Series I contains all non-photographic materials relating to individual productions of The Varsity Show, including original scripts and scores, programs, promotional materials and press clippings. For some productions there are also audio or video recordings available. Productions are arranged chronologically in ascending order from 1894 to the present. Some productions have extensive supplementary materials, including scripts, scores and musical parts for the orchestra. The Varsity Show was not performed every year and had a hiatus from 1967 to 1982. Info about the annual I.A.L. Diamond award (established in 2004) can also be found in the appropriate production files for a given year. For a list of past shows and links to YouTube recordings please visit https://www.thevarsityshow.com/past-shows
This series also includes a small amount of miscellaneous supplementary materials, which document other Columbia musicals related to the Varsity Show including Clare de Lune, a 1923 musical comedy by Barnard's Edythe Sheehan and The Soldier's Wedding, a 1907 musical by Varsity writer Walter E. Kelley
Box 1 Folder 1
General, 1925-2014
Box 1 Folder 2
Joan of Arc
, 1894
The Buccaneer
Box 1 Folder 3
General, 1896
Box 7 Folder 1
Score-Fragments, 1896
Box 7 Folder 2
Script-Partial, 1896
Box 7 Folder 3
Vocal Selections, 1896
Cleopatra
Box 1 Folder 4
General, 1897
Box 2 Folder 1
Bass Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 2
Bassoon Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 3
Cello Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 4
Clarinet Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 5
Cornet Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 6
Flute Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 7
Horns Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 8
Oboe Part, 1897
Box 2 Folder 9
Overture, 1897
Box 2 Folder 10
Score, 1897
Box 3 Folder 2
Act One Score, 1897, (2 Folders)
Box 3 Folder 3
Act One Number Four Score, 1897
Box 3 Folder 4
Second Violin Part, 1897
Box 3 Folder 5
Trombone Part, 1897
Box 3 Folder 6
Tympani Drums Part, 1897
Box 3 Folder 7
Viola Part, 1897
Box 3 Folder 8
Violin Part, 1897
Box 1 Folder 5
Cleopatra
, 1899
Box 1 Folder 6
The Governor's Vrouw
, 1900
Box 1 Folder 7
The Princess Proud
, 1901
The Vanity Fair
Box 1 Folder 8
General, 1902
Box 3 Folder 11
Bass Part, 1902
Box 3 Folder 12
Bassoon Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 1
Cornet Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 2
First Violin Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 3
Oboe Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 4 to 5
Score, 1902, (2 Folders)
Box 4 Folder 6
Second Violin, 1902
Box 4 Folder 7
Timpani and Drum Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 8
Trombone Part, 1902
Box 4 Folder 9
Viola Part, 1902
Box 1 Folder 9
The Mischief Maker
, 1903
Box 1 Folder 10
The Isle of Illusia
, 1904
Box 1 Folder 11
The Khan of Kathan
, 1905
The Conspirators
Box 1 Folder 13
The Ides of March
, 1907
Box 1 Folder 14
Mr. King
, 1908
Box 1 Folder 15
In Newport
, 1909
The King of Hilaria
Box 5 Folder 1
General, 1910
Box 5 Folder 2
Script, 1910
Box 5 Folder 3
Costume Plot, 1910
Box 6 Folder 1
Bass Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 1
Bassoon Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 2
Cello Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 2
Clarinet Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 3
Cornet Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 3
First Violin Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 4
Flute Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 4
Horns Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 5
Oboe Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 5
Piano Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 6
Second Violin Part, 1910
Box 21 Folder 6
Timpani Drums Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 7
Trombone Part, 1910
Box 6 Folder 8
Viola Part, 1910
Made in India
Box 5 Folder 5
The Mysterious Miss Apache
, 1912
Box 5 Folder 6
The Brigands
, 1913
The Merry Lunatics
Box 5 Folder 7
General, 1914
Box 7 Folder .5
Bass Clarinet Part, 1914
Box 7 Folder 6
Bassoon Part, 1914
Box 14 Folder 1
Clarinet Part, 1914
Box 14 Folder 2
Contra Bassoon Part, 1914
