Guide to the Providence Black Repertory Company records , 1962-2017

(bulk 1996-2009)

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2023

Collection Overview

Title:	Providence Black Repertory Company records
Date range:	1962-2017, (1996-2009)
Creator:	Providence Black Repertory Company
Extent:	24 linear feet
Abstract:	The records of this organization. Includes correspondence, production files, financial records, posters, photographs, video and audio recordings.
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.2018.012

Scope & content

Materials are arranged into thirteen series.

Series 1, Productions (1997-2009). Records of Providence Black Repertory Company theatrical productions. Arranged into three sub-series.

Subseries 1A - Theatre Seasons (1998-2009). Documentation of theatre seasons including some photographs. Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 1B - Staged production materials (1997-2009 and undated). Arranged alphabetically.

Subseries 1C - Possible productions (1996-2009 and undated). Arranged chronologically.

Series 2, Sound Session (2004-2010 and undated).Documentation and administration of the public arts and culture festival Sound Session, hosted by the Providence Black Repertory Company from 2004-2009.

Series 3, Financial (1996-2011). Arranged into seven subseries.

Subseries 3A - Fundraising - Grants and Donations (1996-2011). Arranged alphabetically.

Subseries 3B - Loans (2002-2008). Arranged alphabetically.

Subseries 3C - Income (2001-2009 and undated). Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each subject.

Subseries 3D - Invoices (2002-2008). Arranged alphabetically by organization and chronologically within each organization.

Subseries 3E - Taxes (1998-2009). Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 3F - Audits (1999-2008). Arranged chronologically.

Subseries 3G - Payroll (2005-2009). Arranged chronologically.

Series 4, Administration (1973,1997-2011, bulk 2001-2007). Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each subject.

Series 5, Educational Outreach And Programs (1962, 1995-2009 and undated). Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each subject.

Series 6, Events (1998-2008 and undated). The bulk of this series are photographs and promotional material.

Series 7, Research And Professional Development (1994-2008 and undated). Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series 8, Publicity, (2002-2007 and undated). Arranged chronologically.

Series 9, Building, (1994-2009). Records of prospective and occupied buildings, including the Fogarty Building (111 Fountain Street), Bomes Theatre (1017 Broad Street), 242-244 Broad Street, and the Wit Building (276 Westminster Street). Arranged chronologically.

Series 10, Personnel, (1997-2008, and undated. Bulk 1998-2002). Arranged chronologically and alphabetically by subject.

Series 11, Photographs, (1971,1997-2000,2002 and undated). Includes photographs and slides. Please note that there are other photographs in the collection that are not in this series, including promotional photographs, headshots, and event documentation. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series 12, Awards, (2000-2008 and undated). Awards and nominations earned by the Providence Black Repertory Company. Arranged chronologically.

Series 13, Digital Materials, (2000-2017 and undated). Includes musical recordings, digital files on floppy disks, DVDs and one cassette tape. Please note that other digital records exist in the collection, including digital photographs. Arranged alphabetically.

Access Points

Subject Names

• King, Donald W.
• Moyer, Kathy

Subject Topics

• African American theater
• African American theater--Rhode Island--Providence
• American drama
• American drama African American authors
• Nonprofit organizations--Rhode Island
• Theater--United States--History--21st century
• Performing Arts
• African Americans in the performing arts
• African American entertainers

Document Types

• Banners
• Playbills
• Theater posters
• Plays (performing arts compositions)
• Compact discs
• Musical performances
• Financial records
• Grant proposals
• Minutes
• Notes
• Contracts
• Photographs
• Building plans
• Concept art
• Clippings
• Correspondence
• Mini-DV

Arrangement

Brown University Library staff followed the functional organization created by PBRC staff which was evident in the organization of the files in the filing cabinets. The financial records were together, personnel materials in an alphabetical run, production records were found together in a filing cabinet, as so forth.

Biographical/Historical Note

The Providence Black Repertory Company (Black Rep) was an arts non-profit and cultural space focussed on the people and cultures of the African Diaspora, and including members of all communities of color. It was founded in 1996 by Donald "Don" King and closed in 2009. During its existance, the Black Rep's stated mission was to present theater, education and public programs for Rhode Island and the larger national and international community.

King founded the Black Rep after hosting public theater workshops called "Xxodus featuring Miss Fannie's Soul Food Kitchen" and "Round Midnight: A Rapper's Delight," at local arts institution AS220. Originally located at 131 Washington Street in Providence, Black Rep raised funds to renovate and relocate to the Wit Building at 276 Westminster street. The renovation, designed by Providence designer Kyla Coburn, was completed in 2002. It included theater and club space, and a cafe and lounge space named Xxodus Cafe.

