This series comprises sketches, notes, fabric samples, and other artistic renderings of Heeley's production designs. It includes designs for props, costumes, accessories, set pieces, stage layouts, backdrops, and posters for a large range of productions in opera, theater, and ballet - with his Shakespearean designs particularly well represented. Many of these designs were loosely stacked together, with no apparent chronological, alphabetical, or thematic ordering. However, some were arranged according to production - organized into folders and scrapbooks, or contained in sketch-pads and "production bibles" (books of sketches, notes, and design materials relating to a single production). These production bibles often contain other documents relating to the production, such as fabric order forms, personnel lists, and schedules. This series contains several fabric samples, used by Heeley in the planning of his designs and often pinned to the designs which they relate to (although some were kept loose). Many of the sketches contained in this series are originals, produced in ink, pencil, paint (watercolor or oil), or crayon on onion-skin paper, printer paper, or cardstock. However, this series also contains many photocopies (generally high-quality xeroxes), seemingly produced by Heeley, which may still provide value to the researcher. Generally, photocopies and originals were mixed in together, although photocopies were only infrequently stored alongside the originals which they correspond to. Many sketches are unlabeled and/or undated, and, in lieu of any obvious thematic ordering, it is difficult to know which production they correspond to. Most sketches are annotated by Heeley, with labels relating to color, materials, construction, dimensions, or design ethic. The designs appear to span a range of theaters across a number of decades, including the Guthrie Theater, the Stratford Festival, Houston Ballet, New York City Opera, Australian Ballet, Glyndebourne, the Royal Opera House, Broadway, and Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades.
Heeley also produced designs for several children's picture books, for production posters or programs, and for a wall calendar; materials (sketches, photocopies, notes, etc.) relating to these design activities can be found in this series. It is often difficult to distinguish between these designs and his production designs, especially when these designs were mixed in with set and costume designs. Furthermore, Heeley's picture books were often related to his theatrical work: many were published to coincide with certain stage productions (for example, Heeley's Hansel, Gretel, the Witch, and the Cat seems to have been sold as merchandise at the Ice Capades show of the same name) and many relate to the plots of stage works or to life in the theater (for example, Mouse Goes to the Ballet). Finally, this series contains visual ephemera (scrapbooks, magazine cuttings, postcards, art calendars, photocopied book pages, etc.) which appear to have been used by Heeley as inspiration or research for his designs (or at least seem to have formed some part of Heeley's aesthetic world). As these visual materials were often stored alongside Heeley's own designs, they have been organized into the same series.
Box 1 Folder 1-2
Scrapbook pages, 1953-1954, 1957-1960, 1967, 1970-1971, 1975, 2 folders
Loose card pages with clippings (of reviews and other material relating to Heeley's productions) glued onto them. These were originally in plastic sheets (which have been discarded to aid preservation). On some pages, the clippings have become unglued. Includes some sketches, programs, and photographs.
Box 1 Folder 3
Tutu and cat sketches, undated
Pencil sketch on paper; pencil sketch on card; paint and ink on paper.
Box 1 Folder 4
Drawings of the English landscape by other artists, undated
Includes the cover of Cecil Beaton's Ashcombe: The Story of a Fifteen Year Lease and a copy of Rex Whistler's Rough Sketch for Mural Decoration at Lympne.
Box 1 Folder 5
Photographs and scrapbook pages, 1962, 1992
Subjects include: backstage at the Stratford Festival, 1962; unidentified sets, props, and models; unidentified actors in their costumes; production stills. Also includes some of Heeley's personal photos (of cats, landscapes, friends, travels).
Box 2 Folder 1
Sketches for Houston Ballet, 1987, undated
Mostly sketches of trees and mice (on card and on paper; in pencil and in pastels), but also includes some other sketches.
Box 2 Folder 2
Sketches of lamps, decanters, and columns for The Merry Widow, undated
Three annotated pencil sketches on paper with ink accents or outlines.
Box 2 Folder 3
Sketches of furniture and interior design, undated
Ink sketches and pencil sketches on printer paper and onionskin paper; unlabeled; depicting plants, windows, a doorway, a fireplace, a throne.
Box 2 Folder 4
Flat design for Chez Maxims in The Merry Widow, undated
Pencil sketch on paper with ink highlights. Annotated.