Box 14 Folder 3
First Violin Part, 1914
Box 14 Folder 4
Horns Part, 1914
Box 7 Folder 7
Oboe Part, 1914
Box 7 Folder 8
Overture, 1914
Box 7 Folder 9
Piano Part, 1914
Box 14 Folder 5 to 6
Score, 1914, (2 Folders)
Box 15 Folder 1
Second Bassoon Part, 1914
Box 15 Folder 2
Second Oboe Part, 1914
Box 8 Folder 1
Trombone Part, 1914
Box 8 Folder 2
Trumpet Part, 1914
Box 15 Folder 3
Tuba Part, 1914
Box 15 Folder 4 to 5
Tympani Part, 1914, (2 Folders)
Box 5 Folder 8
On Your Way
, 1915
Box 5 Folder 9
The Peace Pirates
, 1916
Home, James
Box 5 Folder 10
General, 1917
Box 5 Folder 11
Script--with Notes, 1917
Box 21 Folder 6
Assorted Musical Parts, 1917
Box 8 Folder 3
Cello Part, 1917
Box 8 Folder 4
Drums Part, 1917
Box 8 Folder 5
Flute Part, 1917
Box 8 Folder 6
Score--Incomplete, 1917
Ten for Five
Box 5 Folder 12
General, 1918
Box 8 Folder 7
Bass Part, 1918
Box 8 Folder 8
Cello Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 1
Clarinet Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 2
Drums Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 3
First Violin Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 4
Flute Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 5 to 7
Score--Incomplete, 1918, (3 Folders)
Box 9 Folder 8
Trombone Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 9
Trumpet Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 10
Tympani and Drums Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 11
Viola Part, 1918
Box 9 Folder 12
Violin Part, 1918
Box 10 Folder 1
Take a Chance
, 1919
Fly with Me
, 1920s
Box 10 Folder 3
You'll Never Know
, 1921
Steppe Around
Box 10 Folder 4
General, 1922
Box 9 Folder 13 to 14
Actors' Parts, 1922, (2 Folders)
Box 9 Folder 15
Score, 1922
Box 10 Folder 5
Half Moon Inn
, 1923
Box 10 Folder 6
Old King's
, 1924
Box 10 Folder 7
Half Moon Inn
, 1925
Box 10 Folder 8
His Majesty, The Queen
, 1926
Box 10 Folder 9
Betty Behave
, 1927
Box 10 Folder 10
Zuleika
, 1928
Box 11 Folder 1
Oh Hector
, 1929
Box 11 Folder 2
Heigo Pharaoh
, 1930
Box 11 Folder 3
Great Shakes
, 1931
Box 11 Folder 4
How Revolting
, 1932
Box 11 Folder 5
Home James
, 1933
Box 11 Folder 6
Laugh it Off!
, 1934
Box 11 Folder 7
Flair Flair the Idol of Paree
, 1935
Box 11 Folder 8
Off your Marx
, 1936
Some of the People
Box 11 Folder 9
General, 1937
Box 12 Folder 1 to 2
Alto Saxophone Part, 1937, (2 Folders)
Box 12 Folder 3
Bass Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 4
Cello Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 5
Drums Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 6
First Violin Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 7
Flute Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 8 to 9
Tenor Saxophone Part, 1937, (2 Folders)
Box 12 Folder 10 to 12
Trumpet Part, 1937, (3 Folders)
Box 12 Folder 13
Violin Cello Part, 1937
Box 12 Folder 14
Violin Part, 1937
You've got Something There
Box 11 Folder 10
General, 1938
Box 13 Folder 1 to 2
Alto Saxophone Part, 1938, (2 Folders)
Box 13 Folder 3
Bass Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 4
Cello Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 5
Drums Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 6
First Trumpet Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 7
First Violin Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 8
Tenor Saxophone Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 9
Second Trumpet Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 10
Third Trumpet Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 11
Trombone Part, 1938
Box 13 Folder 12
Violin Part, 1938
Box 11 Folder 11
Fair Enough
, 1939
Life Begins in '40
Box 16 Folder 1
Hit the Road
, 1941
Box 16 Folder 2
Saints Alive
, 1942
Box 16 Folder 3
Second the Motion
, 1945
Step Right Up
Box 16 Folder 4
General, 1946
Box 15 Folder 7
Lullaby Music
, circa 1946
Box 15 Folder 8
Madeline Waltz Music
, circa 1946
Box 16 Folder 5
Dead to Rights
, 1947
Box 16 Folder 6
Streets of New York
, 1948
Box 16 Folder 7
Mr. Oscar
, 1949
Box 16 Folder 8
Wait for It
, 1950
Streets of New York
Box 16 Folder 9
General, 1952
Box 30
Record Album, 1952
Varsity Show Recordings
(B-side of album contains music from T.S Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral performed by Columbia University Players.)
