Vern Adix papers

Collection

Identifier: MS 0492

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Vern Adix papers (1900-1983) consist of stage designs, elevations, programs, news clippings, and personal notes about Adix's involvement with various plays throughout his theatrical career. Also included are five published textbooks and eighteen plays he adapted for children. Boxes 1-19 are arranged alphabetically according to the name of the play and the theatre in which it was performed. Boxes 20-28 include productions arranged chronologically according to where the performance occured. Boxes 29-31 are comprised of Adix's publications, as well as the plays he adapted for children's theatre. Materials of a miscellaneous nature can be found in box 32. The organization of this collection closely reflects the wishes of Adix, who spent a great deal of time arranging the material. Most folders contain a yellow sheet prepared by Adix, listing its contents. Also included is a listing of the artistic and technical staff for each play.

It should be noted that this collection is intended for use in correlation with the Vern Adix photograph collection (P0316). For this reason, each manuscript folder, with the exceptions of boxes 29-31 and the miscellaneous boxes, has a corresponding photograph folder. Because a manuscript for every play was not included in the collection, and in order to maintain a corresponding numbering system, some manuscript folders have been left empty.

Dates

1900-1983

Creator

Adix, Vern (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Conditions Governing Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Biographical Sketch

La Vern Adix was born 3 May 1912, in Boone, Iowa. Adix's career in theater began at the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota, where he was involved with the set design and technical work for several plays while he progressed toward his bachelor of art and master of art degrees respectively. In 1943, he came to the University of Utah as a teaching assistant and technical director for the theater department. His affiliation with the university was interrupted briefly while he spent the summers of 1945 and 1946 working at the Cain Park Theatre in Cleveland, and the summers of 1951 and 1954 at the Banff School of Fine Arts in Canada. Adix became a professor at the University of Utah in 1964 and taught various classes in theatre. In addition to designing technical sets for the productions at Kingsbury Hall and Pioneer Memorial Theatre, Adix spent a great deal of time working with the community. From 1951 to 1965 he worked on various projects ranging from LDS Church dance festivals to productions of "Brigadoon" in unique perfromances that took place in Rice Stadium. From 1966 to 1982, Adix supervised the Afternoon Players, a touring company that specialized in children's theatre. Adix's contributions to children's theatre also include twenty-one plays he adapted and approximately fifty productions he directed for young audiences. In 1983, Adix retired from the university and was named professor emeritus. He died in 1996.

Extent

22.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Vern Adix papers (1900-1983) consist of stage designs, elevations, programs, news clippings, scrapbook and personal notes about Adix's involvement with various plays throughout his theatrical career. Also included are five published textbooks and eighteen plays he adapted for children.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Vern Adix in 1987.

Gift of Pioneer Memorial Theater via George Maxwell (boxes 33-34) in 2012.

Separated Materials

Photographs and slides transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0316).

Processing Information

Processed by Lynette Peck in 1988.

Addendum processed by Betsey Welland in 2012.

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