Box 2 Folder 5
Photograph of The Merry Widow set, undated
Box 2 Folder 6
Pencil sketch for Richard III, undated
Box 2 Folder 7
Lifesize pencil sketches of fish, undated
Box 2 Folder 8
Sketches of castles, undated
Paint, ink, and pencil on onionskin paper.
Box 3 Folder 1
Bird's-eye diagram of The Merry Widow set, undated
Ink sketch, annotated in pencil, on paper.
Box 4 Folder 1
Notes and sketches, 1999
Production designs and other sketches. Many are annotated. Many are attached to scrapbook pages. Mostly in ink, but one is in pencil and watercolors. Originally in a binder.
Box 4 Folder 2
Camelot production bible, 1996
Heeley's notes (organized by character and by scene) and color photocopies of sketches. Originally in a ringbinder.
Box 4 Folder 3
Beauty and the Beast notes, 1991
For The Children's Theatre Company. Ink sketches of sets and costumes (sometimes colored with pencil, usually annotated), notes, administrative documents, a contract, script pages, fabric samples. Includes some photographs used for inspiration. Originally in a ringbinder.
Box 4 Folder 4
The Snow Maiden production bible, 1997
Mostly color photocopies of costume sketches, but also includes some original costume sketches. Sketches are annotated.
Box 4 Folder 5-6
The Merry Widow production bible, 1992, 2 folders
Mostly costume designs. Notes, fabric samples, and sketches (in ink, in pencil and paint). Includes some color photocopies of sketches. Both folders were originally in a single ringbinder.
Box 4 Folder 7
Art and designs, 1966, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1991, 1994-1995, 1998
Mostly color photocopies of sketches and drawings. Includes printouts of photographs and photocopies of newspaper clippings. For Coppélia, Manon Lescaut, Cyrano de Bergerac, Coriolanus, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, The Merry Widow, Amadeus. Includes various concept sketches for dances and operas performed by animals (cats, mice, etc.). Includes designs for the Dayton's and Bachman's Garden Festival and for a poster for the 1966 Stratford Festival.
Box 5 Folder 1
Cardboard set piece, undated
An angular, grey-brown set piece, colored in pastels; unlabeled.
Box 5 Folder 2
Sketch of a lamp for The Merry Widow, undated
Box 5 Folder 3
Sketches and models for The Merry Widow, undated
A pencil sketch of a border decoration on onionskin paper; a model chandelier (paint on plastic); a model of a mirror (paint on plastic and reflective card); a model of a column (pencil on card); a photograph of the model.
Box 5 Folder 4
Sketches of border decorations for The Merry Widow, undated
A pencil sketch on paper with ink accents and two photocopies.
Box 5 Folder 5
Sketch of a ballet set, undated
Watercolor and ink on paper, glued to a cardboard backing. Annotations and pencil sketches on the back.
Box 5 Folder 6
Abstract painting, undated
Oil on paper, glued to a cardboard backing. Unlabeled.
Box 5 Folder 7
Unlabelled costume designs, undated
Three sketches: watercolors, ink, and charcoal on paper and card. One has a pencil sketch on the other side. Includes the frames that the sketches came loose from.
Box 5 Folder 8
Costume designs for the revellers from The Merchant of Venice, 1989
Oil, ink, and pencil on card.
Box 5 Folder 9
Photographs of sketches of a fountain, undated
Affixed to a piece of card.
Box 5 Folder 10
Poster for the Stratford Festival, undated
Painting by Heeley on the cover.
Box 6 Folder 1
Photocopies of sketches for The Sleeping Beauty, 1999
Two courtiers and a carriage. Wrapped in plastic and cardboard frames.
Box 6 Folder 2
Sketch of a creature covered in leaves, undated
Box 6 Folder 3-4
Set and costume sketches, undated, 2 folders
For various productions including A Midsummer Night's Dream and London Assurance; however, most are unlabeled. Includes photocopies. In ink, pencil, and watercolors.
Box 6 Folder 5
Color photocopies of sketches, 2004, undated
For children's books and unlabeled theatrical projects.
Box 6 Folder 6
Sketch of a bear in a dress, undated
Box 6 Folder 7
Sketch of characters in Victorian costume, undated
Box 7 Folder 1
Sketches for As You Like It, undated
Pencil on card and photocopies.
