Collection Summary
May O'Donnell Papers
1929-2004
(bulk 1937-1984)
1929-2004
(bulk 1937-1984)
ML31.O35
O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004
160 items
1 container
0.5 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Music Division, Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
May O'Donnell was an American dancer,
choreographer, and teacher; she performed in the original casts of seminal works by
Martha Graham, and through her own choreography became known as among the earliest
choreographers of abstract works. Her husband, Ray Green, composed music for many of
her dance works. This small collection offers photographs, playbills and publicity,
and reviews and other publications documenting some of her most distinctive achievements.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Blechman, Marcus.
Falkenstein, Claire, 1908-1997.
Fonaroff, Nina.
Geraci, A. John.
Gill, Alice.
Graham, Martha.
Green, Ray, 1908-1997--Photographs.
Green, Ray, 1908-1997.
Hawkins, Erick.
Horosko, Marian.
Limón, José.
Lindquist, John.
Lushington, Nancy.
Nilva, Daniel.
O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004--Archives.
O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004--Photographs.
O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004.
O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004.
Reed, Estelle.
Shurr, Gertrude.
Organizations
CBS Cable.
Martha Graham Dance Company.
Romaine Studio.
Subjects
Choreographers--United States.
Dance companies--United States.
Dance--Photographs.
Dancers--United States.
Modern dance--United States.
Women choreographers.
Titles
Appalachian spring (Choreographic work : Graham)
Cave of the heart (Choreographic work : Graham)
Celebration (Choreographic work : Graham)
Cornerstone (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Course (Choreographic work : Graham)
Dance concerto (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Dance energies (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Homage to Shiva (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Illuminations (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Incredible adventure (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Queen's obsession (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
Suspension (Choreographic work : O'Donnell)
This story is legend (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
Three inventories on Casey Jones (Choreographic work : Limón and O'Donnell)
Form/Genre
Clippings (Information artifacts)
Photographic prints.
Programs (Documents)
Promotional materials.
Provenance
Gift; Estate of May O'Donnell; 2005
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
The May O'Donnell Papers was processed in 2008 by Elizabeth Aldrich. The finding aid was
updated and coded for EAD format by Libby Smigel in 2016.
Transfers
One compact disc of composer Ray Green's music titled
Ray Green and His Music
has been transferred to the Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound division, where access must be requested in advance through the Recorded Sound Reference
Center.
Other Repositories
The May O'Donnell and Ray Green Papers at the Dance Division, New York Public Library for the
Performing Arts, contains correspondence, choreographic notes, scores,
photographs, and other materials relating to the professional and personal lives
of the couple. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin and
the Newberry Library both have small collections with a finding aid. The Claire
Falkenstein Papers at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution,
contains correspondence with Falkenstein who designed many sets and costumes for
O'Donnell's choreography.
Related Material
Several recordings of May O'Donnell's choreography (
Concerto
,
Dance
Energies
,
Homage to Shiva
, and
Vibrations
), submitted as copyright deposits, can be viewed by advance request in the Motion Picture and Television Reading Room, and a two-hour interview of May O'Donnell by Sali Ann Kriegsman in 1977 is available through
the Recorded Sound Reference Center, both in the Madison Building of the Library of
Congress. The Martha Graham Collection in the Music Division at the Library of
Congress contains additional photographs of May O'Donnell appearing in works
choreographed by Graham.
Copyright Status
Materials from the May O'Donnell Papers are governed by the Copyright Law of the United States
(Title 17, U.S.C.) and other applicable international copyright laws.
Access and Restrictions
The May O'Donnell Papers is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Music
Division prior to visiting in order to determine whether the desired materials
will be available at that time.
Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [item,
date, container number], May O'Donnell Papers, Music Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1906, May 1
Born, Sacramento, Calif.
1928
Began dance training with Michio Ito and Estelle Reed in San Francisco, Calif.
