Roundabout has always strived to produce several outstanding shows per season: multiply the number of shows each year by the number of years the company has been in business and you will have a lot of production material to keep track of. With a busy schedule that never ceases, it is not surprising that much of the documentation that was used to prepare shows over the years was not saved. With the advent of the Roundabout Archives, however, one of the driving forces is to rebuild the company’s production history by locating materials from past shows and ensure that, moving forward, significant documentation from current shows is retained for historical context.

Toward that end, the most recent acquisition to the Archives is an excellent collection of original pencil drawings by the designer Michael Curry, prepared in connection with the 1992 production of Friedrich Duerrenmatt’s The Visit. Staged at the Criterion Center (directed by Edwin Sherin; costumed by Frank Krenz; and starring Jane Alexander and Harris Yulin), the cast of townspeople from the fictional town of Güllen (except Alexander and Yulin) wore masks that accentuated their anonymity and exaggerated their inhumanity.

While Roundabout no longer has the actual masks used in the production, thanks to Mr. Curry we now have the original drawings of the mask designs for several characters. In addition, the collection of materials from The Visit includes a photo diary prepared by Jane Alexander depicting cast members working behind the scenes (wearing Curry’s masks while interpreting their characters), as well as crew photos, production photos (courtesy of Martha Swope), press clippings, and other production documentation. Additionally, the Archives discovered one of the stunning costumes designed by Frank Krenz: the Theatre Development Fund Costume Warehouse has owned the piece for years and displays it at the warehouse as one of its prized costumes. (Ever wondered where theatre costumes end up at the close of a production? Visiting the TDF Costume Warehouse will definitely satisfy that curiosity. Hundreds of costumes from countless productions are housed and rented to local theatre companies each year. TDF is open to the public, M-F, 9:00-5:30, and is located in Chelsea. Make sure to ask to see the dress worn by Jane Alexander in The Visit when you go.)

Mr. Curry’s masks helped achieve a fantastical effect and were integral to The Visit’s critical success. When approached to donate materials to the Archives, Mr. Curry was happy to give back to the company that played an important part in advancing his career. In conversations with the archives staff, Mr. Curry mentioned that his work on The Visit attracted the attention of theatre critic Frank Rich whose favorable review of the production, and the mask designs in particular, helped launch Curry’s career. Through his company, Michael Curry Design, Inc., Mr. Curry went on to co-design (with Julie Taymor) masks and puppets for the Broadway production of The Lion King, and has designed puppets and masks for Cirque du Soleil, Disney, the Olympics, and many other prestigious companies and theatre productions.

As time goes by and materials are recovered, Mr. Curry’s original drawings will be one of many outstanding collections housed in the Roundabout Archives. Thanks to Michael Curry and his staff for recognizing the value of the materials and for gifting them to the Roundabout Theatre Archives.

The Roundabout Archives is made possible by a generous grant from the Leon Levy Foundation.

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