This collection contains personal papers donated by George B. Dowell and includes playscripts, programs, photographs, correspondence,
and publications relating mostly to theatre activities with the Federal Theatre Project, Smith College, and Vassar College.
There are no restrictions on personal use. Permission to publish material from the George B. Dowell papers must be obtained
from the Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.
Access Restrictions
There are no access restrictions.
Preferred Citation note
George B. Dowell papers, C0219, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.
Acquisition Information
Donated by George B. Dowell in May 1987.
Processing Information
Processing and EAD markup completed in November 2012 by Greta Kuriger Suiter.
George Brendan Dowell was born in New York City on December 15, 1909. He spent his life working in the theatre and academic
institutions. In 1933 he received a certificate in playwriting from Yale University. In 1939 the Federal Theatre Project produced
The God Innis, a play Dowell wrote. Dowell met Hallie Flanagan while working with the Federal Theatre Project and continued
to work with her throughout his career. He served with the Army in World War II from 1941 to 1943. In 1946 he graduated from
New York University and received a doctorate from Columbia University Teachers College in 1949. He worked at Smith College
from 1949 to 1955, first as a Visiting Lecturer of Theatre and then as an Assistant Professor of Theatre from 1950 to 1955.
Dowell and Flanagan worked together on the play "Heritage" in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Smith College in 1950.
After teaching at Smith he went on to work at Skidmore College (1954-1956), Vassar College (1957-1961), and Goucher College
(1962-1975). His work at Vassar College revolved around their Centennial Celebration in 1961. At Goucher College he was instrumental
in developing the drama program and held the position of Associate Professor of Speech and Drama. He died in Towson, Maryland,
in January of 1997.
This collection contains personal papers donated by George B. Dowell and includes playscripts, programs, photographs, correspondence,
and publications relating mostly to theatre activities with the Federal Theatre Project, Smith College, and Vassar College.
The Works Progress Administration oral histories collection, the Federal Theatre Project collection, the Federal Theatre Project
photograph collection, as well as numerous other personal papers.
American Theatre: A panorama of theatrical activity from the 16th to the 20th century,
1970
Draft with handwritten notes by Hallie Flanagan.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 2
Article for the Alumnae Quarterly on Hallie Flanagan Davis,
June 7, 1955
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 3
Can You Hear Their Voices by Hallie Flanagan,
1931
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 4
Correspondence,
1932-1987
Pertains to play writing in general.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 5
Correspondence - Dowell and Flanagan,
1949-1961
Includes two photographs of George Dowell and Hallie Flanagan at the 1961 Vassar Centennial.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 6
Course packets for Dramatic Arts 221 and 230 at Goucher College,
undated
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 7
Covenant program with notes by Hallie Flanagan,
circa 1954
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 8
Covenant published play,
June 1955
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 9
Fear,
1934
Script adapted from the publication Fear by A. Afinogenov. Written by Hallie Flanagan for the Vassar Experimental Theatre.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 10
Federal Theatre Project,
circa 1936-1939
7 photographs of the Helen Tamjris Dance Unit performance of Hecuba and Cassandra.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 11
Federal Theatre Project,
1937-1938
Two letters to Dowell regarding The God Innis; typewritten account of visiting Federal Theatre productions in Seattle - "Seattle
Saga - Battling in the Western Wilderness", letter to Flanagan.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 12
Grinnell College,
1959
Brochure for Grinnell College and receipt for contribution gift in memory of Murray Flanagan.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 13
Haiti program,
March - September 1938
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 14
Hallie Flanagan bookplate; What Was Federal Theatre pamphlet,
circa 1939
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 15
Heritage,
1950
Two published copies; note from Hallie Flanagan to George Dowell.
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 16
Heritage and Smith College related typewritten notes,
circa 1949-1950
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 17
Heritage script,
March 1950
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 18
In Defense of Genius script,
1939-1940
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 19
The Island volume 1 number 1,
June 15, 1931
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 20
Middle of the Air directed by Hallie Flanagan, script,
1945
Mixed materials Box: 1 Folder: 21
Miscellaneous,
1944-circa 1980s
Roosevelt newspaper advertisements; menu for The Lambs restaurant; organization chart for Teatro Colon (Spanish); Emlyn Williams
as Charles Dickens poster; American tour of players summer tour of Britain itinerary; Holiday card from Julia Thorn Kuhl to
Dowell.
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 1
New Masses,
1929; 1931
Three issues: May 1929; March 1931; May 1931.
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 2
New Theatre,
December 1935; August 1936
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 3
Newspaper clippings,
1949-1986
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 4
One-Third of a Nation script,
circa 1938-1940s
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 5
Programs from Vassar College, Smith College, Yale University, and Goucher College,
1931-1966
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 6
Publications,
1943-1986
The Dream and the Deed: Seattle's official centennial play by Glenn Hughes; American Art Today: New York World's Fair published
by National Art Society (catalogue); And There Were Voices: An Abraham Lincoln play in three acts by Robert Knipe; The Living
Theatre Repertory 1959-60; Theatre U.S.A.: A catalog of books and plays forming a history of the American theatre from circa
1750 to the present.; Yale Drama, alumni newsletter.
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 7
Smith department of theatre newsletter; Smith Alumnae Quarterly,
1948-1949; Summer 1955
Mixed materials Oversize: 3
Smith department of theatre poster for The Way of the World,
undated
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 8
Teaching materials and programs,
1933-1950s
One program from 1933, mostly 1950s teaching and conference materials from Smith College and New England.
Mixed materials Box: 2 Folder: 9
The Second Fourteen - script by student with handwritten notes by Hallie Flanagan,
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