| Dates: | 1974-2001 |
| Size: | 2.25 linear feet in 4 boxes, plus 1 oversize folder |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection number: | spe.ctc-ptw |
| Immediate source of acquisition: | The Piven Theatre Workshop donated this material in the Chicago Public Library’s Chicago Theater Collection in 1992 and in subsequent years. |
| Conditions governing use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection |
| Conditions governing access: | Materials are open without restrictions |
| Physical location note: | Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least 24-hours prior to your research visit to coordinate access. |
| Preferred citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Piven Theatre Workshop Records, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library |
| Finding aid author: | Original author unknown. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Sarah Zimmerman, 2021 |
Abstract
Established in 1974 by Byrne and Joyce Piven, who were also founding members of the Playwright’s Theatre, the group that spawned Second City. The workshop is located in Evanston, Ill. and boasts such recognizable alums as Joan and John Cusack, Aidan Quinn and Jeremy Piven. The collection includes information on Piven Theatre Workshop productions as well as promotional materials on classes and workshops.
Biographical/Historical
Byrne and Joyce Piven founded the Piven Theatre Workshop in 1974, in Evanston, Ill. The Pivens, along with Mike Nichols, Elaine May and Paul Sills, were founding members of the Playwright’s Theatre, the group that spawned The Second City. Playwright’s Theatre disbanded in the early 1960s. The Pivens spent the next 13 years acting and taking drama classes in New York City with the renowned teachers of the Stanislavsky method, Uta Hagen and Mira Rostova.
Upon their return to the Chicago area, Byrne and Joyce Piven joined the Second City Repertory Company. They also began to teach children’s theater classes. Based on Viola Spolin’s theater games, and using Story Theatre, a directorial technique developed by Spolin’s son Paul Sills during his Playwright’s Theatre days, the Pivens’ philosophy was that theatrical performances can be explored in the same way as other art forms, such as music, painting or writing.
In Story Theatre, the notion is that that actor is telling the story to the audience in much the same way that fiction is read aloud. Joyce Piven explains it this way: “When you open a book with a child, you do so with great respect. ‘I’m not the Queen, I’m the player and I’m going to share this story with you.’ You must earn the right for the child’s involvement. How much you can actually become the Queen is something you must play by ear. You get to the heart of the story by mutual agreement (emphasis added).”
The Pivens’ first Young People’s Company included Ann and Joan Cusack. John Cusack and Aidan Quinn, who have gone on to successful careers in motion pictures, are also alumni of the Piven Theatre Workshop, as are Lili Taylor and Lecy Goranson, who found success in television. The Pivens’ children also followed in their parents’ footsteps, and made successful careers in the performing arts. Jeremy Piven is a well-known television actor. Shira Piven is a successful stage director, composer and actor, and has also taught classes at the Workshop.
Scope and Contents
The Piven Theatre Workshop Records document productions with scripts, programs, review, clippings and photographs of shows staged by the Workshop. Subsequent transfers of materials included expanded information on Piven Theatre Workshop productions and promotional material on classes and workshops.
Arrangement
The Piven Theatre Workshop Records are arranged in two series:
- Series 1: Production History Files, 1976-2001, undated
- Series 2: Workshop, 1974-1999, undated
Subject Headings
- Piven, Byrne (Bernard), 1929-2002
- Piven, Joyce (Hiller), 1930-
- Cusack, John, 1966-
- Piven, Jeremy
- Sills, Paul, 1927-2008
- Taylor, Lili
- Goranson, Alicia, 1974-
- Quinn, Aidan
- Cusack, Joan, 1962-
- Piven Theatre Workshop – Archives.
- Theatrical companies – Illinois – Chicago – History – Sources
- Theater – Illinois – Chicago – History -- Sources
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Production History Files, 1976-2001, undated
Scope and Contents
The Production History Files include promotional material, clippings, reviews, scripts and posters relating to shows staged by Piven Theatre Workshop including its Children’s Company and Young People’s Company. A small group of folders relating to the Young People’s Company may be found at the end of the series.