1929
1931
Performed with Estelle Reed's dance company
1932
1938
Member of the Martha Graham Dance Company
Appeared in
Heretic, Primitive Mysteries, Celebration, Course, Chronicle
1937
Premieres of
Dance Energies
and
Of Pioneer Women
1938
Married composer Ray Green (died 1997)
Moved to San Francisco, Calif.
1939
Co-founded San Francisco Dance Theatre with Ray Green and choreographer Gertrude Shurr
1939
1942
Concerts in San Francisco and on tour with José Limón
Co-choreographed
Three Inventories of Casey Jones
and
This Story Is Legend
with Limón
Choreographed
Cornerstone
1943
Premiere of
Suspension
, with original music by Ray Green and set mobile
by artist Claire Falkenstein
Co-founded Shurr-O'Donnell Dance Studio, New York City
1944
1952
Guest artist with the Martha Graham Dance Company
Created roles of Pioneer Woman in
Appalachian Spring
and Attendant in
Heriodiade
in 1944
Created roles of She of the Earth in
Dark Meadow
and the Chorus in
Cave of the Heart
in 1946
1945
Joint performance programs with Nina Fonaroff
Joint performance programs with Erick Hawkins
Choreographed two solos,
Running Set
and
Theme and Variations
, with music by Ray Green
1946
Choreographed
Horizon Song
, with music by Ray Green
1949
Premiere of
Celtic Ritual
, with music of Henry Cowell
1952
Premiere of
The Queen's Obsession
, based on
Macbeth
(later revised)
1954
Premieres of
Dance Concerto
and
Incredible Adventure
1956
Premiere of
Illuminations
, with music from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
1959
Premiere of
Dance Energies
1959
1961
Summer teaching engagements and performances at University of California
1961
Company performances with Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
Retired from performing
1974
Founded May O'Donnell Concert Dance Company
1980
Premiere of
Homage to Shiva
with traditional music
1984
Premiere of
Powers of Ten
1988
Premiere of
Etudes and Scherzos
1993
Last concert performance by her company
2002
Awarded Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Prize
2004, Feb. 1
Died, New York City
Scope and Content Note
The materials among the May O’Donnell Papers partially document the career of a modern dancer,
choreographer, and teacher, considered a pioneer in the development of American
modern dance, especially abstract dance. The materials are organized in one box with
three series: Photographs, Programs and Publicity, and Clippings and Printed
Material.
The Photographs series depicts O’Donnell alone, as a performer, with other artists, and with
her spouse, Ray Green. In addition to several photographs documenting her appearance in seminal productions of Martha Graham choreography, this series includes photographs of her best-known
works:
Suspension
(1943);
Dance Concerto
(1954);
Dance Energies
(1959 staging), and others. Many of the photographs of
the 1940s are credited to the Romaine Studio, the San Francisco photography studio
established by former vaudeville dancers Karl and Emilie Romaine. Photographers
Marcus Blechman, John Lindquist, Daniel Nilva, and Chris Alexander are represented
in the collection.
Programs and Publicity items range from 1929 to 1988, including playbills and performance
programs, program notes, flyers, press releases, and brochures. The collection holds
several important programs that are considered rare, including examples of
O’Donnell’s 1930s performances for dancer-choreographer Estelle Reed; programs from her
1940s collaborations with José Limón and from a concert with Nina Fonaroff; and a program titled
"American Dance" from a 1953 concert at New York’s Alvin Theatre that included
choreographic works by O’Donnell, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Doris Humphrey, Pearl Lang, Helen McGehee, Fonaroff, and Limón. Playbills of O'Donnell's company from the 1950s document early-career performances by distinguished artists such as Gerald Arpino, Robert Joffrey, Dudley Williams, Mabel Robinson, and Norman Walker. A brochure and gala
program commemorating the ground-breaking 1980s CBS Cable arts programming are
included, as are promotional announcements of some of her workshops and teaching
engagements.
Reviews, a published interview with May O’Donnell, and an obituary comprise the series
Clippings and Printed Material.