The theatrical aspect of the Black Rep hosted formal theatrical productions, workshops, and readings of newer work. Productions at the Black Rep included plays from the African American theatrical canon like Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun (2002) and Baraka's The Dutchman (2004); the works of Rhode Island playwrights, including Mixed Magic Theatre co-founder Ricardo Pitts-Wiley and Brown University Rites and Reason alumna Rose Weaver; readings of plays; and workshop productions of plays.

Holding in-house, in-school and afterschool programs, the Black Rep's education and outreach arm connected youth with Rhode Island artists.Black Rep collaborated frequently with outside organizations and institutions, among them Brown University's Rites and Reason Theatre, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, and numerous local schools and youth programs.

The Black Rep organized public programs like open mic nights, spotlights of local artists, and weekly music nights. Black Rep also hosted community events including, the Rhode Island fashion designer Karen Beebe, the National Black Theatre Festival, the Providence Jazz and Blues Festival, and an afternoon with B.B. King. From 2004-2009 the Black Rep hosted Sound Session, a large summer music festival. The festival was a collaboration between Providence Black Reperatory Company and the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism and had thousands of attendees. Inspired by the Providence Rhythm and Blues Festival, Sound Session has since developed into PVDFest, an arts and culture festival in downtown Providence, run as of 2022 by the Providence Arts Culture and Tourism department.

The Black Rep was supported by local and national institutions like Fleet Bank, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Hasbro, CVS/Pharmacy, and Citizens Bank. It also recieved grants including ones from the Wallace Foundation, Rhode Island Foundation, Rhode Island Council on the Arts, Rhode Island Council for the Humanities, and the National Edowment for the Arts.

During its existence the Providence Black Repertory Company recieved awards including the New England Theatre Conference Regional Award for Outstanding Achievement in American Theatre, the Arts & Business Council of RI Jabez Gorham Award for Most Outstanding Arts Organization, and a City of Providence Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame Nomination.

In 2009, faced with economic downturn, tax debt, sustainability concerns and high-cost building repairs, the organization lead a campaign to "Save Our Season," but eventually went into recievership and folded.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access for analog materials, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. Advance notice is required to view any audiovisual media or born-digital records that may exist in this collection. Audiovisual media and born-digital records in this collection have not been reformatted yet. Researchers may request access to copies by contacting the John Hay Library with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. Access to original physical audiovisual or born-digital media is restricted.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them
Preferred citation:	Providence Black Repertory Company records, Ms.2018.012, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Gift of the Providence Black Repertory Company. These materials were gathered from the building formerly owned by the PBRC, 276 Westminster Street in Providence, RI. They sold the building and all its contents when they ceased operations. The documentation was retrieved from the building by Brown University Library staff in 2018 prior to renovation by the current owner.
Processing information:	The goal for this collection was to retain as much information as possible while protecting the privacy of the employees and patrons. The records of the PBRC were located on the second floor of 276 Westminster Street, Providence, RI. Most of the files were still in locked filing cabinets. But some were in various areas of the office space, on the floor, and in desks due to renovation work that had already been done in the space. Brown University Library staff followed the functional organization created by PBRC staff which was evident in the organization of the files in the filing cabinets. The financial records were together, personnel materials in an alphabetical run, production records were found together in a filing cabinet, as so forth. The series titles in this collection were assigned by Brown University Library staff to describe the function of the various groupings. The materials found outside of the filing cabinets were integrated into the functional groupings/series. The files contained many documents with personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers, on contracts and pay stubs. Those documents would have been destroyed based on standard business record retention requirements and were not retained in this collection to protect the privacy of the individuals involved. A small sampling of actor contracts was retained to provide examples of the standard contract they used with any confidential information redacted. Records of the Providence Inner City Arts collective and the organization's occupancy of the Wit Building as Roots Cafe were found with and separated from the records of the Providence Black Repertory Company. Invoices for basic business supplies such as stationery, staples, and ink cartridges were not retained. We retained invoices that demonstrated the work of the theater group such as invoices for labor or supplies necessary for the production of a specific play. We did not retain timesheets for each week. Instead we retained the payroll tally sheets that provide evidence of the type of work performed and the staff employed for each task. We retained donor information to document the network of support but discarded all confidential financial information such as copies of checks and credit card numbers.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Karen Eberhart, Jeanne Ernest, Amanda Brynn, and Janaya Kizzie
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-10-02.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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