ALISON FRASER
Two-page letter to John Willis, editor of Theatre World, describing her new theatrical engagements and complaining that some recent ones were omitted from the publication
Autograph Letter signed: "Alison Fraser", 2 pages (front and verso), 6½x7¾. New York City, 1985 October 22. To John Willis, Editor, Theatre World, New York, N.Y. In full: "I'm sorry this headshot is so shamefully late, [Item not included.] (you were nice enough to request one during my run of 'Tales of Tinseltown') but I've been very busy doing other shows, and my paperwork got very behind. But here it is, along with a question. I performed Prudie in 'Pump Boys and Dinettes' at the Indian Repertory Theatre in December 1983, and 'Shitsy' in 'Charlotte Sweet' at the Virginia Stage Company in May 1983, yet neither are listed in Theatre World. I was just wondering, because it's the first year in many I haven't been listed, if the theatres involved neglected to send in the required information. If so, I intend to mention it to them, because I always look forward to being in Theatre World, (and of course my family enjoys in immensely) and my absence in the last volume was a little disappointing. We can't all be famous, but being in Theatre World is a nice taste of it. I just finished 'Three Complaints' at the South Street Theatre, and I will open in 'Beehive', a 60's retrospective, on November 19. So come see it if you can; I know from our V. I. P. list that you caught 'Tales from Tinseltown', and I hope you enjoyed it. Keep up the fine work. Sincerely yours". Singer and actress Alison Fraser has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Folger Shakespeare Library and the White House. She received Tony nominations for Romance/Romance (1988) and The Secret Garden (1991), the latter also earning her a Drama Desk nomination. She won Philadelphia's first Barrymore Award as "the Blonde" in Gunmetal Blues, and has starred in a one-woman show, The Tennessee Williams Songbook. Fraser has released two solo albums, and made occasional TV and feature film appearances. She plays a leading role in Family Games, set for release in 2013. Theatre World, founded in 1945 by Daniel Blum, is America's oldest annual record of Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theatre, referenced by industry professionals, historians, students and theatre fans worldwide. Until 1998, when a separate nonprofit corporation was established, Theatre World's editorial staff bestowed the prestigious Theatre World Awards for outstanding Broadway and Off-Broadway debuts. Screen World (from 1950) and Dance World (from 1966), administered from the same office, furnished comprehensive information on those entertainment genres. John A. Willis (1916-2010), active in Theatre World from the beginning, became its chief editor in 1965, holding that position until 2008. Willis is regarded as one of the foremost theatre and film historians of the 20th century. While producing (and presenting) the annual Theatre World Awards, Willis also served on the nominating committee for the Tony Awards. Theatre World, which received its own Tony for Excellence in Theatre in 2001, continues under chief editor Ben Hodges. Right edge lightly bowed. Otherwise, fine condition.