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Catherine Stadem papers

Guide to the Catherine Stadem papers
1927-2019

Collection number: HMC-0879.
Creator: Stadem, Catherine.
Title: Catherine Stadem papers.
Dates: 1927-2019, bulk 1982-2006.
Volume of collection: 4.0 cubic feet and 4.85 GB.
Language of materials: Materials in this collection are in English.
Collection summary: Papers of an Anchorage author and local theatre critic.

Biographical note:
Catherine Stadem was born in Denver, Colorado in 1938. She moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1957, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Alaska Anchorage in the 1980s. In 1997, she completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction from UAA. Stadem worked for the Anchorage Times from 1983 until its closure in 1992. While at the Anchorage Times, she worked as a freelance theatre critic, staff writer, and assistant editorial page editor. Stadem has also written her own plays and has been active in the local theatre community. In 2006, she completed writing a history of theatre productions in Anchorage.

Collection description:
The collection contains Stadem’s personal records and review files, which include playbills Stadem used to write her theatre review columns. The collection also contains the research files, correspondence, photographs, and publication information for The History of Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska, 1915-2005 written by Stadem. Stadem’s writings include papers she wrote while she was in graduate school, as well as the play The Cost of Living, which she wrote with Lily Ann Nielson, and magazine articles. The collection also includes audiotapes of Stage Talk, a radio program on KSKA which Stadem hosted, a portion of Anchorage Community Theatre’s production of the musical, “Toyon of Alaska,” and materials related to the Valdez Theatre Conference.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Personal records; 1971-1995
Series 2. Review files; 1984-2006
Series 3. Publications and writings; 1982-2018
Series 4. Anchorage theatre history research files; 1927-2009
Series 5. Audio recordings; 1967, 2002-2005
Series 6. Valdez Theatre Conference records; 1993-2004

Alternative formats: The collection contains some material in electronic format. Please consult archivists for access.

Digitized copies: This collection has not been digitized. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: Archives holds copyright to the materials authored by Catherine Stadem. Materials not authored by Catherine Stadem may be subject to copyright not held by the Archives.

Preferred citation: Catherine Stadem papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Works used in preparation of inventory: Biographical information provided by Catherine Stadem.

Acquisition note: The collection was initially donated to the Archives by Catherine Stadem in 2006, with additions made in 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2019. A deed of gift was signed by Stadem in 2006.

Processing information: This collection was described by Jeffrey Sinnott in 2007. The collection was converted to current standard by Veronica Denison in 2016, with additional donations added to the collection and described by Denison in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019. The 2018 addition of electronic records was described by Gwen Higgins in 2018. The 2021 addition was described by Becky Butler in 2023.

Container list:
Series 1: Personal records; 1971-1995. 0.35 cubic feet.
This series contains Catherine Stadem’s Anchorage Times notebook, newspaper clippings regarding her various awards and plays, personal photographs, and awards.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/1 Times journal notebook 1990-1991
1/2 Newspaper clippings: Stadem’s awards and plays 1971-1992
1/3 Photographs: portraits of Stadem; Cathi Kippenhan, Mrs. Ruth O’Buck and Ruby Pappas next to barbecue grill before Alaska Ninety-Nine’s 25th Annual Powder Puff Derby; Stadem and Kay Kennan of the Alaska Rescue Group at Barney’s Sports Chalet; National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut; Stadem and Caroline Kramer in elementary classroom 1971-1992
4/23 Stadem’s pilot flight record and log book (includes pilot’s license certificates), and document on Stadem’s aviation history undated, 1965-1980
1/4 Awards 1987-1995
Oversize folder C.B. Blethen Memorial Award for distinguished reporting, awarded to Catherine Stadem undated

