Maryat Lee, Playwright, Papers
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 3300
Papers of West Virginia playwright Maryat Lee who developed her own type of theater called "ecotheater". Includes journals, correspondence, writings, publications, photographs, video, sound recordings, paintings, etc.
Paintings:
1. Pink with Blue, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 inches, unsigned. Inscribed on reverse "Mary Lee, Pink with Blue, $100".
2. [Modernist Landscape], oil on canvas, 22 x 26 inches, signed lower right, "Maryat '60". Inscribed on reverse "Maryat Lee #10".
3. [Modernist landscape with buildings] oil on hardboard, 16 x 24 inches, signed lower right, "Maryat 1960".
4. [Still Life with Wine Glass, Fruit and Plant in Clay Pot], oil on canvas , 22 x 20 inches, unsigned. Inscribed on reverse "6 Jan 77".
5. [Landscape with Houses] oil on canvasboard, 22 x 19 3/8 inches, unsigned. Inscribed on reverse "Maryat Lee #13".
6. Grace Dyer Lee, oil on hardboard, 48 x 32 inches, signed lower right, "Maryat". Inscribed on reverse, "Grace Dyer Lee, 32 x 48, masonite/oil, 1959".
No special access restriction applies.
Researchers may access digitized materials by visiting the link attached to each item or by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Maryat Lee (born Mary Attaway Lee; May 26, 1923 - September 18, 1989) was an American playwright and theatre director who made important contributions to post-World War II avant-garde theatre. She pioneered street theatre in Harlem, and later founded EcoTheater in West Virginia, a community based theater project.
Early in her career, Lee wrote and produced plays in New York City, including the street play "DOPE!" While in New York she also formed the Soul and Latin Theater (SALT), and wrote plays centered around the lives of the actors in the group.
In 1970 Lee moved to West Virginia and formed the community theater group EcoTheater in 1975. Beginning with local teenagers from the Governor's Summer Youth Program, the rural theater group grew, and produced plays based on oral histories collected from the local community. Each performance of an EcoTheater play involved audience participation and discussion. With the assistance of the Humanities Foundation of West Virginia, guest scholars became a part of EcoTheater.
85.7 Linear Feet (85 ft. 7.5 in. (20 document cases, 5 in. each); (40 records cartons, 15 in. each); (11 oversize records cartons, 17 in. each); (1 small flat storage box, 3 in.); (1 large flat storage box, 3 in.); (7 paintings, 11 ft. 2 in.); (1 framed item, 0.5 in.))
English
Papers of West Virginia playwright Maryat Lee who developed her own type of theater called "ecotheater". Includes journals, correspondence, writings, publications, photographs, video, sound recordings, paintings, etc. A listing of paintings can be found in the scope and content note.
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository