Marie Armstrong papers, ca. 1890-1999, with papers of John Armstrong, 1901-1981

fonds

ca. 1890-1999

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories, Moving Images, Photographs, Posters

412305

3.45 metres of textual records and graphic material (23 boxes)

Marie Olive Armstrong (nee Stonehouse) was born in Sydney in 1928. At the age of 19 she joined the New Theatre in Newtown, one of Australia's oldest continuously performing theatres. For over 60 years she worked there as an actor, director, stage manager, choreographer and drama and dance tutor. She married to actor, John Armstrong in 1951. For many years she was a member of the Communist party until her resignation in 1985. She was awarded the Queens Jubilee Medal and the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her voluntary work at the New Theatre.

John Victor Armstrong was born in 1924. After attending Canterbury Boys High School he operated a successful hairdressing business but dissolved it in order to take up an acting career. During World War II he served in the RAAF. He was active in the New Theatre from 1948 and became a dedicated member of the Communist Party. In 1982 he suffered a stroke and spent the rest of his life in a Canterbury Nursing Home where he died in 1984.

SERIES 1: Marie Armstrong papers
BOX 1
Diaries, 1949, 1985 (India, Nepal, Thailand), 1997.
Appointment Diaries, 1954, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1968-94, 1996, 1997.
Two Address Books.

BOX 2
Letters of sympathy and other papers concerning the death of John Armstrong, 1984.
Correspondence with Dept. of Veteran Affairs re John Armstrong, 1985-87.
Various programs and newscuttings, 1959-92.
Travel documents, 1984, 1986.
ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) files, 1954-65. Secret reports on Marie Armstrong, other New Theatre members and the Communist Party. Includes photographs.

BOX 3
New Theatre history sources & notes on talks given by Marie Armstrong, 1980s-90s.
New Theatre publications, 1948-84.
Minutes of Annual General Meetings, 1971, 1982-84.
Material from shows performed for other organisations, 1960s-70s.
New Theatre, Australia – various documents including copies of ‘Spotlight’ & programs, 1950s-93.
New Theatre 65th Birthday at Newtown, 1997.
New Theatre programs for workshops & major productions.
New Theatre administrator/s requirements discussions. 1991.
Miriam Hampson functions – her OAM, commemoration etc., 1983, 1994.
‘A Study of New Theatre’ by B.M. Price, 1989.
Overseas trip to India, Nepal & Thailand, 1985.

BOX 4
Newscuttings, 1950s, 60s, 80s.
Newscuttings, programs, cards, 1990s.
Skteches, Parodies, Poems (2 folders).
Various playscripts.
Third International Women Playwrights Conference, Adelaide, 1994.
Tranbi Course on Aboriginal understanding, 1994.

BOX 5
Acting Class Files: (Notes on various classes attended and tutored and notes on New Theatre Acting School Administration)
Training Notes and New Theatre Training School for Actors, 1975-83.
Study Tour USA, UK & USSR 1979. Includes correspondence , class notes & programs of performances attended (3 folders).
Class notes from Stella Adler Classes, Los Angeles, 1979.

BOX 6
Acting Class Files:
Class Notes from Bryan Syron Acting Classes. – used in N.T. classes etc.
Notes on class tutored by John Styon at the University of Sydney, 1983.
Notes on class tutored by David Beer on Shakespeare.
Kevin Jackson workshop, 1991.
Script Breakdowns of classes attended on ‘The Children’s Hour’, ‘Don’s Party’ and
‘Slaughter of St Theresa’s Day’.
Very old training source material.
Murree Hutchison Directors/Actors Guide.
New Theatre class notes.

BOX 7
Play Scripts:
‘Had We But World Enough’ by Oriel Gray. Directed by John Armstrong, 1950.
‘Out of Commission’ by Mona Brand. Directed by John Armstrong, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1955
‘Black Diamonds’ by Frank Hardy. Directed by John Armstrong, 1958.
‘The Night of the Ding Dong’ by Ralph Peterson. Directed by John Armstrong, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1959
‘Sandhog’ by Earl Robinsobn & Waldo Salt. Directed by John Armstrong, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1962
‘A Raisin in the Sun’ by Lorraine Hansberry. Directed by John Armstrong, 1962.
‘The Marriage’ by Nikolai Gogol. Directed by John Armstrong, 1963.
‘You’ve Never had it So Good’. N.T. Revue. Directed by John Armstrong, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1965.
‘Mother Courage’ by Bertolt Brecht. Directed by Edmund Allison, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1966.

