Posts by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner

A look at the White Studio photograph from the 1932 edition of the revue Americana.

The National Museum of African American History & Culture opens on September 24, 2016. The Smithsonian has decided to name the celebration “Lift Every Voice,” borrowing the phrase from the song known as America’s Black National Anthem.

The Library for the Performing Arts’s exhibition on political cabaret focuses on the three series associated with Isaiah Sheffer, whose Papers are in the Billy Rose Theatre Division.

The Billy Rose Theatre Division at the Library for the Performing Arts has an extensive collection that documents the development of television, including many examples of pitches made by networks to specific companies, like AT&T or Coty Cosmetics, outlining how each network’s programming would be a match for the company’s ideal consumer.

The success of the Library's Anti-Prom, based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel, The Secret Garden.

It is almost time for the Library’s fabulous Anti-Prom. On Friday, June 17, New York teens will assemble on the steps of the Schwarzman Building and reveal to each other and the staff volunteers their prom wear.

When Shakespeare wrote “All the World’s a Stage,” he probably wasn’t thinking that his words would someday be performed in an occupied city by an invading army. Nevertheless, during the American Revolution theater seemed to spring up in the oddest of places, often in productions acted by soldiers.

A clue to a mysterious performance that at the time may have been "the finest spectacle that has ever been presented on the American stage."

Two prime examples of actors and actor/managers who based their later careers on performing Sir John Falstaff.

Why is Margaret Mather's 1882 performance as Juliet, in William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' so well remembered? Perhaps this illustration of the balcony scene, apparently in her own hand, has something to do with it.

These double and triple exposures made more memorable headshots which showed multiple aspects of the performer. At worst, they interfered with the casting directors' ability to imagine the performer in roles.

There are at least three portraits from this studio session with the same elegant profile, hair, make-up, jewelry, and blouse. The raw silk blouse, with its uniquely draped sleeve, is an unusual choice for a head shot, since the sunburst effect of the sleeve cap commands the eye.

If you’ve never heard of Dulcie Cooper, don’t worry, there’s still time to get familiar: two portraits of her are on display in Head Shots through December 30.

In the 1954 and 1955 seasons, two lavish productions of Alice in Wonderland were premiered on television. In each case, they were developed to attract families to the presenting series and their sponsors.

Guest blogger, Charlie Lovett, Curator of the exhibition, 'Alice Live,' at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts, October 2, 2015 - January 16, 2016, writes about his lifelong passion for Alice and his experience curating the exhibition.

The cartes de visite, cabinet photographs and stereograms of Kate Claxton, an intensely photogenic actress.

The advent of contact sheets was great for photography studios and of course, actors and their agents.

Two unusual examples of triptychs, which combine headshots with character portraits.

When we started to think about an exhibition on Head Shots based on the Library for the Performing Arts’ collections, we discovered that almost every format in the history of photographic portraits was used as a headshot.