Synergic Theater Company records, 1968-2020

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Summary

Creator:
Synergic Theater
Abstract:
Synergic Theater was formed as "Project Synergy" at Duke University in 1974, and developed conceptual and experimental theater productions and workshops which were staged in Durham, N.C., New York, and San Francisco. This collection contains materials from Synergic's operations and administration, productions, and workshops. It includes recordings, digitized materials, photographs and scrapbooks, and assorted papers.
Extent:
18 Linear Feet
73 Gigabytes (Digital files include 482 JPG images, 202 PDF images, 30 DOC text documents, 28 MP4 videos, 6 TIFF images, 1 MPG video, and 42 simple text, html, and website-related files.)
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.13019

Background

Scope and content:

The Synergic Theater Company records consists of administrative materials, recordings, correspondence, and financial records documenting the theater's activities, performances, and workshops between 1974 and 1994 in Durham, New York, and San Francisco. The collection contains production notes, sets and choreography notes, promotional materials, recordings and photographs of performances, and other artifacts of Synergic's multi-dimensional theater productions.

Biographical / historical:

The Synergic Theater Company was founded as Project Synergy at Duke University, where they presented their premiere performances with the 1974 US/USSR Summer Arts Festival and developed a creative process that became the foundation of their work. The company moved to San Francisco in 1978, where they performed under the name Delta Carnival, then back to Durham in 1982, reverting to the name Synergic Theater. From Durham, they brought selected productions to New York, before moving permanently to New York in 1987. It held its last workshop and showing in August 1994.

Dancer, choreographer, and director Suzanne White Manning was a founding member of the company, and her husband David Manning has been an active member since 1976, serving as a writer and director.

The company's chronology and other historical information is documented on its website: https://synergictheater.org/archives.html

Acquisition information:
The Synergic Theater Company records were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as gifts from 2019 to 2024.
Processing information:

Processed by Craig Breaden, Zoe Finiasz, Meghan Lyon, Feb. 2025

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2019-0172, 2020-0045, 2022-0174, 2024-0141

Arrangement:

Materials are arranged by series: Administrative Materials, Productions, Workshops, Scrapbooks, Video and Audio Materials, and Digital Materials.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

Click on terms below to find related finding aids on this site. For other related materials in the Duke University Libraries, search for these terms in the Catalog.

Subjects:
Experimental theater
Performing Arts -- North Carolina -- Durham
Theater -- Production and direction
Names:
Duke University -- Faculty
Manning, Suzanne White
Manning, David (Director)

Contents

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Restrictions:

Access note. Collection contains electronic records that require special equipment. Contact Research Services with questions.

Access note. The Video and Audio Tape series contains fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Synergic Theater Company records, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.