leeds City Council for the permanent theatre in 1984. The first sod was dug by Sir Donald Sinden in November 1987. The foundation stone was laid by Dame Judi Dench in March 1989 and the building topped by Albert Finney in September 1989. The West Yorkshire Playhouse was officially opened by Dame Diana Rigg on 8 March 1990. The organisation stages a varied programme of dramatic and dance productions and also designs creative engagement
workshops and events. In June 2018 the organisation announced that it was reverting to its previous name of the Leeds Playhouse. The building at Quarry Hill was renovated over 18 months. Leeds Playhouse continued to stage productions in a pop-up venue at Quarry Hill and other venues in and around Leeds during the refurbishment.
Leeds Playhouse re-opened in its newly refurbished building in October 2019.
Provenance
On deposit from Leeds Playhouse.
Access and usage
Reproduction
Access
This collection is subject to various access conditions. Please see individual catalogue descriptions for further details on access.
Material in this collection is in copyright. Photocopies or digital images can only be supplied by the Library for research or private study within the terms of copyright legislation. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain the copyright holder's permission to reproduce for any other purpose. Guidance is available on tracing copyright status and ownership.
The University of Leeds respects the rights of copyright holders and their representatives. The University endeavours to ensure that all content hosted on the Special Collections website is compliant with UK Copyright law. View the Special Collections takedown policy
On our website
Subject theme: Theatre and Performance
An overview of the research potential of theatre and performance archives held at Special Collections at Leeds University Library.