Aura Levitas Tamiment Playhouse Film and Photographs
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Abstract
The Aura Levitas Tamiment Playhouse Film Photographs document several different performances at the Camp Tamiment's summer theater in one film reel and 16 black and white photographic prints. Camp Tamiment, which operated near Bushkill, Pennsylvania from 1921-1965, was an educational and recreational resort affiliated with the socialist Rand School of Social Science. The playhouse was started to provide campers with entertainment, but it soon became a preeminent workshop for theater, dance, film, and television. Aura Levitas performed at Camp Tamiment and would later work as a dancer on Broadway and television.
Historical Note
The Tamiment Playhouse was a summer theater at Camp Tamiment. The camp, which operated near Bushkill, Pennsylvania from 1921-1965, was an educational and recreational resort affiliated with the socialist Rand School of Social Science. The playhouse was started to provide campers with entertainment, but it soon became a preeminent workshop for theater, dance, film, and television. Many prominent entertainers of the mid-twentieth century counted Camp Tamiment in their training.
Aura Levitas performed at Camp Tamiment and would later work as a dancer on Broadway and television. Her husband Willard Levitas was a set designer.
Arrangement
Other than separating materials to place them in appropriately-sized folders, this collection has not been arranged by an archivist. The materials are arranged in the order which they were received from the donor.
Scope and Contents
The Aura Levitas Tamiment Playhouse Film Photographs document several different performances at the Camp Tamiment's summer theater in one film reel and 16 black and white photographic prints. Performers included are Aura Vainio, David Hollister, Faith Dane, Jimmy Starbuck, Kirsten Valbor, Mary Ellen Terry, Beryl Towbin, Genie Pryor, and Lila Lee. The sets of Willard Levitas and choreography of Herbert Ross are also pictured, as is the exterior of the Tamiment Playhouse. Four prints are signed by photographer Alexander Cohen and two are attributed to Lewis "Snappy" Goren.
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Donors
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which were created in 1946-1952, are expected to enter the public domain in 2073.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Aura Levitas Tamiment Playhouse Film and Photographs; PHOTOS 241; box number; folder number; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Aura Levitas in February 2007. The accession numbers associated with this collection are 2007.009 and NPA.2007.008. An accretion of one film reel was donated by Levitas in November 2017; the accession number associted with this gift is 2017.070.
Audiovisual Access Policies and Procedures
Audiovisual materials have not been preserved and may not be available to researchers. Materials not yet digitized will need to have access copies made before they can be used. To request an access copy, or if you are unsure if an item has been digitized, please contact tamiment.wagner@nyu.edu with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. A staff member will respond to you with further information.
About this Guide
Processing Information
In 2013 items were grouped by size to better store them, and collection level description was written. No further archival processing has occurred. An accretion of one film reel was incorporated into the collection in November 2017, and the collection was renamed the Aura Levitas Tamiment Playhouse Film and Photographs.