Shape of Things
Sky's the Limit
, 1954
When in Rome
Box 30
Not Fit to Print , 1956, 2 phonograph records
Box 30
The Voice of the Sea , 1957, 3 phonograph records
Box 30
The Streets of New York - Revival
, 1958
Box 30
Dig That Treasure , 1959
Box 16 Folder 13
Elsinore
, 1963
Box 16 Folder 14
The Bawd's Opera
, 1966
Box 16 Folder 15
The Feathertop
, 1967
Box 16 Folder 16
The Great Columbia Riots of '78
, 1978
Fly with Me
, 1980
Box 16 Folder 17 to 18
General, 1980, (2 Folders)
Box 22
Conductor's Score, (2 volumes)
Box 23 Folder 1
Harp Part
Box 23 Folder 2
Cello 1 Part
Box 23 Folder 3
Cello 2 Part
Box 23 Folder 4
Viola 1 Part
Box 23 Folder 5
Viola 2 Part
Box 24 Folder 1
Bass 1 Part
Box 24 Folder 2
Violin A1 Part
Box 24 Folder 3
Violin A2 Part
Box 24 Folder 4
Violin B1 Part
Box 24 Folder 5
Violin B2 Part
Box 25 Folder 1
Oboe 1 Part
Box 25 Folder 2
Bassoon 1 Part
Box 25 Folder 3
Clarinet 1 Part
Box 25 Folder 4
Clarinet 2 Part
Box 25 Folder 5
Flute 1 Part
Box 26 Folder 1
Horns 1 and 2 Parts
Box 26 Folder 2
Tuba 1 Part
Box 26 Folder 3
Trumpets 1 and 2 Parts
Box 26 Folder 4
Trombone 1 Part
Box 26 Folder 5
Percussion Part
Box 27 Folder 1-7
Script, (7 copies)
Box 28 Folder 1
Bass Part
Box 28 Folder 2
Piano Part
Box 28 Folder 3
Contact Sheet
Box 28 Folder 4
Notes
Box 28 Folder 5
Dinner
Box 28 Folder 6-7
Research Notes
Box 28 Folder 8
Publicity--Advertising Campaign
Box 28 Folder 9
Publicity--Media Coverage (reviews and ads)
Box 28 Folder 10
Logos
Box 28 Folder 12
Programs
Box 28 Folder 13
Short Film
Box 28 Folder 14
Recording Orders
Box 28 Folder 15
Recording
Box 29 Folder 1
Recording--Bruce Yeko Files
Box 29 Folder 2
Proposal to Publish
Box 29 Folder 3-4
Royalties
Box 29 Folder 5
Proposal and Budget
Box 29 Folder 6
Copyright
Box 29 Folder 7
Contracts
Box 29 Folder 8
Richard Rodgers and Mrs. Dorothy Feiner Rodgers
Box 29 Folder 9-12
Correspondence
Box 29 Folder 13
McMillin Theatre
Box 29 Folder 14
Alumni and Trustees
Box 29 Folder 15
Reel to Reel tape of WQXR "Listening Room", 1980 April 21
(Host: Robert Sherman. 2 track stereo, 7 1/2 IPS)
Box 29 Folder 16
Videocassette of Production
(U-matic tape. Handwritten note on tape says "Promo Reel, Director of Photography, Michael Negrin")
Box 16 Folder 19
Columbia Graffiti
, 1982
Box 16 Folder 20
College on Broadway
, 1982
Box 16 Folder 21
Fear of Scaffolding
, 1983
Box 16 Folder 22
The New U
, 1984
Box 16 Folder 23
Lost in Place
, 1985
Box 17 Folder 1
Sans Souci be Happy
, 1989
Box 17 Folder 2
Behind the Lion Curtain
, 1990
Box 17 Folder 3
The Silence of the Lions
, 1991
Box 17 Folder 4
The Lion Game
, 1993
Box 17 Folder 5
Columbia History of the World
, 1994
Box 17 Folder 6
Step Inside
, 1995
Box 17 Folder 7
Enlargement and Enhancement
, 1997
Box 17 Folder 8
Love is Indefinite
, 1998
Box 17 Folder 9
Sex, Lions, and Videotape
, 2001
Dial D for Deadline
Off Broadway
Box 31 Folder 7
The Varsity Show: A Celebration - digital artwork and text files, 2003-2004
Digital files used to create the book. Consists of (10)optical discs
Box 31 Folder 8
The Varsity Show: A Celebration
, 2004
Celebratory volume documenting the history of the Varsity Show made possible by a grant from Columbia250
The Sound of the Muses
Misery Loves Columbia
Insufficent Funds
Morningside Hates
, 2008
The Gates of Wrath
College Walk of Shame
Box 17 Folder 16
Another Scandal!
