Roundabout’s 1967-68 Season Brochure. Click to enlarge.

As most of you know, thanks to dedicated funding from the Leon Levy Foundation Roundabout was able to initiate a permanent archive in 2008. The purpose of the archive is to preserve and showcase Roundabout’s rich history by recovering and making accessible materials from previous productions as well as our extensive institutional records. 

The first batch of items received in the Roundabout Archives came from an actor by the name of Isaac Dostis. Mr. Dostis was part of the Roundabout Repertory Company (as the company was then known) and played the role of Sheriff in August Strindberg’s play, The Bond (which was staged in repertory with Clifford Odets’ Waiting for Lefty) during the 1967-1968 season. He wanted to donate the few items still in his possession related to his work at Roundabout since he and his wife were moving to Ioannina Greece to start their own theatre company. 

What he donated are some of the earliest production materials in our collection: a photo of Mr. Dostis and Peter Ruffett on stage during The Bond; a season brochure from 1967-1968; and the original playbill from the two productions.  

Isaac Dostis and Peter Ruffett in The Bond, 1967. Photo credit: Ronald Berger.

On the surface this might not seem like an important acquisition but in fact it was. This donation was proof that materials from Roundabout’s past productions survived in the hands of numerous people, many of whom were willing to donate their personal mementos to help build the company’s archives. This gave us hope that additional materials would be recovered as more people learned of our efforts.   

If you are interested in learning more about the archives, or have materials to include in our permanent collection, please email me  at tiffanyn@roundabouttheatre.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

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