Series I: Plays, 1941 February 18-2010 December 2-19 – Series I is divided into eight subseries: Individual Plays; Press Clippings; Play Photographs; Unidentified play Photographs and Negatives; Hunter Hills; Theatre Student Association and Other Productions; Audiovisual Material; and Scrapbooks. All materials directly relate to performances produced by different University of Tennessee theatre groups.

Subseries A: Individual Plays, 1941 February 18-2010 December - Subseries A contains playbills, photographs, press clippings, financial documents and production materials. Much of the financial material pertains to production budgets and box office income. When productions include notable stars like Anthony Quayle or Zoe Caldwell, or require outside recruitment as was the case with The New Majestic Follies, then performer contracts are also included. Production materials also contain PSAs, audition notices, administrative correspondence, and staff and star biographies. Beginning in the fall of 1988 until 1993, there are interruptions in the performance chronology and most documents are limited to playbills and/or a small selection of performance photographs and negatives. Starting in 2000, the type of production materials expands to include stage management books, scripts, and, in some cases, musical scores.

Subseries B: Press Clippings and Announcements, 1953-1997 June 30 - This subseries consists entirely of press clippings. Earlier clippings focus on Carousel Theatre productions in the fifties through the seventies. The later press clippings, from the mid-seventies to the eighties, include Carousel Theatre productions but many focus on the Clarence Brown Theatre, a regional professional company developed in 1974. Also included are newspaper cuttings about special events honoring Clarence and Marian Spies Brown. Multiple clippings are photocopied on each page. While a significant portion of them refer to specific seasons, there are several instances when pages contain press clippings from multiple years and seasons. Also available are photocopies of production announcements from campus newsletters and regional cultural calendars like Panorama.

Subseries C: Play Photographs, circa 1939-1972 - Subseries C consists of photographs from titled plays; however, specific dates are unknown. Items in this subseries are listed alphabetically and it is noted when the play might relate to a documented performance.

Subseries D: Unidentified Play Photographs and Negatives, circa 1944-2004 - Subseries D is a collection of unidentified photographs. In some of the earlier photographs, actors are identified on the back and there are also instances when dates have been noted. In general, the later photographs do not contain any descriptive information. No additional production material is available to conclusively identify the performances being documented.

Subseries E: Hunter Hills, 1966-1977 - This subseries documents the Hunter Hills Theatre, a facility donated to the University of Tennessee by Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Maples in 1965. Aside from special event performances, the Hunter Hills Theatre season was limited to the summer months. This series includes seasonal brochures as well as programs from individual plays, from 1966-1977. The 1976 season is absent from the catalog of individual play materials. Financial, production, administrative, and historical development materials are not available. A History of Hunter Hills Theatre (Thesis79.B888), a thesis by UT graduate Gary Buttrey, provides a full history of the Hunter Hills Theatre project and contains several appendices that document the theatre’s financial performance and physical development. Additional Hunter Hills material is available in AR.0029: Fred Fields and Gary Buttrey Papers.

Subseries F: Theatre Students Association and Other Productions, 1978 July-1988 April 17 - Subseries F items relate to Theatre Students Association productions and other UT performances. A significant portion of the materials are from the "Summer Classics Repertory," plays produced and performed by theatre students. The "Summer Classics Repertory" files include playbills, press clippings, production materials and, in a few instances, performance photographs. All other documented student performances are limited to press clippings and the occasional production information sheet or play photograph. Also available are press clippings and programs from other UT performances staged by members of the theatre department or the University of Tennessee Opera Theatre.

Subseries G: Audiovisual Material, circa 1972-2002 October 27 - All AV materials are located in Subseries G, most of which are UT Theatres commercials and performance recordings. While there is some reel-to-reel audio, the majority of the audio material is on compact cassette. Most of the video material is on videocassette but there are a few instances where materials require hard-to-find hardware for playback such as U-matic, minidisc, or Hi-8 players.

Subseries H: Scrapbooks, 1951-1970 - Subseries H contains three scrapbooks. Each scrapbook is comprised of press clippings and playbills placed in chronological order of performance. The bulk of the materials are from the early-to-mid 1950s although there is a small section in the last scrapbook with materials from the early seventies. Some of the materials are duplicates to playbills available in Series I, Subseries A; however, there are also a number of original play programs available as well as a larger number of press clippings.

Series II: Seasonal Materials, 1948-2011 - This series is a collection of publicity and marketing materials and press clippings related to the UT Theatres’ annual seasons. The seasons are based on the academic year, starting in the fall and ending in the spring with some extensions through the summer. Some financial materials are included that address seasonal budgets as well as planning materials in relation to play selection and production matters.

Series III: Administrative, Organizational, and Historical Materials, circa 1951-2010 - Series III documents the history of the UT Theatres as well as its various administrative bodies, grant development efforts, and publications. Series III is comprised of three subseries: UT Theatres Administrative and Financial Files, Department of Speech and Theatre, and Publications.