Series 2: Review files; 1984-2006. 0.75 cubic feet.
This series contains review drafts and playbills Stadem used for her review columns. Arranged chronologically.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/5 Playbills 1984-1985
1/6-7 Playbills and review drafts 1991-1992
1/8 Tom Bodett review and response; Anchorage play schedule 1993
1/9 Playbills and review response 1994
1/10-12 Playbills and review drafts 1995-1997
1/13 Playbills 1998
1/14 Playbills and review drafts 1999
1/15 Review drafts 2000
1/16 Playbills 2000
1/17 Playbills, correspondence, and notes 2001
1/18 Playbills and notes 2002
1/19-20 Playbills 2003-2004
1/21 Playbills and correspondence 2005
1/22 Playbills 2006
1/23 Critics Quarterly 1989-1999

Series 3: Publications and writings; 1982-2018. 1.0 cubic feet.
This series consists of publications and writings. A majority of the series contains materials related to The Cost of Living, a play written by Lily Ann Nielsen and Catherine Stadem. This series also contains Stadem’s master’s thesis, college papers, magazine articles, and the records of a journalism exchange program Stadem undertook in 1989.

Box/Folder Description Dates
1/24 Student Showcase paper on James and Nora Joyce; written for English 642 B, University of Alaska Anchorage 1993
1/25 “My Story – His Story: Mystery and History of a Writing Heritage”; autobiographical paper written for English 671, University of Alaska Anchorage 1996 April 30
1/26-28 Master’s thesis drafts: “Getting Down on My Belly” 1997
Digital storage “The mini-memoir” by Catherine Stadem 2019 May 20
2/1-2 Stages: A History of Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska; By Catherine Stadem 2006
2/3 Critiques of theatre history 2006
2/4 Cost of Living: Women’s Run grant 1996
2/5 Cost of Living: Hospice of Anchorage annual report 1991
2/6 Cost of Living: notes and programs 1990-1992
2/7 Cost of Living: interviews and transcripts 1989-1992
2/8 Cost of Living: productions 1992-1994
2/9-10 Cost of Living: reviews and news articles 1992-1997
2/11, OS Folder Beauty and the Breast/Cost of Living: programs and fliers circa 1997-2018
2/12 Cost of Living: Lilly Nielson correspondence 1994-1998
2/13 Cost of Living: general correspondence; contributors undated, 1992-1994
2/14-18 Cost of Living: scripts 1992-2002, circa 2018
2/19 Cost of Living: interview audiotapes circa 1992
2/20 Cost of Living Videotape: Cyrano’s theatre performance 1992
2/21 Cost of Living: rewrites, history of rewrites, original stage directions, production documents, performance at The Alaska Club in Wasilla, Alaska 2013
2/22 Cost of Living: interviews with survivors from Mat-su Valley, news articles, Thank-you notes 2012-2013, 2018
2/23 “Chevak: A small village in Alaska speaks with a loud voice”; article in English and Russian 1990
2/24 Magazine articles 1990, 1993-1995
4/12 October 1982
4/13 Peggy and materials regarding the staged reading of Peggy at Works by Women including correspondence and press releases 1982
4/14 Morning Thunder 1982
4/15 Carol 1982
4/16 Nine Ways 1982
4/17 Weaving 1983
4/18 Kiss Me Once Again 1983
4/19 Dance For Me 1983
4/20 How to Survive in the Woods 1985
4/21 Apologies to the Dead (By Catherine Stadem and Deborah Small) 1984
4/22

Digital storage

Anchorage Centennial Project: The Sheba Affair scripts and video recording of play, photographs, research on characters 2015
4/24 Photographs: Alaska Press Club USSR (Russia) trip 1989
4/25 Records of USSR trip with Alaska Press Club 1989
4/26 Reporter’s notebooks from USSR trip 1989 July-September
4/27 Diary from USSR trip 1989
4/28 Telex roll of Anchorage Times stories from USSR trip 1990

