Inside the Roundabout Archives Day 9- ASSASSINS

Roundabout Theatre Company recently announced the theatre organization's permanent archives, which document the company's illustrious 46-year production history. The archives are a resource for the theatre community, Roundabout's audiences, students and researchers. The digital archives showcase selections from Roundabout's general collection, featuring items that chronicle and celebrate the company's impact on the American theatre movement, and BroadwayWorld is excited to share featured pieces from the archives. Featured today:

ASSASSINS:

Model of Robert Brill's set design created for Roundabout's 2004 production of Assassins.

Assassins (circa 2004)

Roundabout has a long working relationship with the composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim and in 2004 mounted the company's third Sondheim musical, Assassins. Ben Brantley in his NY Times review stated "For two haunted, exquisitely wrought hours, they are allowed to present their own version of reality. It is by no means a comfortable place. But when your guides are as skilled as the creators of this revival, there is catharsis and even exhilaration in working your way through this tarnished looking-glass land" (New York Times, April 23, 2004). Assassins went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Click here to explore additional objects related to Roundabout's production of Assassins.

During the last 46 years Roundabout has become one of the country's largest non-profit theatre organizations yet, until 2008, had no central repository for its records. Having re-located several times since 1965, many historical documents have moved to private hands, been collected by souvenir hunters, been thrown out or given away. The materials that exist were scattered among Roundabout's buildings, theatres and off-site storage and were in need of urgent archival care and preservation.

With the establishment of the permanent archives, Roundabout documents and preserves its rich history and offers access to the collection by the theatre community and qualified researchers. Materials connected to staging live theatre, such as scripts, letters and negotiations, marketing publications, photos and memorabilia are carefully preserved and will provide valuable record of Roundabout's legacy and contribution to the American theatre movement.

The physical archives are located at Roundabout's administrative offices at 231 W. 39th Street. Appointments to access the collection must be made in advance. Tiffany Nixon is the on-staff archivist.

Click here to visit the archives.