Arrangement
Files arranged by production.
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | Mixed-Up Tales. The Children’s Company. Directed by Joyce Piven, music by Shira Piven. Clippings, 1976 March |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Mixed-Up Tales- Promotional material, 1976 March-May |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Mixed-Up Tales. The First Children’s Company. Directed by Joyce Piven. Clippings and promotional material, 1976 April-May |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | Mixed-Up Tales- Script material, Arachne, 1976 April-May |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | Mixed-Up Tales- Script material, Guifa, 1976 April-May |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Mixed-Up Tales- Script material, The Mixed-Up Feet, 1976 April-May |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Mixed-Up Tales- Poster, 1976 April-May | |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Chekhov: Some Family Portraits. The Theatre Workshop. Conceived and directed by Byrne Piven, set design by Michael Merritt, lighting by Robert Shook, graphics by Yuri Rasovsky. Programs, 1977 October-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | Chekhov: Some Family Portraits- Promotional material, 1977 October-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Chekhov: Some Family Portraits- Reviews and clippings, 1977 October-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | Aesop’s Greatest Hits, book by Jack Badolfsky, music by Dick Reynolds. Young People’s Company. Directed by Byrne and Joyce Piven. Clippings, 1978 May |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Aesop’s Greatest Hits- Poster, 1978 May | |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | Aesop’s Greatest Hits, book by Jack Badolfsky, music by Dick Reynolds. Young People’s Company. Directed by Byrne and Joyce Piven. Program (supplementary), promotional material, 1978 December 26-30 |
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | Something Is There, stories by Anton Chekhov, William Faulkner, James Joyce and Isaac Bashevis Singer. Conceived and directed by Byrne Piven, set design by Lynn [Franklin] Hirsch, costume design by Trina Ciuffo Bruce, lighting by Tom Hagglund with Byrne and Joyce Piven, Bernard Beck and Aidan Quinn. Program, promotional material, 1982 March-April |
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | Something Is There- Reviews and clippings, 1982 March-April |
| Box 4 | Folder 1 | Something Is There- Photographs (6), 1982 March-April |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Something Is There- Poster, 1982 March-April | |
| Box 1 | Folder 14 | Singer and His Demons, an evening of stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The Performance Company. Original music by Hans Wurman, sets designed by Lynn Hirsch, costumes by Elizabeth Passman, lighting design by Dan Rowley with Bernard Beck, Joyce Piven and John Cusack. Programs, 1983 May-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 15 | Singer and His Demons- Promotional material, 1983 May-June |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Singer and His Demons- Poster, 1983 May-June | |
| Box 1 | Folder 16 | A Gaggle of Geese and Then Some. The Junior Company in the 3rd Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Directed by Susan Applebaum. Promotional material, [1983] |
| Box 1 | Folder 17 | A Gaggle of Geese and Then Some- Script material, The Clever Thief, [1983] |
| Box 1 | Folder 18 | A Plum for Everyone. The Young People’s Company in the 3rd Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Directed by Joyce and Shira Piven. Promotional material, [1983] |
| Box 1 | Folder 19 | The Stuff of Dreams (Young People’s Company) and Wishes in the Wings (Junior Company) in the 4th Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. The Stuff of Dreams directed by Joyce and Shira Piven, with John Cusack, Wishes in the Wings directed by Susan Applebaum. Promotional material, [1984] |
| Box 1 | Folder 20 | Birds of a Feather. The Junior Company in the [5th] Spring Story Theatre Festival. Directed by Susan Applebaum. Promotional material, [1985] |
| Box 1 | Folder 21 | Mamet: City Sketches, The Sanctity of Marriage and Duck Variations. Directed by Byrne Piven, sets and lights by John Aldridge, costumes by Tom Donaghy, sound by Robert Milburn with Bernard Beck, Byrne Piven, Shira Piven, and Dick Cusack. Programs, 1985 November-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 22 | Mamet: City Sketches, The Sanctity of Marriage and Duck Variations- Promotional material, 1985 November-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 23 | Mamet: City Sketches, The Sanctity of Marriage and Duck Variations- Reviews and clippings, 1985 November-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 24 | Violence: The Misadventures of Spike Spangle, Farmer, by Tim Robbins and Adam Simon, based on the Mousecamp Adventures of J. Cusack and T. Robbins. Directed by Byrne Piven, musical direction by Shira Piven, sets by John Aldridge, lights by Mary Guca and John Aldridge, costume by Lisa Taylor with Tim Hopper, Shira Piven, Jeremy Piven and Paul Quinn. Program, promotional material, reviews and clippings, 1986 November-December |