Series 4: Anchorage theatre history research files; 1927-2009. 1.2 cubic feet.
This series contains materials that Stadem used for her research on the history of theatre in Alaska for her publication of The History of Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska, 1915-2005.
Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Box/Folder Description Dates
2/25 Call book and notes undated
2/26 Biographies: local theatre 1974, 1981, 2004
2/27 Alaska Festival Theatre:  Mary Decker, correspondence, interview notes, production list 2005-2006
2/28-30 Alaska Repertory Theatre: correspondence, notes, clippings, and copied materials, demise 1986-2004
2/31 Alaska Repertory Theatre: Broadway Bound: playbill and publicity 1988
2/32 Anchorage Community College Theatre Workshop: original and copied playbills 1957-1958
2/33 Anchorage Community Theatre (ACT): playbills, calendar, correspondence, notes, copied materials 1959-1961, 1995-2004
2/34 Anchorage early days: notes and copied materials 2003
2/35 Anchorage Light Opera Theatre: production lists, correspondence, interview transcript, news release, clippings and copied materials 2003-2004
2/36 Anchorage Little Theatre: notes, playbills, clippings, membership lists, article drafts and copied materials 1927-1983
2/37 Anchorage Musical Theatre: copy of playbill 1992
2/38 Richard A. Benavides (Arctic Moon Stage Company): correspondence, interview notes, company history and copied materials undated, 1980, 2004
2/39 Linda Billington: correspondence, notes, productions list 2003
2/40 Black Arts Alaska: productions list and correspondence 2004
2/41 Frank Brink (Anchorage Community Theatre): correspondence, clippings, production information, playbill, biographical materials and copied materials 1959-2004
2/42 Carnival Civic Theatre: excerpt of Anchorage Times article 1971
2/43 Cyrano’s Off Center Playhouse and Eccentric Theatre Company (Jerry Harper): correspondence, clippings and memorial items 2005
2/44 Robert DeLoach: interview notes 2003
2/45 Carol Anne Harrison Dodd: interview notes and copied materials 2004
2/46 Eagle River Fine Arts Academy Calendar: history 1994-1995
2/47 Early and mid-century notes 2003
2/48 Edgeware Productions (David P. Edgecombe and Elizabeth Ware): correspondence, internet information, resumes 2005
2/49 Elmendorf Theatre Guild: production lists, notes, copies of clippings undated, 2004
2/50 Fort Richardson Players and Arctic Moon: production lists, playbill, correspondence, notes, and copied materials undated, 1963, 2004
2/51 “Godspell” 1974: correspondence 2004
2/52 James Grandjean and Jeffrey Maybrook: correspondence, production list 2003-2004
2/53 “Hair” tour of 1972: correspondence with Patric D’Eimon 2003
2/54 Ev Harris: correspondence 2003
3/1 Lorene Harrison: programs, playbills, clippings and copied materials 1928-1976
3/2 David Haynes (Synergy): correspondence, notes, productions lists 2004
3/3 Kokopelli Theatre Company: production lists undated
3/4, Digital storage Bruce Marcus (military chapter): correspondence and compact disc 2005
3/5 Military chapter: rough draft 2004
3/6 James Morrison: correspondence, productions list 2003
3/7 Linda Nelson: correspondence 2004
3/8 Lily Nielson: correspondence and copied materials 2003
3/9 Out North: letter, correspondence, interview notes, notes, productions list and copied materials undated, 2004-2006
3/10 Robert Pond and Anchorage Community Theatre: interview notes, clippings, productions list and invitation 2000, 2003
3/11 Robert Pond; A History of Community Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska, 1946-1976: thesis draft plus notes, clippings and productions list 1980
3/12 Ann Reddig (Red Ram and One a Year Theatre Company): correspondence, interview notes, notes and productions lists 2004
3/13 Jack Roderick: interview notes 2003
3/14 John Strohmeyer: correspondence, article regarding Stadem’s book 2006
3/15 Synergy: playbills, correspondence, interview notes, productions list undated, 1983, 2002-2004
3/16 Theatre Alliance: contacts list 1995
3/17 Theatre Guild; brochure, correspondence, notes, interview notes, productions list and copied materials 2003-2005
3/18 TOAST Theatre: brochure, letter, correspondence, productions list undated, 1998, 2004
3/19 Treasures of Sight and Sound: correspondence, notes, interview notes, productions list and copied materials 2003-2005
3/20 UAA Theatre: playbills, correspondence, interview notes, productions list and copied materials 1983-2003
3/21 University of Alaska Anchorage/Alaska Methodist University/Alaska Pacific University: correspondence, interview notes and productions lists 2003-2004
3/22 Venues (Performing Arts Center): Anchorage Daily News article 1981
3/23-24 Jack Wandell: correspondence, interview notes, notes, productions list, clippings and copied materials 1956-1959, 2003-2004
3/25 We Call It A.R.T.: correspondence, productions lists and copied materials 2005
3/26 Whale Fat Follies: clippings 1986, 1993, 2003, 2005
3/27 Mary Lou Wilson materials (Elmendorf Theatre Guild): playbills, scripts, rehearsal schedules, clippings and photographs; 5 black and white prints; 6 color prints 1958-1961
3/28-34 Publication of “The History of Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska-1915-2005:” Edwin Mellen Press, preface, peer reviews, bibliography, dedication, abstract circa 2009
3/35, Digital storage CDs: photographs and clips used for publication and drafts circa 2009
3/36-57 Photographs and image release forms circa 2009

