Scope and Content Note
The records reflect Blumsack's activities as a professor, actor, producer, set designer, critic, arts columnist, restauranteur, and his work with the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (ELSFA) and the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA). Records include teaching notes and theater programs from the Northeastern University Theatre Department; budgets, meeting minutes and annual reports from the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts; scripts and newspaper clippings related to Blumsack's stage productions, specifically The Rise of David Levinsky; press releases, menus, and newspaper clippings from Blumsack's restaurant in Brookline, MA; and drafts and transcripts from Blumsack's Critic-At-Large position at WCRB 102.5 FM and his Advocating Theatre column for the Jewish Advocate. Audio-visual materials include a DVD with photographs and documents highlighting Blumsack's life work, including copies of his theater criticism and arts columns dating predominantly from 1987-1990. In addition, the collection includes 93 audio cassettes of Blumsack's Where It's Art radio program on WADN 1120 AM, and VHS and one U-Matic tape of his appearances on various Boston area television programs. Also included are several VHS tapes related to the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, including a program entitled We Hold These Truths, which documents its Technical Theater Training Program's work with black inmates at MCI Norfolk Prison in the early 1970's.
Dates
- Creation: 1955-2006
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1960-1995
Creator
- Blumsack, Larry (Person)
Language of Materials
Materials entirely in English.
Conditions Governing Access:
Student records (Box 1, Folders 4, 5, 8) are closed for 75 years from their date of creation. The remainder of the collection is unrestricted.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use:
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Biographical Note
Larry Blumsack received his BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University in 1960, and his MS in Communications/Theatre from Emerson College in 1965. Blumsack was a founding member of the Theatre Department at Northeastern, and taught at the University from 1962-1970, and 1989-1995. He went on to serve as Director of Public Relations for the National Center of Afro-American Artists from 1970-1976. Blumsack also served on the Board of the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts and was the co-director of the school's drama department from 1966-1975. Blumsack worked as a theater critic for various Boston-area radio stations and newspapers, hosting Where It's Art on WADN 1120 AM and serving as Critic-At-Large for WCRB 102.5 FM, as well as writing a column entitled Advocating Theatre for the Jewish Advocate. In addition, he has worked as a stage and TV actor, director, and producer, voice-over artist, and visual artist, and was the president of Presentations, a marketing and PR consulting firm from 1978-2006. As of 2014, he is the president/founder of Zoka Institute, a company providing coaching and training in communication and public speaking skills.
Extent
5.3 cubic feet (8 containers, 3 flat file folders)
Overview
Larry Blumsack received his BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University in 1960, and his MS in Communications/Theatre from Emerson College in 1965. A founding member of the Theatre Department at Northeastern, Blumsack went on to serve as co-director of the drama department at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts before embarking on a twenty-plus year career as a theater critic for a number of Boston area publications.
Overview
The collection documents Blumsack's activities as a Northeastern University Assistant Professor, actor, producer, set designer, critic, arts columnist, restauranteur, and his work with the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (ELSFA) and the National Center of Afro-American Artists (NCAAA). The collection includes teaching notes and class materials, correspondence, ELSFA meeting minutes, scripts, playbills, and drafts, transcripts and recordings of Blumsack's theater criticism for radio and print publications.
System of Arrangement:
Organized into five series: Series 1. Northeastern University; Series 2. Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts; Series 3. Acting and Criticism; Series 4. Business Ventures; Series 5. Audio-Visual
Physical Location
38/1, FF3/D1, FF3/D6
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Received from Larry Blumsack of Belmont, MA in 2009.
Subject
- Blumsack, Larry (Person)
- Blumsack Productions (Organization)
- Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (Organization)
- Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Norfolk (Organization)
- National Center of Afro-American Artists (Organization)
- Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.) (Organization)
- Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.). Department of Theatre (Organization)
- Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.). Silver Masque (Organization)
Topical
- African American theater -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Dramatic criticism -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Prison theater -- Massachusetts
- Public relations consultants
- Theater -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Theater -- Study and Teaching -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Theater and dramatic studies -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Theater critics -- Massachusetts -- Boston
- Title
- Finding aid for the Larry Blumsack Papers
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Andrew Begley
- Date
- November 6, 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections Repository