BOX 8X
Play Scripts:
‘The Sign in Sidney Brusteins’s Window’ by Lorraine Hansberry. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1966 (2 folders).
‘America Hurrah’ by jean-Claude Van Itallie. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1968.
‘The Death of Bessie Smith’ by Edward Albee. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1971.
‘What’s New’ by N.T. writers. Co-Directed by Marie Armstrong & in cast, 1973.
‘The Ghost of John Davies’ by Mona Brand. Directed by Marie Armstrong & in cast, 1976 (2 folders).
‘The Awful Truth Show’ by Co-Operative of feminist writers. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1978 (2 folders).

BOX 9
Play Scripts
‘Yobbo Nowt’ by John McGrath. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1981 (2 folders).
‘First Class Women’ by Nick Enright. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1982 (2 folders).
‘Fifty Not Out’ by N.T. writers. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1982.
‘The New in Concert’ by N.T. writers. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1983.
‘Waiting for the Parade’. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1984.
‘Oh How We Danced’, 1985.

BOX 10
Play Scripts:
‘Neighbourhood’. Major Show that was aborted, 1985.
‘Tales from Hollywood’. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1986.
‘Absolutely Well’ by Gar Jones. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1987-88 (2 folders).

BOX 11
Play Scripts:
‘The Death of Philip Robertson by John Tomlinson. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1988 (2 folders).
‘Reedy River’ by Dick Diamond. Marie Armstrong assistant director, 1988.
‘The Life of Gallileo’ by Bertolt Brecht. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1989.

BOX 12
Play Scripts:
‘Older Women’s Network’. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1990.
‘Queen Christina’. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1990.
‘The Hired Man’ by Melvyn Bragg. Directed by Marie Armstrong, 1991 (2 folders).
‘The Chapel Perilous’ by Dorothy Hewitt. Choreographed by Marie Armstrong, 199?
‘Everything Old is new Again’. N.T. 60th Anniversary Show. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1992.
‘Riders to the Sea’ by J.M. Synge. Workshop. Marie Armstrong in cast, 199?
‘Portrait of an Artist. Directed by John Rado. Marie Armstrong in cast, 1994 (2 folders).

BOX 13
Play Scripts:
‘One Word We’ by Morrie Mulheran. Directed by Frank Barnes, 1995.
‘Merry Christmas Pauline Hanson’, 1996.
‘Don Juan Comes Back from the War’. Directed by Kevin Jackson, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1996 (2 folders).
‘The Torrents’ by Oriel Gray. Rehearsed reading directed by Marie Armstrong, 1998.
‘Lots More Funny Business’. Various writers. Directed by G. Falson, Marie Armstrong in cast, 1999.
‘Life is a Funny Business’. Various writers. Directed by G. Falson, Marie Armstrong in cast, 2000.

BOX 14
Photographs:
John Armstrong - portraits, productions etc..
Marie Armstrong - portraits, productions etc
Theatrical performances: 'The Ghost of John Davies', 1977; 'Caucasian Chalk Circle', 1977; 'Waiting for the Parade', 1984; 'Oh How We Danced', 1985; 'Tales from Hollywood', 1986; 'Death of Philip Robertson, 1988; 'Life of Gallileo', 1989; 'Queen Christina', 1990; 'The Hired Man', 1991.
New Theatre Conference, Adelaide. Performance of 'Reedy River' & 'Under the Coolabah Tree'.

BOX 15
Photographs:
Marie Armstrong’s mother Beatrice (Babs) Nicholls/Tancred/Stonehouse, 1930s-98
(contents list included)
Family and descendants of Marie Armstrong’s mother (contents list included).

BOX 16
Photographs:
Growing up, 1930s-50s; development of performance skills, 1930s-90s; various workplaces and staffs, 1960s-93; friends 1930s-90s (contents list included).
Family and Friends.
Neighbours at Fore Street, Canterbury, 1940s-99 (contents list included).

BOX 17
Photographs:
John and Marie Armstrong, 1949-1984. Includes: wedding and honeymoon; portraits; holidays; friends and acquaintances; nursing home (contents lists included).
Friends mainly through the New Theatre 1950s-99 (contents list included).