| Box 1 | Folder 25 | Some Medicine for Melancholy. The Young People’s Company, 7th Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Joyce Piven, Susan Applebaum and Shira Piven, directors. Promotional material, 1987 May |
| Box 1 | Folder 26 | Some Medicine for Melancholy- Script material, Arachne, 1987 May |
| Box 1 | Folder 27 | American Wives, an Evening of Story Theatre. Directed by Joyce Piven, lighting designed by Mary Guca, music by Steve Powell, costumes by Claudia Boddy, sets by Bruce Branson-Meyer. Program, 1988 March |
| Box 1 | Folder 28 | Angels and Wizards. The Young People’s Company in the 8th Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Directed by Susan Applebaum. Clippings, 1988 May |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Angels and Wizards- Poster, 1988 May | |
| Box 1 | Folder 29 | Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Directed by Byrne Piven. Set design by David Tennenbaum (with Michael Merritt as consultant), lights by Lee Watson, costumes designed by Claudia Boddy, sound design by Jeff Bek, video composer, Miroslaw Rogala with Byrne, Joyce and Jeremy Piven, and Harry Lennix. Benefit, 1988 September |
| Box 1 | Folder 30 | Macbeth- Curriculum guide, 1988 September |
| Box 1 | Folder 31 | Macbeth- Programs, 1988 September |
| Box 1 | Folder 32 | Macbeth- Promotional material, 1988 September |
| Box 1 | Folder 33 | The Outsider. The Young People’s Company in the [9th] Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Promotional material, 1989 May |
| Box 1 | Folder 34 | American Voices, Great Short Stories on Stage by James Baldwin, Eudora Welty, Carson McCullers, and John Bell Clayton. Directed by Byrne and Joyce Piven, and Paul Quinn. Lighting design by Andrew Meyers, sound design by Nathan Sturm, sets by Lynn Hirsch. Contact sheet, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 35 | American Voices- Press releases, promotional material, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 36 | American Voices- Production budget, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 37 | American Voices- Programs, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 38 | American Voices- Reviews, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 39 | American Voices- Teacher’s guide, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 40 | American Voices- Script material, Lily Daw and the Three Ladies by Eudora Welty, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 41 | American Voices- Script material, Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin, 1990 April-June |
| Box 1 | Folder 42 | American Voices- Script material, Sucker by Carson McCullers, 1990 April-June |
| Oversize Folder 1 | American Voices- Poster, 1990 April-June | |
| Box 1 | Folder 43 | Mothers and Daughters, a cross cultural collage. Directed by Joyce and Shira Piven with Ann Cusack. Programs, 1991 February-March |
| Box 1 | Folder 44 | Mothers and Daughters- Promotional material, 1991 February-March |
| Box 1 | Folder 45 | Mothers and Daughters- Reviews and clippings, 1991 February-March |
| Box 1 | Folder 46 | Mothers and Daughters- Prompt script, Beloved, 1991 February-March |
| Box 1 | Folder 47 | Mothers and Daughters- Script material, Beloved, by Toni Morrison, 1991 February-March |
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | General season. Promotional material, 1991-1992 |
| Box 2 | Folder 2 | Women in Shakespeare. Directed by Shira Piven. Curriculum guide, 1991 November |
| Box 2 | Folder 3 | Women in Shakespeare- Reviews, 1991 November |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Women in Shakespeare- Poster, 1991 November | |
| Box 2 | Folder 4 | Coming of Age. The Young People’s Company in the 20th (?) Annual Spring Story Theatre Festival. Script material The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, [1992 May] |
| Box 2 | Folder 5 | Mud by Maria Irene Fornes at the Victory Gardens Theater. Directed by Joyce Piven, sets designed by Bill Cusack, lighting by R. Lee Kennedy, costumes by Allison Reeds, music by Shira Piven with Lili Taylor and Paul Quinn. Cast list and casting, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 6 | Mud- Contracts, Actors’ Equity correspondence, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 7 | Mud- Correspondence, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 8 | Mud- Press releases, promotional material, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 9 | Mud- Production budget and notes, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 10 | Mud- Programs, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 11 | Mud- Prop moves, production calendar and miscellaneous production information, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 12 | Mud- Research, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 13 | Mud- Reviews and clippings, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 14 | Mud- Script, marked with lines changes and notes, 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 15 | Mud- Script (published), 1992 November-December |
