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Lin Wright Papers 1968-2000

MSS-272

Biographical Note

Lin Mary Wright, theatre for youth university professor and administrator, high school teacher, creative drama specialist, author, editor, playwright, and arts in education advocate, was born to Nathanial F. and Mary F. (Hargarten) Sommers in Minnesota on January 19, 1933. Wright received her B.S. (1954), M.A. (1960) and Ph.D. (1972) degrees from the University of Minnesota, where she studied with Kenneth Graham, Chair of the Theatre Department and theatre for youth specialist. Her dissertation was titled The Effects of Creative Drama on Person Perception. While at the University of Minnesota, she served as a teaching associate and instructor from 1965 to 1972 and as an Assistant Professor from 1972 to 1973. She also studied at Michigan State University from 1957 to 1958, where she was a graduate teaching assistant. Lin Sommers married James L. Wright on August 5, 1963.

Wright's full-time teaching career began as a high school English, speech, and theatre teacher and director of the theatre program at Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Minnesota from 1954 to 1955. From 1958 to 1964 she taught at Mound View High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was an instructor in creative drama and dance at Cain Park (in Cleveland, Ohio) in the summer of 1957.

While in the doctoral program at the University of Minnesota, she met fellow student Don Doyle, who was taking a leave from his teaching position at Arizona State University (ASU). In 1973 Wright joined the ASU theatre faculty and Doyle with the purpose of developing a graduate degree program in theatre for youth. Wright remained at ASU until her retirement in 1996. Her classes taught included introduction to creative drama, advanced studies in creative drama, and research methods in theatre. She supervised M.F.A. internships and applied projects. Her unpublished plays for young audiences, My Brother Amado and Tales of Coyote, were produced at ASU. She directed these shows and several other plays that toured both to the schools and regionally.

Wright served as the Chair of the ASU Department of Theatre from 1983 to 1996, where she oversaw the creation of the M.F.A. and PhD programs in Theatre for Youth and an M.F.A. in Acting program. Under her leadership, the biennial ASU International Youth Arts Festival was created in 1993, which hosted artists from Asia, Latin America, California, and Arizona. She was a Visiting Professor at the University of Hawaii in the spring of 1983.

In 1978 Wright invited retired Northwestern children's theatre professor Rita Criste to visit ASU. After recording over ten hours of oral histories with her, Wright asked her to donate her personal papers to the university. When Criste agreed, Wright spoke with the ASU Libraries Head of Special Collections about housing this archive and more to come from organizations, theatres and individuals in the field. Thus began the Child Drama Collection in 1979. It is now the largest repository in the world documenting the international history of theatre for youth dating back to the 16th century.

Wright chaired the ASU/Holdeman Longitudinal Study of Drama with and Theatre for Children from 1983 through 1990, a joint project with a Tempe elementary school. The primary goal of this project was to measure the effects of theatre education for students from kindergarten through sixth grade. After observing the students in the classroom for seven years, some of the students continued to be followed through their college years.

Wright headed two national curricula projects. She was the lead consultant and an advisory board panelist for the National Arts Education Research Center, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the United States Department of Education. The product of this collaboration was the Theatre K-6 Curriculum Guide, written under the supervision of Lin Wright. She accepted the invitation of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education Board to chair the committee writing the National K-12 Theatre Standards, oversaw the writing of over 15 drafts, and participated in town hall forums throughout the United States. The written product of this project was Dance, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts: What Every Young American Should Know and Be Able to Do in the Arts: National Standards for Arts Education.

To assist graduate students in theatre for youth, Wright initiated The Don and Elizabeth Doyle Fellowship and the ASU Lin Wright Endowed Scholarship in Theatre for Youth. The Doyle Fellowship was created in honor of Wright's fellow ASU Theatre for Youth professor Don Doyle and his wife Elizabeth and is given to an outstanding university graduate-level student of demonstrated artistic ability in theatre for youth.

