Use Restrictions

Some materials, such as photos, posters, etc. may be copyrighted to their original creators.

Use of materials for commercial purposes or for the purposes of theatrical performance, republication, broadcast, or related usage is restricted. Usage rights for these purposes may be requested from Melinda E. Pittman.

Contact Special Collections for more information.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Melinda E. Pittman Theatrical Collection, Ms2017-009, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Melinda E. Pittman Theatrical Collection was donated to Special Collections in 2016.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Melinda E. Pittman Theatrical Collection commenced in October 2016 and completed in July 2017.

Biographical Note

Melinda E. Pittman was born June 21, 1953 in Falls Church, Virginia. She graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's (VPI&SU) Theatre Arts Department in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in Honors with Distinction. She then spent a year studying Theatre Directing at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana before moving to Portland, Oregon. In Portland, Pittman worked with various theatrical companies including the Portland Labor Players II, The Fallen Angel Choir, and BroadArts Theatre. She received the 2000 Angus L. Bowmer Drama Award from the Oregon Book Awards for her show WonderBroads: The Babes & Broads Who Broke the Rules highlighting the contributions of women throughout history. In 2013, she received a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies focusing on Women's Social Justice Theatre from Marylhurst University in Marylhurst, Oregon.

Scope and Content

The collection includes scripts, songs, lyrics, production designs, directing and production notebooks, press, interviews, audio and video recordings, and other materials related to Melinda Pittman's theatrical career, including material about Pittman's original works Atlantis and WonderBroads . Also included are some alumni newsletters from the Virginia Tech Theatre Arts program and a copy of Pittman's Masters Thesis. The collection includes materials from 1974 to 2012 with the majority of material from the 1990's and 2000's. See the Arrangement note for additional information on the contents of the collection.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in fourteen series. For the most part, the series reflect the arrangement in which the collection was received from the donor. Material is primarily organized by production company and show. Some items, including a copy of Pittman's screenplay, No Brainer , and her notes on non-profits and political action are not contained within one of the series.

Series I: University Records includes material from Pittman's time attending institutions of higher education. It has three sub-series: Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Tulane University, and Marylhurst University. Sub-Series I: Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University includes material from Pittman's time at VPI&SU, including production notebooks for Pigeons and Chamber Music . Sub-Series II: Tulane University includes material from Pittman's time at Tulane University, including material about productions of The Lover and The Country Wife . Sub-Series III: Marylhurst University includes material from Pittman's time at Marylhurst University, including her masters thesis.

Series II: Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association includes material from various productions at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, including The Breasts of Tiresius .

Series III: Theatre Workshop includes material from the Theatre Workshop production company including You Can't Take it With You , and The Real Inspector Hound . There is one sub-series: Power .

Series IV: Critical Mass Productions includes material from the Critical Mass Productions production of Bits and Pieces .

Series V: Portland Labor Players II includes material from various productions by the Portland Labor Players II company, including Season of Silence . There is one sub-series: 1934: Blood and Roses .

Series VI: Portland Civic Theatre includes material from the Portland Civic Theatre production of The Hot L Baltimore .

Series VII: Atlantis includes material from the original musical Atlantis written, composed, and directed by Pittman.

Series VIII: The Fallen Angel Choir includes material from Pittman's time as part of The Fallen Angel Choir, including many audio and video recordings.

Series IX: Summer Angels, Some Are Not! includes material from Pittman's time as part of the group Summer Angels, Some Are Not!, including many audio and video recordings.

Series X: AngelTime Productions, Inc. includes material from shows produced by AngelTime Productions, Inc. There are three sub-series: Paradise Flossed , Angels: The Next Generation , and Melinda & Angels DotComedy.

Series XI: WonderBroads includes material from Pittman's show WonderBroads , including different versions of the show, production books, marketing materials, video recordings, and correspondence with the Oregon Book Awards.

Series XII: BroadArts Theatre includes material from Pittman's production company BroadArts Theatre, including video recordings, notes on running the non-profit business, and material about the show Bunkin' With You in the Afterlife . There are seven sub-series: Read a Wild Tale , Homeland In-Security , Fat and Sassy , AmBushed! , If I Were Queen of the Forest , WonderBroader , and A/Broad for All Seasons .

Series XIII: Sheet Music includes copies of Pittman's original music, set lists from shows, popular music used in her parodies, and notes about lyrics.

Series XIV: Theatrical Career includes promotional materials, videos, audio recordings, headshots, résumés, press, and portfolios related to Pittman's career in the theatre.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Community theater
• Notated music
• Pittman, Melinda E.
• Political satire
• Portland (Or.)
• Social justice
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1970-)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Dept. of Performing Arts and Communications
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Theatre Arts Department