| Box 2 | Folder 16 | Mud- Theatre Building lease (sample), 1992 November-December |
| Box 4 | Folder 2 | Mud- Photographs (4), 1992 |
| Box 2 | Folder 17 | The Shoemakers based on a story by Isaac Bashevis Singer at the Famous Door Theatre. Directed by Shira Piven, sets by Danila Korogodsky with Byrne Piven. Promotional material, 1995 April-June |
| Box 2 | Folder 18 | The Shoemakers- Review, 1995 |
| Box 2 | Folder 19 | The Shoemakers- Script, marked with notes and line changes, 1995 April-June |
| Box 2 | Folder 20 | The Shoemakers- Promotional material and contact sheet for staged reading, circa 1995 |
| Box 2 | Folder 21 | Sadie in Love based on Love Knots by Rochelle Distelheim. Directed by Joyce Piven, sets by Lynn Hirsch and costumes by Elizabeth Passeman with Bernard Beck. Benefit, 1995 June 4 |
| Box 2 | Folder 22 | Sadie in Love- Contact sheets, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 23 | Sadie in Love- Contract, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 24 | Sadie in Love- Press release, promotional material, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 25 | Sadie in Love- Production expenses, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 26 | Sadie in Love- Reviews and clippings, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 27 | Sadie in Love- Script, marked with line changes and notes, 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 28 | Sadie in Love- Script material (published excerpt), 1995 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 29 | Top Girls by Caryl Churchill. Directed by Joyce Piven, sets designed by Bob Smith, costumes by Cesi Rubalcava. Promotional material, press release, 1997 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 30 | Top Girls- Reviews, 1997 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 31 | Top Girls- Scene breakdown, 1997 June-July |
| Box 2 | Folder 32 | Never in My Lifetime by Shirley Gee. Review, 1999 |
| Box 2 | Folder 33 | Transformations 2000 by Byrne Piven. Reviews, 2000 |
| Box 2 | Folder 34 | The Illusion by Tony Kushner. Review, 2000 |
| Box 2 | Folder 35 | Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov. Review, 2001 |
| Box 2 | Folder 36 | American Voices. Review, 2001 |
| Box 2 | Folder 37 | Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood. Script material, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 38 | Chekhov: Toward the Cycle:Litko by David Mamet and The Man in 605 by Alan Gross. Litko with William H. Macy, and The Man in 605 with Aidan Quinn, Dick Cusack, Byrne Piven and Mark Miller. Program, undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 3 | Chekhov: Toward the Cycle- Photograph (1) and negative (1), The Man in 605, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 39 | Children of War (War’s Children). Script material, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 40 | A Circle of People: Four by Anton Chekhov. Adapted and directed by Shira Piven. Promotional material, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 41 | The Conversion of Leo Novotny, by Alan Gross. Directed by Chuck Smith, with Byrne Piven and Cedric Young. Promotional material, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 42 | In Spite of Everything by Sigfrid Siwertz. Script material, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 43 | A Temple of the Holy Ghost. Script, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 44 | Young People’s Company, General- Press release, undated |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Young People’s Company, General- Poster Bits and Pieces, undated | |
| Box 2 | Folder 45 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Brocaded Slipper, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 46 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Elephant’s Child, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 47 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Glass Cupboard, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 48 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material Greek myths, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 49 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Lampstand Princess, undated |
| Oversize Folder 1 | Young People’s Company, General- Poster Old Tales by the Young, undated | |
| Box 2 | Folder 50 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Soul-Taker, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 51 | Young People’s Company, General- Script material The Wisdom of Solomon, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 52 | Young People’s Company, Ready or Not, NBC-TV Channel 5. Promotional material, undated |
Series 2: Workshop, 1974-1999, undated
Scope and Contents
The Workshop series includes administrative information, promotional materials and clippings regarding founders Joyce and Byrne Piven as well as alumni John Cusack, Lecy Goranson, Jeremy Piven, Aidan Quinn and Lili Taylor.