Wright held numerous positions with national and state-wide theatre and theatre for youth organizations. For the national theatre for youth organization, known chronologically as CTAA (Children's Theatre Association of America), AATY (American Association for Theatre and Youth), and AATE (American Alliance for Theatre and Education), her participation included Research Committee member, Vice President for Research (1977-1979), Vice-President, President (1981-1983), Past President, Associate Editor of Youth Theatre Journal, and Consulting Editor of the CTAA Symposium Publications. She also served on the American Theatre Association Board; on the Children's Theatre Foundation of America Board; as Vice President of the Arizona Theatre Educators Association; as President of the Arizona Alliance for Arts Education (AAAE); as President of the Arizona Theatre Alliance; as Chair of the Winifred Ward Scholarship Selection Committee; on the Advisory Committee for Arts Education Policy Review; and on the Advisory Boards of the Arizona Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Phoenix and on the Founding Board of Childsplay, a professional theatre for young audiences in Tempe, Arizona. She planned national, statewide, and local arts education conferences. She also conducted workshops, presented, and gave speeches at schools and conferences nationally.

Over twenty of her articles were published in periodicals, including the Children's Theatre Review, Theory into Practice, Youth Theatre Journal, and Elementary English and Design for Arts in Education. She edited the first three volumes of Professional Theatre for Young Audiences (1984-1988) and wrote forewords and/or chapters for books including The Creative Drama Book: Three Approaches by Judith Kase-Cooper (nee Polisini), Drama as a Meaning Maker edited by Judith Kase-Cooper, Theatre for Young Audiences: Principles and Strategies for the Future compiled by Jeanne Klein, Notable Women in the American Theatre edited by Alice Robinson, and Give Them Roots and Wings edited by Dorothy Schwartz and Dorothy Aldrich.

Wright's honors include:

Scope and Content Note

The Lin Wright Papers, 1968-2000, house correspondence; handwritten letters and notes; greeting cards; letters from children; certificates; appointment notices; curricula vitae; agendas; brochures; programs; fliers; papers; newspaper and periodical articles; reports; journals; newsletters; histories; books (some annotated); playscripts; journal articles, book introductions, forewords, chapters and reviews; bibliographies; dissertations; speeches; photographs, contact sheets and negatives; plaques; notebooks; syllabi and lesson plans; questionnaires; index cards; activities, games, exercises, instructional diagrams, handouts and materials lists; evaluation forms; quiz and exam outlines; poems; book manuscripts; study guides; course schedules; promptbooks; costume renderings; minutes and agendas; executive summaries; committee rosters; bulletins; worksheets; organizational charts; a handbook; monographs; curriculum guide drafts; a glossary; check sheets; workbooks; feedback forms; budget sheets; list of plays; surveys; research proposals and applications; interview transcripts; scope and sequence charts; phonograph recordings; slides; video and audiocassette tapes; reel-to-reel audiotapes; and floppy computer disks. The collection documents Wright's career as a theatre for youth educator, creative drama specialist, author, editor, playwright, and arts in education advocate via materials showing her professional activities and accomplishments, writing, classroom instruction, national and state level standards and curricula projects, and involvement with professional organizations. The papers have bulk dates of 1976 through 1996 and are divided into the following four series, some with subseries: Professional History (Box 1-4), Teaching Materials (Box 5-10), Projects (Box 11-17), and Research and Reference Materials (Box 18-24).

Series I: Professional History documents Wright's career through her professional activities and written works, photographs, and awards. It is divided into the following four subseries: Professional Activities, Written Works, and Photographs and Awards.

Sub-Series A: Professional Activities (1969-2000) provides information about Wright's professional life through correspondence, commendations, conference attendance, and a small amount of biographical material. It includes Arizona State University Theatre Department correspondence; other professional correspondence and handwritten notes; some personal correspondence, handwritten letters and greeting cards; letters of commendation for activities, projects and accomplishments; thank you letters from children; certificates; appointment notices; curriculum vitae; conference materials including agendas, brochures, programs, and position papers; and biographical materials consisting of newspaper articles, reports, journals, newsletters, histories, books and an annotated playscript from her early years as an actress. Arrangement is by the following groupings: correspondence, commendations, conferences, and biographical in this sequence.

