This collection is arranged into two series:
Accession No. TRI.2025.0044: Ralph MacPhail, 2021 October
[identification of item], Ralph MacPhail, Jr. Theater Collection, SPEC.TRI.0119, Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processed by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2025 October; Finding aid written by: Audrey Wimbiscus, 2025 October
As of 2025, Ralph MacPhail, Jr., is a professor emeritus of theatre, communication, and English at Bridgewater College; he had taught there for 33 years prior to his retirement in 2005. While his primary academic area of interest is the operas of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, he also is interested in the general history of theater and opera. In addition to his teaching career, MacPhail also serves as the Artistic Director Emeritus of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin, and has staged Gilbert and Sullivan operas with varous theater and opera companies across the United States. He is internationally known for his knowledge of Gilbert and Sullivan. MacPhail primarily collects Gilbert and Sullivan memorabilia, and also materials related to the childrens' television show Howdy Doody.
The Ralph MacPhail, Jr. Theater Collection consists of items related to theater collected by MacPhail over the course of his career as a theater director and opera fan. Some items relate to more general history of theater as a whole, and include prints of theater scenes, sheet music, and a show program. Other items in this collection were given to MacPhail in his capacity as a director, and include cuff links, tie clasps, and tie tacks portraying the comedy and tragedy masks often seen in theater imagery. Items date from the 1800s to 1930, and the 1970s to the 2010s.
Materials in the Theater History series are arranged in chronological order; materials with the same date are further arranged in alphabetical order by title.
The Theater History series dates from the 1800s to 1930, and consists of prints, sheet music, and a program, all of which were collected by MacPhail to document theater history. The prints formerly hung in his home, and depict both scenes of theater productions, and scenes from the lives of playwrights William Shakespeare and Friedrich Schiller.
The Theater Career series is arranged in alphabetical order by item title.
The Theater Career series dates from the 1970s to the 2010s, and consists of items that were given to MacPhail in his capacity as a theater and opera director over the course of his career. Items include cuff links, tie clasps, and tie tacks portraying the comedy and tragedy masks often seen in theater imagery; there is both silver colored and gold colored jewelry.