Series 5: Audio recordings; 1967, 2002-2005. 0.20 cubic feet.
This series contains 12 audiocassettes of Stage Talk, a radio program hosted by Stadem,as well as an interview of Stadem. These programs were produced by KSKA/KAKM. A majority of the audiotapes are 60 minutes long. This series also contains the “Tyon of Alaska” reel III, given to Catherine Stadem by Lorene Harrison. “Toyon of Alaska” was a musical production by Anchorage Community theatre. This reel contains the following acts and performances: Preparation for the Ball II; Minuet and Scene Change; Duet (Irina and Yanovsky); I Feel the Cold Wind Blowing (Baranov); and Act III conclusion.

Box/Folder Description Dates
3/58 KSKA: Stage Talk 2002
3/59 KSKA: Stage Talk 2003 May-June
3/60 KSKA: Stage Talk 2003 July-August
3/61 KSKA: Stage Talk, interview 2004 August, 2005 January-February
3/62 “Tyon of Alaska” (5 inch reel, 7.5 ips, approximately 12 minutes) 1967

Series 6: Valdez Theatre Conference papers; 1993-2004. 0.5 cubic feet.
This series consists of materials relating to the Valdez Theatre Conference and Catherine Stadem’s involvement. The Valdez Theatre Conference was formerly known as Prince William Sound Community College Theatre Conference, the PWSCC Edward Theatre Conference, and Last Frontier Theatre Conference.

Box/Folder Description Dates
3/63 Booklets/programs 1993-1997
3/64 Correspondence: Jo Ann McDowell; photograph of Stadem with Inge Morath 1994, 1996
3/65 PWSCC Edward Albee Theatre Conference Play Lab: lists of plays, play writes, Play Lab panelists, and Stadem’s notes 1997
3/66 Clippings and articles: regarding August Wilson; Play Lab 1997-1998, 2000
3/67 Press packet information on background story 1996-1998
3/68 Press coverage of the 1998 conference 1998
4/1 News/press releases; facsimile transmittal receipts 1998
4/2 Reprints: New York Times, Anchorage Daily News on 1999 conference 1999
4/3 Booklets/programs: Conference and Play Lab 1999-2000
4/4 Photographs: by Colby Kullman from the 1999 conference 1999
4/5 Stadem’s notes: Play Lab, conference budget 1999-2000
4/6 Correspondence: Jo Ann McDowel 1999
4/7 Faxes: drafts for ads in Dramatist Guild newsletter, Stadem biography 1998-2000
4/8 Invitation: 1999 conference 1999
4/9 Programs, poster, and call for plays: 1999 and 2000 Conferences 1999-2000
4/10 Clippings and articles: December 1998 issue of The Writer’s Chronicle; Conference advertisements, 2000 Conference 1998-2000
4/11 Program, photographs, articles 2001, 2004

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