Sub-Series B: Written Works (1972-1999) consists of creative drama, children's theatre, and theatre education writings, correspondence and support research materials. It includes journal articles; book introductions, forewords, chapters and reviews; symposium and conference papers; bibliographies; books; her dissertation; reports; speeches; handwritten notes; newspaper and periodical articles; and letters to and from publishers, editors and colleagues. The bulk dates are 1981 through 1992 and the arrangement is alphabetical.

Sub-Series C: Photographs (1970-1992) contains black and white as well as color photographs, contact sheets, and negatives. It consists of images of Wright, her students, and colleagues, the majority of which document her teaching, students, class exercises, and productions at both the University of Minnesota and Arizona State University. There is no arrangement to this subseries.

Sub-Series D: Awards consists of numerous awards in the form of certificates and plaques honoring Wright for outstanding scholarly research, service to various theatre and education organizations, and achievements in creative drama. There is no arrangement to this subseries.

Series II: Teaching Materials documents Wright's teaching and directing career, with the majority of the material from her years at Arizona State University and the remainder from the University of Minnesota. It is divided into the following subseries: Beginning Creative Drama Class, Theatre for Young Audiences Classes, Theatre for Young Audiences Directing, and Audiovisual Materials.

Sub-Series A: Beginning Creative Drama Class (1976-1995) consists of materials created for and from this introductory class to creative drama at Arizona State University. It provides information on Wright's teaching of creative drama theory and her unpublished creative drama book that was used as a text in progress in this class. It contains notebooks, syllabi, lesson plans, questionnaires, hand and typewritten notes, index cards, activities, games, exercises, instructional diagrams, handouts, materials lists, bibliographies, evaluation forms, journal and periodical articles, quiz and exam outlines, poems, typescript drafts of the book, a student paper, and some correspondence. The class materials are arranged alphabetically; the book is arranged chronologically.

Sub-Series B: Theatre for Young Audiences Classes (1976-1995) consists of teaching materials and class notes for theatre education, performance, creative drama, research methods, children's theatre, and independent study. It contains notebooks, syllabi, lesson plans, hand and typewritten notes, index cards, activities, exercises, handouts, bibliographies, plays lists, journal and periodical articles, student papers, journals, study guides, course schedules, and associated research materials. The arrangement is numeric by course number and then alphabetical by subject within each course.

Sub-Series C: Theatre for Young Audiences Directing (1971-1989) consists of Wright's original children's theatre playscripts and production materials as well as playscripts for productions she directed at the University of Minnesota and Arizona State University. It contains play typescripts -- most with directors notes, a promptbook, play programs, fliers, newspaper articles, correspondence, handwritten notes, costume renderings and reel-to-reel audiotapes. There is no arrangement beyond original order.

Sub-Series D: Audiovisual Materials contains numerous phonograph recordings used to motivate classroom creative drama and movement activities. Three are specifically music for children. Of note are Creative Drama: A Process, a 1978 3/4 videotape and slide presentation by Wright; and creative drama sessions taught by David Saar and Lin Wright at Roosevelt School in Mesa, Arizona in 1976 on 7 reel-to-reel videotapes.

Series III: Projects consists of Wright's work on the National Standards for Arts Education, The National Arts Education Research Center K-6 Curriculum Guide, Theatre Literacy Project for the AATE International Center for Studies in Theatre, the National Assessment of Educational Progress Arts Education Consensus Project, the Creative Drama Institute through the United States Office of Education and the National Defense Education Act, the Children's Theatre Association of Americas establishment of the Child Drama Collection at Arizona State University, and the development of Arizona Arts Standards and Curriculum. It is divided into the following series: National Standards for Arts Education, Theatre K-6 Curriculum Guide (NAERC), Theatre Literacy Project (AATE), Arts Education Consensus Project (NAEP), Creative Drama Institute (NDEA), Child Drama Collection (ASU), and Arizona Arts Standards and Curriculum Guide. There is no arrangement beyond original order.

Sub-Series A: National Standards for Arts Education (1991-1995) contains Wright's working papers from committee, symposium, and conference meetings that focused on the development of national theatre arts education standards through the National Committee for Standards in the Arts with the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations. It consists of notebooks, drafts, correspondence, reports, minutes, agendas, position papers, executive summaries, committee rosters, newsletters, handwritten notes, bulletins, worksheets, organizational charts, a handbook, monographs, studies, books, brochures and a 5.25 inch floppy computer disk.

