Gossage, James.

James D. Gossage Photographs and Material of Lanford Wilson and His Plays.

Scope and Contents

The Collection contains photographs, negatives, and positive proof sheets taken by photographer James D. Gossage of playwright Lanford Wilson, along with photographs of the actors performing in scenes from Wilson’s various productions at repertory theaters throughout the country and abroad. Also included are assorted news articles regarding Wilson’s plays, lobby displays, a poster advertising Wilson’s play, “Burn This,” theater publications, and other miscellaneous photographs relating to Wilson and his theater work. The years covered are 1965 to 1988, and 2000/2002. Much of the material covers the late 1960s through the early 1970s.

The collection was processed by John C. Konzal and completed on March 10, 2021. 

Finding aid: James D. Gossage Photographs and Material of Lanford Wilson and His Plays.

Series Description

Series One - Photographs (In Lanford Wilson Collection Box 38)
Series Two - Negatives, Positive Proof Sheets 
Series Three - Lanford Wilson Correspondence, Articles, Reviews and Programs 
Series Four - Oversize Items (In Lanford Wilson Collection OSF 1)

Inventory

Series One

Filed in Lanford Wilson Collection Box 38 

FF 1- Scene from “Sandcastle” presented at Café Cino benefit at Writers Stage Theater, March 15, 1965; “Wandering,” at Café Cino during “Spring Fest 66”; “Miss Williams” benefit at Café La MaMa; Lanford Wilson with actors, c.1970s; “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye,” November 4, 1972; Michael Warren Powell in “Gingham Dog” performance at New Dramatists (Writers Stage Theater on East Fourth Street, New York), looking out of window, March 1, 1968.

Series Two

FF 2-(CT 7846-CT7874) Negatives from “The Great Nebula in Orion,” c.1970s; (CT7875-CT7902) Negatives from “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye,” November 4, 1972; (CT7903-CT7962) Negatives from “The Family Continues,” November 3, 1972. 

FF 3-(CT7963-CT7974) Negatives from “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye,” November 4, 1972; (CT7975-CT7978) Negatives from “The Family Continues,” c.1970s; (CT7979-CT8002) Negatives from “Three New Plays”-Circle Theater on Tour, c.1970s. 

FF 4- (CT8003-CT8010) Negatives from “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye, November 4, 1972; (CT8011-CT8012) Negatives from “Three New Plays,” 1 frame, Portraits at Circle Theater, and 3 frames, “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye Nye,” November 4, 1972; (CT8015-CT8050) Negatives from “Great Nebula in Orion,” c.1970s. 

FF 5-(CT8305-CT8352) Negatives from “The Hot L Baltimore,” c.1970s; (CT9008-CT9067) “Portraits,” Negatives of Lansford Wilson and Marshall W. Mason, February 13 and 19, 1966. 

FF 6-(#8305-#8352) Positive print sheets of actors from “The Hot L Baltimore,” with Lanford Wilson, January 20, 1973;(#8003-#8050) Positive print sheets of actors in scenes from “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye Nye,” November 4, 1972; (#9008-#9067) Positive print sheets of Lansford Wilson and Marshall W. Mason, February 13 and February 19, 1966. 

FF 7-(#257-#258) Positive print sheet of two frames from “This Is the Rill Speaking,” performance at Caffe Cino. July 20, 1965; (#262-#264 and #266-#268) Positive prints of Judson Memorial Church and St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery, c.1960s; (#7846-#7874) Positive print sheets of actors in scenes from “The Great Nebula in Orion,” at Circle Repertory Theater, November 4, 1972; (#7875-#7902 and #7967-#7978) Positive print sheets from actors in scenes from “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye Nye,” November 3, 1972; (#7903-#7926-#7962 and #7975-#7978) Positive print sheets from actors in scenes from “The Family Continues,” November 3, 1972; (#7979-#8002) Positive print sheets of promotional photos of Lansford Wilson and Marshall W. Mason,  November 3, 1972. 

Series Three

FF 8-Letter from Lanford Wilson to Walter Michael Harris providing a new introduction to Lanford’s play, “Burn This,” for the March/April 2002 production of “Burn This” at the ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery in West Seattle, Washington, while Walter Michael Harris was Producing Artistic Director. Also a handwritten note from Walter Michael Harris to James Gossage for a new introduction to the play, and a play program of the production. 