, 2011
Digital script and music files available in the UA office
Box 17 Folder 17
The Corporate Core
, 2012
PDF script and digital music files available in the UA office
Box 31 Folder 2
The Great Netscape
, 2013
PDF script and digital music files available in the UA office
Box 31 Folder 3
Morningside Nights
, 2014
Digital script and music files available in the UA office
Box 31 Folder 4
Almagedon
, 2015
Box 31 Folder 5
A King's College
, 2016
PDF script and score files available in the UA office
Box 31 Folder 6
A Tale of Two Colleges
, 2017
PDF files of scripts and score available in UA office
Box Electronic folder
Lights Out on Broadway
, 2018
PDF files of script and score available in UA office
Box Electronic folder
We Hope This Musical Finds You Well
, 2020-2021
PDF script available in UA office
Box Electronic folder
Campus in the Cloud
, 2021
PDF script and recording instruction notes document available in UA office
Box 31 Folder 9
Well Endowed
, 2022
PDF of script, score and poster available in UA office
Box 31 Folder 10
Transfer of Power
, 2023
PDF of script and score and digital photos available in UA office
Box 31 Folder 1
Unidentified Script Fragment, undated
Unidentified Scores
Series II is composed of photographs from Varsity Shows from 1894 onwards. Most photographs are production photographs, but some backstage and rehearsal photographs are also included. Productions are arranged chronologically in ascending order from 1894 to the present. Where possible, photographs have been organized by individual productions; some of I.A.L. Diamond's photographs, which span the late 1930s and early 1940s have been retained in their original folder to avoid potential misidentification
Box 19 Folder 1
Joan of Arc
, 1894
Box 19 Folder 2
The Buccaneers
, 1896
Box 19 Folder 3
Cleopatra
, 1897
Box 18 Folder 9
Cleopatra--Oversize Photographs, 1897
Box 18 Folder 10
Cleopatra--Oversize Photographs, 1899
Box 19 Folder 4
Cleopatra
, 1899
Box 19 Folder 5
Vanity Fair
, 1902
Box 19 Folder 6
The Mischief Maker
, 1903
Box 19 Folder 7
The Isle of Illusia
, 1904
Box 19 Folder 8
The Khan of Kathan
, 1905
Box 19 Folder 9
The Conspirators
, 1906
Box 19 Folder 10
The Ides of March
, 1907
Box 19 Folder 11
Mr King
, 1908
Box 19 Folder 12
In Newport
, 1909
Box 19 Folder 13
Made in India
, 1911
Box 19 Folder 14
The Brigands
, 1913
Box 19 Folder 15
The Merry Lunatic
, 1914
Box 19 Folder 16
You'll Never Know
, 1921
Box 19 Folder 17
Steppe Around
, 1922
Box 19 Folder 18
His Majesty, the Queen
, 1926
Box 20 Folder 1
Oh Hector
, 1929
Box 20 Folder 2
Heigho Pharaoh
, 1930
Box 20 Folder 3
Great Shakes!
, 1931
Box 20 Folder 4
How Revolting
, 1932
Box 20 Folder 5
Home James
, 1933
Box 20 Folder 6
Flair-Flair, the Idol of Paree
, 1935
Box 20 Folder 7
I.A.L. Diamond Photographs--Miscellaneous Productions, circa 1939-1941
Box 20 Folder 9
Fair Enough
, 1939
Box 20 Folder 10
Life Begins in '40
, 1940
Box 20 Folder 11
Saints Alive
, 1942
Box 20 Folder 12
Step Right Up
, 1946
Box 20 Folder 13
Streets of New York
, 1948
Box 20 Folder 14
Babe in the Woods
, 1951
Box 20 Folder 15
Streets of New York
, 1952
Box 20 Folder 16
The Shape of Things
, 1953
Box 20 Folder 17
Sky's the Limit
, 1954
Box 20 Folder 18
When in Rome
, 1955
Come Fly with Me
, 1980
Box 20 Folder 20
College on Broadway
, 1982
Box 20 Folder 21
General, undated
Series III consists of publicity posters from Varsity Shows from 1909 onwards. Posters are generally 11" by 17" in size and in good condition. Most posters are printed, however, some from the 1950s are handmade on cardboard, with the image and title etched with paint and glitter: 1954's The Sky's the Limit features an excitable Alma Mater dancing alongside her owl. Posters are stored as part of the University Archive's Flat Files Collection (UA#0180), so the box numbers for this series refer to these flat file boxes.