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| Hope Abelson receiving Red Cross Service Award, 1945 | |||
For over half a century, Hope Abelson (1910-2006) energized the Chicago theatre scene. All the World's A Stage: Hope Abelson's Life in Theatre is a look at her life-long career in the arts, including World War II-era volunteer work, early involvement with Chicago summer stock theatre, a stint as a producer on and off-Broadway, and finally her return to Chicago to help develop not-for-profit theatre in the city. Abelson's influence and support sustained large and small theatres in the city throughout the post-war period and late twentieth century, and her legacy continues through the Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for the Performing Arts at the Chicago Community Trust that annually honors two small Chicago performing arts groups for their artistic excellence and innovation.
The Hope Abelson Papers contain items related to her theatre career, philanthropy, and personal life, complementing other performing arts materials in the Newberry Library's Midwest Manuscript Collection, including the papers of Claudia Cassidy, Ben Hecht, and Kenneth Sawyer Goodman. The Hope Abelson papers were donated to the Newberry Library by Katherine A. Abelson.
The Newberry Library gratefully acknowledges the Lester S. Abelson Foundation and Katherine A. Abelson for their generous support of this exhibition.
Related Public Program
Object List
Early Career
American National Red Cross and Chicago Women's Aid:
Newspaper clipping with photo of Hope Abelson and Ginevra Pirie representing Speakers Bureau of the
Chicago Chapter of the American National Red Cross, 1949.
Oral history: Hope Abelson reminiscing about Speakers Bureau of the Chicago Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Jews of Chicago oral history project conducted by the Spertus Museum, 1987.
Program for Chicago Women's Aid Players production directed by Hope Abelson, with handwritten note, 1949.
Photograph of Hope Abelson receiving American Red Cross Service Award, 1946.
Service Award, American National Red Cross, 1946.
Certificate of Appreciation for Volunteer Service in the Speakers Bureau of the Chicago Chapter of the
American National Red Cross, 1946.
Chicago Music Theater:
Photograph of Hope Abelson with David Tillman and Leo Kopp, 1952.
New York Career
Camino Real:
Playbill, 1953.
Note from Gadge (Elia Kazan) to Hope Abelson, 1953.
Comments from Tennessee Williams regarding Camino Real, 1953.
Production notes to Gadge (Elia Kazan) from Hope Abelson, 1953.
The Rainmaker:
Pages from Hope Abelson's production diary, 1954.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with cast, 1954.
Congratulatory telegram from Hope Abelson's mother, 1954.
Newspaper advertisement, 1954.
The Egghead:
Photograph of Hope Abelson with cast, 1957.
Newspaper clipping about Hope Abelson's Chicago-New York commute, 1957.
Playbill, 1957.
The Royal Hunt of the Sun:
Opening night party invitation, 1965.
Playbill, 1965.
Chicago Career
Stratford Festival:
Photograph of first Chicago visit, 1969.
Note of support from Irv Kupcinet, 1969.
William Shakespeare 400th Anniversary medallion, 1964.
Announcement of first Chicago visit, 1969.
Thank-you note from actress Daria Martel, 1999.
Court Theatre, University of Chicago:
Letter from Hope Abelson to Nick Rudall regarding physical plan, 1976.
Architectural drawing, 1977.
Groundbreaking plaque, 1980.
Northwestern University Artist-in-Residence:
Photograph of Meryl Streep with students in audience, 2005.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with Tony Kushner and Frank Galati, 2002.
Photograph of Hope Abelson and audience, 1990.
Announcement of Tony Kushner event, 2002.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with Lloyd Richards, 1992.
Letter from student Becky Brett, 1990.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company:
Letter from Managing Director Stephen B. Eich to Hope Abelson, 1984.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with actor John Malkovich, 1995.
The Goodman Theatre:
Photograph of Hope Abelson with Artistic Director Robert Falls, ca. 1995.
Letter from Artistic Director Robert Falls to Hope Abelson, 1998.
Personal, Travel and Tributes
Photograph of Kathy Abelson and Stuart Abelson, Stratford Festival Chicago Associates: Much Ado About Something, 1999.
Letter from Hope Abelson to daughter Katherine Abelson, 1961.
Letter from Hope Abelson to son Stuart Abelson, 1972.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with grandson Jamie Abelson, son Stuart Abelson, daughter Kathy Abelson, and playwright
August Wilson, League of Chicago Theatres Foundation: Showtime 2001: A Salute to Hope Abelson, 2001.
Photograph of Hope Abelson riding elephant, ca. 1980-1981.
Photograph of Hope Abelson in Hayman Island, Australia, 1988.
Photograph of Hope Abelson on rock throne, 1978.
Photograph of Hope Abelson with Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, ca. 1980s.
City of Chicago Proclamation of Hope Abelson Day signed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, 1998.
League of Chicago Theatres Foundation: Showtime 2001: A Salute to Hope Abelson, 2001.
Cliff Dwellers Merit Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts in Chicago, 1971.
Wall Panel Items
Music Theater, goache by William Moulis, ca. 1950. (on loan from Katherine Abelson)
The Royal Hunt of the Sun, drawing by Al Hirschfeld for the New York Times, 1964. (on loan from Katherine Abelson)
The Egghead, poster (on loan from Katherine Abelson)
The Rainmaker, poster (on loan from Katherine Abelson)
The Royal Hunt of the Sun, poster (on loan from Katherine Abelson
Hamlet and The Alchemist, poster, 1969.
Conservatory for Classical Theatre Training poster, autographed to Hope Abelson, 1999.