Guide to the John C. Russell papers, 1975-1999

(bulk 1987-1993)

Brown University Library, Special Collections
Box A, John Hay Library
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
Email: hay@brown.edu

Published in 2010

Collection Overview

Title:	John C. Russell papers
Date range:	1975-1999, (bulk 1987-1993)
Creator:	Russell, John C., d. 1994
Extent:	2 linear feet (2 records center boxes, 1 letter-sized document case)
Abstract:	The John C. Russell papers are a collection of the late playwright’s scripts, notebooks, journals, correspondence, photographs and personal documents, most of them produced during the six years before his death in 1994.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	Brown University Library, Special Collections
Collection number:	Ms. 2009.017

Scope & content

Although John C. Russell died young, he left a considerable literary legacy. His papers include twelve full-length plays, numerous short plays, monologues, radio plays, short stories, poems and essays, nearly all of them composed during the last six years of his life. Several scripts in the collection are present in multiple drafts, mapping the creative and collaborative process of staging a play.

The collection also contains Russell’s notebooks and class notes, along with promotional material and critical responses to his productions. There are several folders of correspondence and personal documents, including journals, photographs, resumes and remembrances.

The papers are arranged by genre.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Russell, John C., d. 1994

Subject Names

• Russell, John C., d. 1994.

Subject Organizations

• Brown University--Alumni and alumnae

Subject Topics

• Dramatists, American
• Theater--United States

Subject Topics

• Performing Arts
• Language and Literature
• Race, Ethnicity and Gender

Document Types

• Catalogs
• Clippings
• Correspondence
• Journals
• Notebooks
• Notices
• Photographs

Occupations

• Playwrights

Arrangement

• Correspondence
• Plays
• Short stories, essays, poetry
• Notebooks, loose notes, class notes
• Personal papers
• Photographs

Biographical note

John Charles Russell wrote the play “Stupid Kids,” which opened Off-Broadway in 1998, four years after his death at age 31 from AIDS. The play established Russell as a playwright of great unfulfilled promise, part of a vibrant New York City cultural scene that was critically diminished by the HIV epidemic of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s.

Russell grew up in Long Island, New York, graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio and earned his M.F.A. from Brown’s Graduate Writing Program in 1991. At Brown he studied with Paula Vogel and Edmund White. While in Vogel’s workshop and during summer fellowships at the MacDowell Colony he worked on “Stupid Kids,” as well as “Mother Clapp’s Molly House” (his thesis), “Gay ‘90’s: A Pop Song Trilogy,” ”Dante and Virgil Go Dancing,” and “A Gun, a Book, a Photograph, a Name.” He also wrote for Andy’s Summer Playhouse, a New Hampshire children’s theater that continues to offer the John C. Russell Playwrights’ and Directors’ Labs. His plays have been read and produced by the Joseph Papp Public Theater, BACA Downtown in Brooklyn, and Company One Theatre in Hartford. Russell was a member of New Dramatists, Circle Repertory’s Playwrights Project and the New Works Project.

John C. Russell died on April 23, 1994, in New York City.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	John C. Russell papers, Ms. 2009.017, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	Brown University Library, Special Collections Box A, John Hay Library Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 Email: hay@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was donated to Brown University in September 2009.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Deborah Peterson.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Deborah Peterson 2010 January 21
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

Resources at Brown University: Stupid kids (Dramatists Play Service) Mother Clapp's Molly House (Brown MFA thesis) Resources at other institutions: About Face Theatre's production of Stupid kids

Inventory

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Box 2, Folder 23

Personal documents

1981-1992

Box 3, Folder 1

Memorial service

1994-1999

Box 3, Folder 2

Memorial service guestbook

1994 May 15

Box 3, Folder 3

Notices, newspaper articles, programs

1984-1993

Box 3, Folder 4

Miscellaneous printed matter

1987-1990

Box 3, Folder 5

Photographs

1989-1993

Box 2, Folder 24

Photographs, oversized

circa 1992