A program cover, illustrated by Jerry Bywaters ’26, for a Little Theatre of Dallas production is part of the McCord/Renshaw Collection.
Performing arts history takes center stage in an exhibition that draws from holdings of the Hamon Arts Library located in Meadows School of the Arts. “Hidden Treasures of the Mary McCord/Edyth Renshaw Collection on the Performing Arts” will be on display Jan. 31-May 14, 2011 in the Hawn Gallery at Hamon Arts Library.
The McCord/Renshaw Collection, part of the Jerry Bywaters Special Collections, began as the McCord Theatre Museum at SMU in 1933 and was first located in Dallas Hall. Founded by Department of Speech faculty members, the museum and later McCord Auditorium were named in honor of Mary McCord, the first speech professor at SMU. Although the museum acquired numerous items throughout its 57 years, a complete inventory was never conducted because of a lack of funds and staffing.
The collection is now being processed and many rare and significant items have been discovered. Items that will be featured include a Christmas card from Mae West, a photograph from the original production of Sherlock Holmes at the Garrick Theatre in New York City in 1899, and a program from the original production of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan at the St. James Theatre in London in 1892, among others.
For more information, call 214-768-1860.