FF 9-Mailers from ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery for Lanford Wilson’s play “Burn This,” March/April 2002; PlayNews program, Circle Theater Company presenting Lanford Wilson’s play, “Hot L Baltimore,” directed by Marshall W. Mason, 1973; Announcement for Caffe Cino Symposia; Arts Line magazine with announcement on pages 13 and 14 of Lanford Wilson’s play, “Angels Fall,” along with information on Wilson, July, 1984; Photocopies of newspaper theater reviews for “Burn This,’ March 27 and 29, 2002; Assorted newspaper articles discussing Wilson’s plays, “Fifth of July,” “Talley’s Folly,” “Hot L Baltimore,” “The Madness of Lady Bright,” and “Untitled Play;” Paperback book cover for The Rimers of Eldritch & Other Plays. 1967-2000. 

FF 10-Article on Lanford Wilson from Sequoya,  a student magazine from Saint John’s University, Jamaica, New York, 1968; Small article with reference to Wilson’s “Balm In Gilead,” on page 3 from The Status Line, Fall, 1987; Article by Lanford Wilson on composer Al Carmines and the play ‘In Circles,” by Gertrude Stein, from After Dark Magazine of Entertainment, page 13, May, 1968; Copies of ArtWorks newsletter for ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery in West Seattle, Washington, announcing Lanford Willson’s play, “Burn This,” March 22-April 13, 2002. 

FF 11-Stage Watch article from Los Angeles Times, January 2, 1983, discussing Wilson’s play, “Balm in Gilead,” written 18 years previously; Calendar section of Los Angeles Times article interview with Director Marshall W. Mason, February 18, 1988; Additional assorted articles on Wilson, and critiques of his play, “Angels Fall,” and article on an itinerant director doing Wilson’s play, “Talley’s Folly,” 1980-1985. 

Series Four

Filed in Lanford Wilson Collection OSF 1 

FF 12-Four 11x14 black and white architectural prints of what are believed to be buildings in Baltimore collected by either Marshall Mason or Lansford Wilson intended to hang on the lobby wall during a production of the “Hot L Baltimore,” n.d., Lanford Wilson’s “Burn This,” lobby poster, ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery, March 22-April 13, 2002;  Color photograph of scene from the play “Clown,” two of the actors are Lanford Wilson and David Starkweather, who was also a playwright, c.1970s; Three lobby posters: “The Hot L Baltimore,” Circle Theater Company; “So Long at the Fair,” Caffé Cino, also  “The Great Nebula in Orion,” “Ikke Ikke Nye Nye Nye,” and “The Family Continues, ”Circle Theater Company, c.1970s. 

Series Five

Presented to the University of Missouri Libraries by James D. Gossage (2/2022). 

FF-1 Lanford Wilson Articles. Articles from assorted news and trade papers discussing Wilson’s plays. Also obituary of Lanford Wilson. 1967-2011. 

FF-2 Lanford Wilson Play Announcements. Theater programs and announcements for upcoming Wilson plays, “So Long At The Fair,” and “This Is The Rill Speaking,” c.1960s. 

FF-3 Two black and white photographs from Lanford Wilson’s play, “The Family Continues,” 1972. 

FF-4 Two color photographs from Lanford Wilson’s play, “The Sandcastle,” performed at the Caffe Cino, 1965. 

FF-5 Article entitled, “Magic Time,” “Caffe Cino and the Origins of Off-Off Broadway,” by Victoria Linchong, from New York Theater Review, 2008. The article discusses the origins of Caffe Cino and it’s Off-Off Broadway roots. Included are photos of Caffe Cino which includes one advertising Lanford Wilson’s production, “This Is The Rill Speaking.” Also, an interior shot which includes the face of Wilson among the patrons, and a photo of Joe Cino, the owner of Caffe Cino, along with others. Photos date from 1960, 1964 and 1965.  

FF-6 Stored Jpeg files of two images from a play entitled, “Clown,” by Claris Nelson. Lanford Wilson is one of the featured players in the images. C.1970s.   

MU Catalog: James D. Gossage Photographs and Material of Lanford Wilson and His Plays. (MOSpace)

Donated by James Gossage.

Copyright belongs to the photographer and/or the New York Public Library. Inquire with Special Collections.

Materials do not circulate but are available to users in the Special Collections Reading Room during service hours or by appointment.

English

Mixed materials