Arrangement
Files arranged by topic.
| Box 3 | Folder 1 | Story Theatre, Promotional material, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 2 | Young People’s Company, General promotional material and clippings, 1980-1981, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 3 | Founders- Byrne and Joyce Piven, Clippings, 1979-1998 |
| Box 4 | Folder 4 | Founders- Byrne and Joyce Piven, Photographs (2), undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 4 | Founders- Byrne Piven, Clippings, 1980-1983 |
| Box 3 | Folder 5 | Founders- Byrne Piven, Clippings for The Man in 605, by Alan Gross, 1979-1981 |
| Box 4 | Folder 5 | Founders- Byrne Piven, Photographs (4), undated |
| Box 4 | Folder 6 | Founders- Joyce Piven, Photographs (4), undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 6 | Alumni- John Cusack, Clippings, 1990, 1997, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 7 | Alumni- Lecy Goranson, Clippings, 1991 |
| Box 3 | Folder 8 | Alumni- New Crimes Productions, Production information for Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson, 1991 |
| Oversize Folder 1 |
Alumni- New Crimes Productions, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas poster |
|
| Box 3 | Folder 9 | Alumni- New Crimes Productions, Production information for Methusalem, by Ivan Goll, 1989-1990 |
| Box 3 | Folder 10 | Alumni- Jeremy Piven, Clippings, 1999, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 11 | Alumni- Aidan Quinn, Clippings, 1981-1985 |
| Box 4 | Folder 7 | Alumni- Aidan Quinn, Photograph (1), undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 12 | Alumni- Lili Taylor, Clippings, 1990-1991 |
| Box 3 | Folder 13 | Promotional material, 1974-1975 |
| Box 3 | Folder 14 | Promotional material, Clippings, 1978-1979 |
| Box 3 | Folder 15 | Promotional material, 1980-1981 |
| Box 3 | Folder 16 | Promotional material, Clippings, 1982-1983 |
| Box 3 | Folder 17 | Promotional material, 1983-1984 |
| Box 3 | Folder 18 | Promotional material, 1984-1985 |
| Box 3 | Folder 19 | Promotional material, 1985-1986 |
| Box 3 | Folder 20 | Promotional material, 1986-1987 |
| Box 3 | Folder 21 | Promotional material, Clippings, 1987-1988 |
| Box 3 | Folder 22 | Promotional material, 1988-1989 |
| Box 3 | Folder 23 | Promotional material, Clippings, 1989-1990 |
| Box 3 | Folder 24 | Promotional material, Clippings, 1990-1991 |
| Box 3 | Folder 25 | Promotional material, 1991-1992 |
| Box 3 | Folder 26 | Promotional material, 1992-1993 |
| Box 3 | Folder 27 | Promotional material, 1993-1994 |
| Box 3 | Folder 28 | Promotional material, 1994-1995 |
| Box 3 | Folder 29 | Promotional material, 1995-1996 |
| Box 3 | Folder 30 | Promotional material, 1996-1997 |
| Box 3 | Folder 31 | Promotional material, 1997-1998 |
| Box 3 | Folder 32 | Promotional material, 1998-1999 |
