Lincoln Center Archives of Shows

What happens after Lincoln Center records a show for its archives?
Why have they, in partnership with the show's producers, not released them for sale to and enjoyment of the public? I am not sure if they have before, but is there somehow a way to see Broadway treasures in their archives?

hm, i'd like to check that out..
thanks!

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The LC archives are solely for educational purposes. The shows are recorded and edited with movie-like precision, for the best quality copy. The only people allowed to view them are those who have a good enough reason - you're doing a paper for school, starring in/directing a new production, etc. You are only allowed to watch them once in your life and you need a specific NY Public Library Research Access Card.

Google "CATNYP" and you'll come up with he catelogue.

The recent digital ones are VERY impressive. I expected horrible sound quality and it was quite the opposite.

Unfortunately, none of Bob Fosse's works were ever filmed per his choice -- he stated that a 'live' performance needs to be experienced in a theatre, not via a videotape, etc. Too bad he couldn't see beyond that fact. He was also quite limited to notating the staging and choreography of his work, which is what prompted Chet Walker and Gwen Verdon to start notating all this in the late 80's before all those who remembered these things were gone. This, of course, gave them the idea of showcasing some of Bob Fosse's works in FOSSE (after the success of Jerome Robbin's BROADWAY).

WOw--ya it truly is something that the more you think about, at the time, the more complex the hurdles are, you realize. Of course 30 years after the fact we can all be happy that these are out there recorded, even if tightly guarded but it's more complicated at the time.

I thought I had read something similar about Fosse's shows which is sad being a huge fan--I guess we're lucky for the clips that did get out (and they're rare-60s Ed Sullivan clips from Charity and Little Me are some of the rarer things I've seen not to mention his 50s variety show for Bob Abbott). I guess the edited, badly filmed commercial Pippin is the best we'll get of that show in its original (kinda) production. I believe that the theatre archives does house a bootleg someone involved with the show made of Big Deal (just like how their early follies clips are from other home movies technically called bootlegs)

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>> The only people allowed to view them are those who have a good enough reason

Not true. I've availed the archives several times during trips to NY, and all I had to do was simply ask for a particular title. There has never been any questioning about *why* I wanted to see it.

Insofar as "precision-like editing", it depends on the production, of course. Some of them are, almost as though the producers thought there might be a commercial release possible. Others are clearly rehearsal tapes, some are even worse. The COMPANY tape isnt even the original NY production, but a touring one.

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I do think that you need a reason to watch them. My director and I were talking bout how we hate how they are the ones to judge weather or not your reason is good enough or not. Usually, the job of a libary is to give you free access to information not to limit it. We were both venting bout how just cus they think there Lincoln Center means they are better then everyone else. Also, in regards to the once in your life rule that comes to watching a video. I think that the rule in fact does exist however it may change depending on who is in charge that day. In other words, the person watching that department might be nice or whatever.

However, If you do go. You need to make an appointment.

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"Located in the heart of the Lincoln Center complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the Billy Rose Theatre Collection is housed on the third floor of the Performing Arts Library, along with the music, recorded sound. and dance research collections. Its Katharine Cornell-Guthrie McClintic Room and Lucille Lortel Room provide facilities for studying rare materials, and films and videotapes, respectively. Staff members, knowledgeable in all aspects of theatre history, are available to assist users in their research. Materials are retrieved from closed stacks upon receipt of a call slip. All materials are noncirculating and must be studied on the premises."

"Theatre on Film and Tape
The Lucille Lortel Room, adjacent to the main reading room, houses the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. Material is listed under production title, author, theatre company, and dialogue participants. Advance appointments are required for viewing Users may telephone TOFT to ascertain tape availability. Please call (212) 870-1642."

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>> You need to make an appointment

Again, that's never been an issue for me. I've walked in, cruised the catalogue, told the nice man behind the counter what I wanted to see, and he directed me to a desk for viewing. No appointment. Either I have this whole "I'm terribly important so do it NOW" face (which I kinda doubt) or they're lax on their own rules.

The COMPANY tape BTW also suffers from lousy sound and a smaller orchestra. But it's about all we have, so I guess until a bootleg film emerges, it'll have to do till something better comes along.

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The one-view-per-lifetime rule exists, as far as I know, for copyright purposes. Like if a person watches a production more than once, he/she might try to copy the set or staging or something. Same reason rules permitting taking pictures of stages exist.

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The once in your lifetime rule, if it does infact exist, seems a little silly. If these videos are for research purposes, could the library actually think that someone studying the particular show or production could get every bit of information they need from one viewing of the tape? What if you write a paper about a production and then, later in your schooling, need to view it for a different aspect?

Anyway, the day I went, the people at the desk were really strict. They had me write down my school I go to, the specific class I was doing it for, and what exactly I was writing the paper about (though I'm assuming they never checked up on any of this as they never even asked for my ID). They also told me that I could rewind if I wanted to, but I was only allowed the amount of time the actual show took up, so I could miss out on the end. They didn't follow through with that, though, as I rewound a LOT (I needed very specific notes for the project I was doing).

I guess it really depends on who's there when you watch.


EDIT: Also, you don't need an ACCESS card to watch the videos. They never asked for mine.

Updated On: 12/31/06 at 04:06 PM

Any chance they have "Carrie" in the archives?

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