Box 7 Folder 2
Historical drawings of eighteenth-century soldiers, undated
Color copies produced by the New York Public Library. Includes an unrelated photograph.
Box 7 Folder 3
Signed "thank you" poster, undated
Thanking Heeley for work on a design.
Box 7 Folder 4-6
Set and costume sketches, undated, 3 folders
For A Christmas Carol, Hansel and Gretel, The Tempest, The Prince of the Pagodas, Coppélia, The Taming of the Shrew0, As You Like It, and other productions. Pencil, pen, crayon, and watercolor sketches. Many sketches are labeled and annotated. Includes photocopies.
Box 7 Folder 7
Sketch of chairs, undated
Box 8 Folder 1
Xeroxs: Bar's Party, Christmas Day, 2000-12-25
Copies of drawings (by Heeley) of commedia dell'arte characters holding letters of the alphabet.
Box 8 Folder 2
Cover art work for the Stratford Festival brochure, 1971, 1973
Photocopies. Cover images drawn by Heeley.
Box 8 Folder 3
Drawings of animals, flowers, and dolls, undated
Includes originals and photocopies. In pencil, pen, and paint. Seemingly for various creative projects.
Box 8 Folder 4-7
Production design materials, 1963, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1993-1994, 1997, 2003, 2009, 2013, 4 folders
Various types of documents for various productions. Includes design sketches (pencil, pen, and pastel, including photocopies), production documents, correspondence regarding productions, and materials used as design inspiration (images, fabric samples). Includes a donation slip for the AIDS Action Committee of Perth County.
Box 8 Folder 8
Loose notes and sketches, 1953, 1976, 2006, undated
For Robinson Crusoe, School for Wives (Guthrie Theater), London Assurance (Stratford Festival), Winter's Tale (Stratford Festival), Much Ado About Nothing (Stratford Festival), Glyndebourne (1953 festival). Pencil and ink sketches and photocopies for costume and set designs. Notes and production documents.
Box 8 Folder 9
Untitled sketches, undated
Costume, prop, and set designs sketched in pencil, ink, and paint. Includes some color photocopies.
Box 8 Folder 10
Drawings of flowers, 2002, 2013
In pencil and paint. Includes photocopies.
Box 8 Folder 11
Hat designs, 2009, undated
Color photocopies of painted sketch portraits of women wearing hats. For The Importance of Being Earnest, Coppélia, and other unlabeled productions.
Box 9 Folder 1
Production notes, correspondence, and sketches, 1991, 1996, undated
Various types of documents for various productions. Includes design sketches (pencil, pen, pastels, and watercolors, including photocopies), production documents, correspondence regarding productions, and materials used as design inspiration (images, blank postcards). For The Merchant of Venice, Oedipus the King, London Assurance, The Nutcracker, Toad of Toad Hall and other productions.
Box 9 Folder 2
Sketchbooks and production diaries, undated
Two spiralbound notebooks and one leatherbound notebook. Each book contains notes, sketches (in pen and pencil), and diary entries.
Box 9 Folder 3
Magazines and art catalogs, 1952, 1975-1976, 1984, 1992, 1994-1995, 2006
For various exhibitions and institutions.
Box 9 Folder 4
Mug designs, undated
Box 9 Folder 5
Cinderella sketches, undated
Costume designs in pencil and watercolor.
Box 9 Folder 6
Drafts for a children's book, undated
About a singing mouse called "Caruso."
Box 10 Folder 1
Solitaire notes and sketches, 1991
For Houston Ballet. Mostly pencil and ink sketches of costumes and sets (some in color). Includes photocopies of various sketches. Also includes fabric samples and some administrative documents.
Box 10 Folder 2
Sketches for The World of Desmond Heeley calendar, 1994, 2003, undated
Mice and cats as dancers and as opera characters. Mostly photocopies but includes some original colored-in pencil sketches. Many are annotated (often with the name of the month they would occupy on the calendar). Includes the title pages for the calendar.
Box 10 Folder 3
Draft of a children's picture book, undated
Annotated ink sketches, notes on scenarios, some draft text. Possibly called Dot and Grandma Peare and possibly based on The Nutcracker.
Box 10 Folder 4
Costume sketches for The Cherry Orchard, circa 1996
For the Guthrie Theater. Pencil, ink, and charcoal on card. One sketch is in full color. Annotated with the name of the actor and the scene.
