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University of Central Florida Theatre Department: Dr. Donald Seay Papers, 1986-2014, bulk 1992-2006

 

Summary

Creator:
Seay, Donald
Abstract:
Donald Seay served as the chair and artistic director for the UCF Conservatory Theater from 1992 until 2004, when he then returned to teaching performance and theatre management. UCF Theatre experience immense growth under Dr. Seay and provided students and the community with entertaining productions during his tenure. This collection contains various documents, programs, affiliate information, photos, and awards relating to Dr. Donald Seay and the UCF Theatre Department.
Extent:
2.93 Linear Feet 6 boxes, 1 flat file
Language:
The materials are written in English, German, Russian, and Czech.
Preferred citation:

University of Central Florida Theatre Department: Dr. Donald Seay Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:
This collection is arranged in two series either by subject or chronologically.
Biographical / historical:

The University of Central Florida Theatre Department was established in 1969 when the university was Florida Technological University (FTU). According to the Department History of UCF Theatre, the department experienced quite the overhaul in 1992 when Dr. Donald Seay was made Chair. Before then, the UCF Theatre Department was struggling as it was one of the University's smallest departments (financially and with lackluster productions). Seay was quick to propose changes to the Theatre Department, which included a revised curriculum that included a Bachelor of Arts degree which started in Fall 1993. He also urged the administration for a musical theatre concentration that finally came into fruition in Fall 1998. Donald Seay wanted six full-scale productions, which needed the financial approval of the administration, and included two more faculty members for the department. Seay also introduced a Summer theatre program with a summer season of four productions that included students, faculty, and guest artists. Over the 23 years of Dr. Seay's stay at UCF, the Theatre Department has grown tremendously.

Donald Seay started out as an actor, with his first notable role being Bernard in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. While acting, and doing technical work on the side, he received his bachelor's degree from Southern Mississippi in 1961. He then went off to work in several theatres, including the Alley Theatre in Houston, Playhouse in the Park in Cincinnati and the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J. Deciding to forgo the life and career of an actor, Seay returned to school and received his MFA from Southern Miss, in 1973. He went on to teach at several universities across the country including St. Edward's University in Austin, where he began his career in administration. Seay received his doctorate in 1987 from Texas Tech University and found himself as the chairman and artistic director of the of the theatre program at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio. Wanting to help a department grow, Seay left Otterbein for UCF, whose theatre department was struggling. During Seay's tenure as chair of the UCF Theatre Department, he directed a plethora of plays and helped the department become rather successful. A few of the plays included were Dracula, Taffetas, The Lark, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, and The Lady's Not for Burning. After stepping down as chair of the department, Seay went on to teach at UCF for another decade, continued to direct plays at the university and promoted the growth of UCF Theatre.

In addition to directing plays and acting as chairman of the UCF Theatre Department, Dr. Donald Seay worked to connect the department with outside sources of entertainment that could bring increased funding and opportunities to students and faculty. Through Disney, numerous scholarships and internships were awarded to Theatre UCF. Seay was also a member of the UCF Theatre Guild, which was an organization that was firmly behind promoting the awareness of The University Theatre in the Orlando community, supporting the growth of the Theatre Foundation Fund, and volunteerism among guild members for the benefit of the Department of Theatre at the University of Central Florida.

Acquisition information:
Dr. Donald Seay transferred these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in 2014 (CFU2014_27).
Processing information:

Collection processed by and finding aid prepared by Brandon Lynch in 2019. Staples and paperclips were removed from documents and replaced with plastic clips. All materials were placed into acid free folders and in an acid free box. Posters were placed into flat folders. Frames were removed. Only two versions of publications were kept, and all additional copies were recycled.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged in two series either by subject or chronologically.

Accruals:

Previous Collection Identifier: CFU2014_27

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

University of Central Florida Theatre Department: Dr. Donald Seay Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA