NY Public Library for the Performing Arts Examines 'HEAD SHOTS' in New Exhibition

Almost as long as there has been photography, performers have used portraits to represent themselves for casting and promotion. In the new exhibition Head Shots: Performer Portraits from Daguerreotype to Digital, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center in Lincoln Center showcases its vast collection of head shots to illustrate the photos' role in the casting and marketing process, as well as how these pictures evolved alongside modern technology. Head Shots is currently on display in The Library for the Performing Arts' Vincent Astor Gallery, Shelby Cullom Davis Museum through August 8, 2015.

Curated by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner, Judy R. and Alfred A. Rosenberg Curator of Exhibitions at The Library for the Performing Arts, Head Shots displays nearly 200 artifacts from the Library's collections, including not only photographs, but contact sheets and proofs that reveal the range of additional poses and the process of marking and selecting images. Unique archival collections from casting agencies, production offices and publicists show how photos are used to cast and promote shows, while other materials on display show how performers carefully choose the clothing and styling of their pictures. Visitors will also see how technological advancements such as the introduction of color photography, digital photography and the Internet have radically changed making and distributing head shots. Images on display also represent a striking historical range, starting with a selection of cabinet photos and stereographs of Edwin Booth, circa 1870, and stretching all the way to head shots of contemporary performers.

"Head shots are so ubiquitous in the performing arts today that we easily take them for granted," said Jacqueline Z. Davis, Barbara G. and Lawrence A. Fleischman Executive Director of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. "Look no further than the iconic scene in A Chorus Line, when the performers hold up their head shots during 'I Hope I Get It' to understand the importance, promise and prevalence of head shots. This exhibit is a tribute to these pictures, photographers,and the performers, and an exciting opportunity for us to showcase a small fraction of the 1,000,000 head shots in our collection."

Highlights of the exhibition include:

- Array of some of Paul Newman's earliest head shots; plus early head shots of Ruby Dee, Jennifer Holiday, and Loretta Young

- Rare materials from A Chorus Line lyricist Edward Kleban's personal file of head shots, resumes and casting reports from original production auditions; plus original lyric notes for "I Hope I Get It"

- Head shots from actors, artists, and performers including James Booth, Ruby Dee, Maurice Evans, Dee Finch, Dizzy Gillespie, Anna Held, Billie Holiday, Priscilla Lopez, Gene Rayburn, Thommie Walsh

- Items from the Collections of Johnson/Liff, the Broadway casting firm, showcasing the casting process for Ain't Misbehavin' and Dreamgirls

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses one of the world's most extensive combination of circulating, reference, and rare archival collections in its field. These materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, and performances. An essential resource for everyone with an interest in the arts -- whether professional or amateur -- the Library is known particularly for its prodigious collections of non-book materials such as historic recordings, videotapes, autograph manuscripts, correspondence, sheet music, stage designs, press clippings, programs, posters and photographs. The Library is part of The New York Public Library system, which has locations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island, and is a leading provider of free education for all.

Pictured: Dancers holding their resume photos in front of their faces while performing "I Hope I Get It" in a scene from the Broadway musical A Chorus Line. (New York) Photography by Martha Swope. The Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.