Box 10 Folder 5
Camelot fabric order forms, circa 1981
Box 10 Folder 6
Photocopies of Much Ado About Nothing sketches, undated
Color photocopies of designs in ink, pencil, and paint. Includes annotations such as character name, fabric, and color.
Box 10 Folder 7
Costume sketches for The Importance of Being Earnest, circa 2009
In pencil, ink, crayon, paint. Includes photocopies of sketches, many of which are in color. Most are annotated and some include the character name. Includes a phtograph.
Box 10 Folder 8
Costume sketches for Henry IV (part one), 1984
For the Stratford Festival. Mostly pencil sketches but also includes some photocopies. Includes typed prop and costume notes, prop list, and scene breakdown.
Box 10 Folder 9
Sketchbook for As You Like It, undated
For the Stratford Festival. A spiral-bound pad with pencil costume sketches.
Box 10 Folder 10
A Christmas Carol production bible, 1994
Includes: photographs of set models; production documents (list of set changes); photocopies of research materials; costume sketches in pencil, crayon, ink; fabric samples; set designs in ink; photocopies of sketches. Most sketches are annotated.
Box 11 Folder 1
Il barbiere di Siviglia designs, undated
Costume, set, and prop designs. Mostly photocopies but includes some sketches in ink and in pencil. Sketches are generally annotated.
Box 11 Folder 2
Photocopies of Don Quixote designs, undated
Mostly costume and shoe designs.
Box 11 Folder 3
As You Like It production bible, undated
For the Stratford Festival. Includes: sketches in pencil; fabric samples; photocopies of sketches; rehearsal notes; administrative documents. Designs for props, costumes, and sets.
Box 11 Folder 4
Unidentified fabric samples, undated
Strips of fabric pinned to paper. Some are annotated. Possibly for London Assurance at the Stratford Festival (one sample is labeled "Lady Gay").
Box 11 Folder 5
Cinderella: Frozen in Time production bible, 1993
For an "on-ice" adaptation of the fairytale for Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades. Costume and set sketches in ink, pencil, and paint; fabric samples; notes; color photocopies of sketches.
Box 11 Folder 6
Drafts of a Hansel and Gretel children's picture book, 1994
For an "on-ice" adaptation of Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel for Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades titled "Hansel, Gretel, the Witch, and the Cat." Photocopies of pencil, ink, and paint sketches. Includes sketches of the characters, drafts of each page (text and pictures).
Box 11 Folder 7
Brigadoon production bible, 1986
Includes: prop list, notes, pencil costume sketches.
Box 31 Folder 1
Sketches for Mouse Goes to the Ballet picture book, undated
Pencil and crayon sketches on printer paper, sketchpad cutouts, and gray cardstock. Includes some unrelated photographs.
Box 31 Folder 2
Sketches of a fairytale with mice, undated
Pencil and crayon sketches on grey cardstock.
Box 31 Folder 3
Sketches of The Sleeping Beauty with mice, undated
Ink and crayon sketches and photocopies.
Box 31 Folder 4
Sketches of jesters holding letters of the alphabet, undated
Pencil sketches and photocopies.
Box 31 Folder 5
Set and costume sketches, undated
Sketches in pencil, ink, and paint. For various productions including Giselle, London Assurance, Henry V, Henry IV, Richard III. Includes photocopies.
Box 31 Folder 6
Images of historical people and scenes, undated
Clippings (from magazines, programs, books, etc.) and photocopies of various drawings and paintings of people in historical dress or of scenes of historical life. Possibly used as inspiration for Heeley's designs.
Box 31 Folder 7
Color copies of set and costume designs, undated
Includes one production still and one photo of Heeley on a boat.
Box 31 Folder 8
Sketches for Il barbiere di Siviglia, undated
Ink on paper. Costume and prop designs.
Mapcase 15-L-2 Folder 1
Sketches for The Merry Widow, circa 1975
Pencil sketch on paper of the Ponte Veprian from the Prologue to Act I. Two annotated pencil sketches of chandeliers, on paper with ink accents.
Box 62
Sketch of a set for the National Ballet of Canada, 1986
Ink sketch on paper. Realized by Robt J. Heughan. A section of proscenium with scaffolding.