Sub-Series B: Theatre K-6 Curriculum Guide (NAERC) (1987-1992) consists of working papers in the development of the National Arts Education Research Center Theatre K-6 Curriculum Guide, a consortium project with the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Arizona State University. It contains curriculum guide drafts, the final report, handwritten notes, correspondence, notebooks, reports, brochures, fliers, participating schools list, teacher and student evaluation forms, a glossary, check sheets, questionnaires, workbooks, feedback forms, budget sheets, a list of plays, workshop syllabi and games, surveys, a VHS video cassette, and a 5.25 inch floppy computer disk.

Sub-Series C: Theatre Literacy Project (AATE) (1989-1992) documents the development of the Theatre Literacy Project for the American Alliance for Theatre Education (AATE) International Center for Studies in Theatre Education. It contains correspondence, handwritten notes, conference proceedings, research proposals and papers, research applications, participants list, teacher and student interview transcripts, budget sheets, periodicals, and a handbook.

Sub-Series D: Arts Education Consensus Project (NAEP) (1992-1996) provides information on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Arts Education Consensus Project. It consists of reports, correspondence, position statements, journal articles, brochures, typewritten notes, symposium agenda and proceedings, content outlines, and guidelines.

Sub-Series E: Creative Drama Institute (NDEA) (1968-1970) documents the University of Minnesota's grants for the Creative Drama Institute through the United States Office of Education and the National Defense Education Act (NDEA). The institute focused on creative dramatics as an aspect of elementary education and the teaching of trainers of elementary and junior high school teachers. It consists of applications, evaluations, correspondence, abstracts, handbook, directors and technical reports, syllabus, handouts, budgets, brochures, and newspaper articles.

Sub-Series F: Child Drama Collection (ASU) (1978-1984) consists of correspondence between Wright, the Special Collections at Arizona State University Libraries, and officers of the Children's Theatre Association of America (CTAA) for the establishment of the Child Drama Collection at Arizona State University.

Sub-Series G: Arizona Arts Standards and Curriculum Guide (1985-1990) provides information on the development of the Arizona arts standards and curriculum guide. It contains correspondence, curricula drafts, executive summaries, conference agendas and notes, scope and sequence charts, newsletters, and curriculum guides from Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Tucson, Arizona.

Series IV: Research and Reference Materials (1974-2003) contains Wright's research files on teacher in-service education, multicultural drama, children's literature, aesthetic education, assessment, tests for assessing children's theatre and creative drama, brain theory, movement, dramatic play, ritual, T.I.E., visual literacy, special education for disabled individuals, language arts, interrelated arts, Native American research, other state curricula guides, and arts education planning. It is comprised of annotated books, periodicals, journals, newspaper and periodical articles, position and research papers, curricula guides, surveys, reports, conference proceedings materials, dissertations, programs, brochures, newsletters, pamphlets, video and audio cassettes, and posters.

Arrangement

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Related Material

See the CTC/CTAA/AATY/AATE Collection in the Child Drama Collection for information regarding Lin Wright's term as President of the Children's Theatre Association of America (the national children's theatre and education organization) between 1981 and 1983.

See the Arizona State University Theatre for Youth Program Records in the Child Drama Collection (MS SC CDE) for materials documenting Wright's teaching, directing, and administration of this program.

See the Arizona State University School of Theatre and Film Records in Special Collections (MS SC ADT) for materials about Wright's term as Chair of this program.

Access Terms

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Lin Wright Papers, MSS-272, Arizona State University Library.

Provenance

Lin Wright donated these papers to the Child Drama Collection from 1980 through 2004, as recorded in multiple accessions; ongoing.

Processing Note

This collection was processed as part of a NHPRC ArchivesBasic ProjectsBasic Processing grant, which limits processing to the series and subseries level when needed and does not allow the creation of file or folder listings. The collection was processed by Anna Uremovich, NHPRC Project Archivist, Child Drama Collection, September 2009.