Organization of the May O'Donnell Papers
The collection is organized in three series:
-
[
Photographs, 1934-1980s
](pho)
-
[
Programs and Publicity, 1929-1988
](pro)
-
[
Clippings and Printed Material, 1941-2004
](cli)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/2013572149]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Photographs,
1934-1980s
1934-1980s
Photographs are divided into performance and miscellaneous photographs. Performance photos
include those where the choreography is identified. Most photographs show
May O’Donnell or her company in performance, mid-1930s to the 1980s. Unless otherwise specified, choreography is by O'Donnell.
Arranged alphabetically by title of the pictured choreographic work, followed by a folder of miscellaneous or unidentified photos.
1/1
Appalachian Spring,
1944
1944
Martha Graham choreography.
1/2
Cave of the Heart,
1946
1946
Martha Graham choreography.
1/3
Celebration,
1934
1934
Martha Graham choreography.
1/4
Celtic Ritual,
1949
1949
1/5
Cornerstone,
circa 1939
circa 1939
1/6
Course,
1935
1935
Martha Graham choreography.
1/7
Dance Concerto,
1954, 1980s
1954, 1980s
1/8
Dance Energies,
1959
1959
1/9
Homage to Shiva,
1980
1980
1/10
Horizon Song,
1949?
1949?
1/11
Illuminations,
1956
1956
1/12
Incredible Adventure,
1954
1954
1/13
The Queen's Obsession,
1958
1958
1/14
Suspension,
1950s, 1970s
1950s, 1970s
1/15
This Story Is Legend,
1941
1941
Co-choreographed with José Limón.
1/16
Three Inventories of Casey Jones,
1939
1939
Co-choreographed with José Limón.
1/17
Miscellaneous,
1930s, 1944-1945, 1977-1980s
1930s, 1944-1945, 1977-1980s
Includes studio portraits, personal photos, Bennington summer workshop.
1
4
Programs and Publicity,
1929-1988
1929-1988
Playbills, program notes, press releases, and other materials used to promote performances,
teaching workshops, and other activities of May O'Donnell or her dance
companies.
Arranged chronologically.
1/18
1929-1931
Contains: Estelle Reed Dance Group programs for San Francisco, Amsterdam (in Dutch), and Paris (in French).
1/19
1941-1949
Includes Limón-O'Donnell and Fonaroff-O'Donnell programs.
1/20
1951-1959
Playbills, program notes, press releases, brochures for performances and workshops in New York City and elsewhere.
1/21
1960-1964, undated
Programs, promotional letter. Includes performances with Kansas City Philharmonic and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
1/22
1975-1979
Includes programs for Jacob's Pillow and Clark Center Festivals and London, England, performances.
1/23
1980-1988, undated
Programs and announcements for performances at the Joyce Theater, American Dance Festival, and Bennington College. Includes invitation for CBS Cable gala and engagement letter for adjudication of Educational Testing Service's Arts Recognition and Talent Search.
4/15
CBS Cable brochure for arts series,
1981
1981
1/24
Tribute performance program,
1996
1996
Cleveland Ballet/Dancing Wheels event and performance honoring O'Donnell's 90th Birthday.
1
Clippings and Printed Material,
1941-2004
1941-2004
Chiefly reviews of May O'Donnell as performer or choreographer, including an issue of
Dance Observer
featuring her with a cover photograph.
Arranged chronologically.
1/25
Reviews,
1941-1945
1941-1945
O'Donnell with Martha Graham Dance Company and concerts with José Limón.
1/26
Reviews,
1951-1958
1951-1958
Chiefly reviews of May O'Donnell dance company performances.
1/27
Periodical features,
1953-1955
1953-1955
1953 issue of Dance News and 1955 issue of Dance Observer.
1/28
Reviews,
1960-1961
1960-1961
1/29
Reviews,
1971-1978, undated
1971-1978, undated
1/30
Reviews,
1980-1984
1980-1984
1/31
"May O'Donnell: My Life in Dance, 1931-1951,"
2003
2003
Interview by Marian Horosko, Dance Chronicle, Vol. 26, no. 2.
1/32
Obituary,
2004
2004
By Jennifer Dunning, New York Times, Feb. 7.