Carol Lyons and Dorothy D’Anna papers
Collection Overview
The collection consists of the papers of Carol Lyons and Dorothy D’Anna, co-founders and co-directors of the Little Theatre School at the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina. The papers date from 1902 to 2007, with the bulk of materials from 1953 to 1977. The papers include correspondence about the Dock Street Theatre and the Footlight Players. There are also photographs of theater performances and of Lyons’ wedding to Lawrence G. Lyons. The papers also contain theater programs from the Studio Theatre and the Footlight Players and newspaper clippings about D’Anna and Lyons’ theater work. There is also material relating to D’Anna and Lyons’ parents, containing mostly correspondence. There is also an oil painting of D’Anna, a parody of La Maja desnuda by Francisco Goya, done by Pat Colbert Robinson, wife of Emmett Robinson, director of the Footlight Players.
Dates
- Creation: 1902-2007
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1953-1977
Creator
- D'Anna, Dorothy, 1918-2012 (Person)
- Lyons, Carol, 1927-2011 (Person)
Language of Material
Materials in English
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical Note
Partners Dorothy (Dottie) D’Anna (1918-2012) and Carol (Kit) Carr Lyons (1927-2011) were co-founders and co-directors of the Little Theatre School at the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina. Lyons was born on December 17, 1927 in Providence, Rhode Island to Harold and Gladys Carr. She majored in theater at the University of Maine, and taught theater in Buffalo and East Aurora, New York. Lyons married Lawrence G. Lyons. She moved to Charleston in 1961. Besides her work at the Little Theatre School, Lyons was co-director and costume designer and later manager at the Theatre for Children at the Footlight Players Workshop. She died on June 7, 2011 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. D’Anna was born on March 27, 1918 in Buffalo, New York, to George and Sayde D’Anna. She studied theater in New York City and Buffalo, working at East Aurora Playhouse and the Grand Island Playhouse. In 1958, Emmett Robinson recruited D’Anna to be associate director of the Footlight Players Theatre in Charleston. She became artistic director of the theater after Robinson’s death in 1988, retiring in 1995. She died on August 1, 2012 in Mount Pleasant.
Extent
0.25 linear feet (1 slim document box, 1 oversize paper folder)
Abstract
The collection consists of the papers of partners Carol Lyons and Dorothy D’Anna, co-founders and co-directors of the Little Theatre School at the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina. The papers include correspondence, theater programs, photographs, and newspaper clippings documenting the couple’s work in the theater.
Collection Arrangement
Materials are described at the folder level.
Acquisitions Information
Materials donated in 2018 by Jennet Alterman.
Processing Information
Processed by Rebecca Thayer, January 2020.
Source
- Alterman, Jennet Robinson (Donor, Person)
Subject
- D'Anna, Dorothy, 1918-2012 (Person)
- Lyons, Carol, 1927-2011 (Person)
- Dock Street Theatre (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Footlight Players (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
Genre / Form
- Black-and-white photographs
- Clippings (information artifacts)
- Correspondence
- Oil paintings (visual works)
- Theater programs
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Inventory of the Carol Lyons and Dorothy D'Anna Papers, 1902-2007
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by: Rebecca Thayer; finding aid created by: Rebecca Thayer
- Date
- 2020
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Funding from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)