BOX 18
Photographs:
New Theatre productions, 1973-1999 (contents list included).
New Theatre productions, other co-operative productions & film shoots, 1946-72 (contents list included).
‘Absolutely Well’. Co-operative production, 1980s.
Older Women’s Network performance, 1990s.

BOX 19
Photographs:
Drama Study Tour USA, London, Moscow, 1979 (contents list included).
Miscellaneous Events, 1990-98 (contents list included).
Marie Armstrong and Philip de Carle, 1970s-80s, 1998 (contents list included)

BOX 20
Photographs:
Holidays, 1947-88 (contents list included)
Tour of China ( China Friendship Tour), 1982.
Tour of India, Nepal & Thailand (with Fay Lindsay), 1985.

BOX 21
Photographs:
Annual Christmas Diners at Fore Street, Canterbury, 1980s-96.
Annual Christmas Dinners at Ashfield and Katoomba, and some birthdays, 1982-98.
Annual Christmas Dinners of New Theatre Management Committees held at various restaurants, 1982-97.
New Theatre participation in: May Days; picnics, think tanks, 1980 & 1997;committee members at Newtown premises; back stage at Wharfies Hall; Brisbane National Conference.
Various parties and friends, 1960s-90s.
Friends, 1970s-90s.

MLOH 726 (RESTRICTED)
1. Interview with George Sklar, Hollywood, 1979.
2. Morgan Gregory interview with Marie Armstrong on Women in Theatre, International Women’s Day, 1989.
3. Michael Carlton interview with Gill Falson on New Theatre, 2BL, 1997.
4. Jack Lang tape for use in N.T. production.
5. & 6. Barbara Finch. Spoken letters to Marie Armstrong, 1995 .
7-12. Marie Armstrong.

POSTERS
The Hired Man, New Theatre, 28 Sept.-16 Nov., 1991. (Call no. POSTERS 2491)
Portrait of an Artist, New Theatre, 15 Oct.-17.Dec., 1994 (Call no. POSTERS 2490)
Lots More Funny Business, 11-26 Feb., 1999 (Call no. POSTERS 2489)

VIDEO RECORDINGS
'Absolutely Weill'.
New Theatre Christmas Show, 1992 (2)
Miriam Hampson Memorial.
'Here Comes Kisch!' & 'Waiting for the Parade'.
China Tour, 1984.
Marie Armstrong - TAB - Introduction to Flight.
'Promised Land'.
New Theatre 60th Anniversary Conference, 1992.
'The Hired man', New Theatre, 1991.
Stella Adler.
'Cody', 1994; Diamonds/Minding Girl.
Cody. 27.2.95. The Tip Off.
Forbidden Newtown.
'The Ghost of John Davies'.
Marie Armstrong Show tape.
Spokeswomen.
'Come in Spinner' (2)

SERIES 2: John Armstrong papers
BOX 22
Appointment Diaries, 1960-61, 1964-65, 1967-73, 1975-76, 1979-81
Bank Pass Books, 1960s-1980s.
Communist Party membership card, 1966-67.

BOX 23
Various certificates including Birth and Marriage Certificates of John Armstrong and his parents, 1901, 1923, 1924, 1951.
School Reports from Punchbowl Primary School, 1935; ‘The Canterbury Tales’- Year Books from Canterbury Boys High School, 1936-38, Intermediate Certificate, 1938; and Dept. of Education Infant Reader, undated.
Copies of documents re service in the RAAF during World War II, 1943-46
Correspondence. Includes letters written while on service with the RAAF), 1943-45 and letters, 1961-72.
Young Elizabethans Tour, 1960 program, newscuttings, photographs, and scripts for ‘Richard II’ and ‘Twelfth Night’; Elizabethan Theatre, Newtown program for ‘Julius Caesar’, 1959.
Taxation Office papers, 1960s-1981.
Photographs: Family and Childhood, 1930s-40s; Family, friends & New Theatre friends 1940s-50s; World War II Air Force service in Queensland & New Guinea, 1940s.
Three photograph albums & a photograph wallet: Family and Air Force.

Partly restricted: Refers to MLOH 726

In copyright: This collection has multiple rights owners
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales & Courtesy copyright owners

Information updated as as part of the Unprocessed Manuscripts eRecords Project, 2013-2014

Photographs are identified on reverse.