Subseries A: UT theatres Administrative and Financial Files, circa 1951-2001 - Subseries A contains historical statements about the development of theatre at the University of Tennessee, the introduction of the Clarence Brown Theatre Company, and organizational arrangements. It also includes advisory board materials that focus on marketing, publicity, and outreach. Also recorded is UT Theatres’ association with regional art organizations. The bulk of the series, however, focuses on grant development and includes brochures, completed applications, follow-up reports, and correspondence with grant administrators.

Subseries B: Department of Speech and Theatre, 1984-2010 - Subseries B includes brochures from the Department of Speech and Theatre’s educational programs and support materials for new students and theatre staff.

Subseries C: Publications, 1977 November-2000 September - Subseries C catalogs the different newsletters produced by UT Theatres including The Marquee.

Series IV: Faculty Players, 1901-1943 - This series provides an overview of the Faculty Players club, a group that preceded the era of permanent theatre at the University of Tennessee. Although the time period covered is from 1901-1943, the bulk of the materials focus on the years between 1939 and 1941. This series is divided into four subseries; Administrative Files, Plays, Newsletters, and Other Materials. Included are administrative files, performance-related materials, and correspondence documenting performance rights requests with major play leasing companies such as the Walter H. Baker Company and Samuel French. The files also contain publicity strategies, original performance materials drafted by UT faculty, and financial files tracking box office take and account deposits.

Subseries A: Administrative Files, 1934-1944 - Subseries A includes roster lists, membership questionnaires, meeting minutes, and ticket subscription records.

Subseries B: Plays, 1901-1942 - Subseries B is comprised of play-related materials such as scripts, playbills, poster advertisements, production materials, and performance negatives.

Subseries C: Newsletters, 1939-1942 - The newsletter series includes newsletters from the Faculty Players club, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Association of Non-Professional Theatres.

Subseries D: Unidentified Faculty Player’s Materials, circa 1942-1943 - Subseries D contains the materials of an unidentified faculty player. Included are notebook pages with meeting notes and a set of prompt cards for the role of Mrs. Abbey in Lawrence Langner’s Another Way Out.

Series V: Special Events and Guest Contributors, 1973 May 27-2009 September 20 - This series contains two subseries: Special Events, and Guest Contributors. Materials focus on special events, such as visiting troupes and film festivals, and invited guest directors, speakers, and instructors.

Subseries A: Special Events, 1973 May 27-2009 September 20 - Items in Subseries A include publicity and production materials related to special events such as film festivals, visiting theatre groups, and anniversary celebrations. Most of the material in this subseries is comprised of performance-related documents such as programs, flyers, and press clippings. In addition to playbills and newspaper excerpts, these files include production and financial materials that document sponsorship and funding procedures, both domestically and abroad.

Subseries B: Guest Contributors, 1982 March 29-1997 - The Guest Contributors subseries documents prominent individuals invited to direct, present, or teach at the University of Tennessee Theatres on a temporary basis. Because of the Clarence Brown Theatre’s high profile origins, a number of prominent theatre personalities also made guest appearances such as renowned stage directors Josh Logan and Maurice Daniels. These materials are limited to press clippings and obituaries.

Series VI: Clarence Brown Theatre Contributors, circa 1970-1991 This series highlights individuals who have maintained a long-term and supportive relationship with the Clarence Brown Theatre. Included are materials about the theatre’s namesake, Clarence Brown, who contributed a great deal, both financially and creatively. Also available are newspaper profiles on David Keith, a locally-based screen and stage actor who participated in a number of UT Theatres productions. The majority of the materials are comprised of press clippings that provide biographical information or document career highlights. This series contains two subseries: Clarence and Marian Spies Brown, and External Theatre Contributors.

Subseries A: Clarence and Marian Spies Brown, circa 1970-1990 - Subseries A is primarily comprised of newspaper cuttings, brochures, and photographs. In addition to general press about the Browns, also included are obituaries and documents relating to Clarence and Marian’s philanthropy to UT Theatres.

Subseries B: External Theatre Contributors, 1976-1991 - Subseries B contains press clippings about Frank Clark, Ula Love Doughty, and David Keith, all of whom contributed to the Clarence Brown Theatre – either financial or creatively.

Series VII: Unidentified Photographs, circa 1974-2004 - This is series is almost entirely made up of photographs that are not related to specific productions or theatre faculty and administrators. The majority of the photographs are of parties, performers backstage, international theatre visits (domestic and abroad), and individual artist portraits.

Series VIII: Oversized and Removed Materials, circa 1901-2010 September 19 - Most of the removed materials are oversized performance photographs or posters. Also included are CDs, map-sized stage designs, and building plans.