Sheila Smith papers

Finding Aid

Prepared by Jennifer Rummel, November 19, 2002; Last Updated: December 2023

Inclusive Dates: 1905-2002
Extent:  2 cubic feet (2 record storage boxes) 
Physical Location: 11th floor

Biographical Note: Sheila Smith was born in Conneaut, Ohio, in 1933 and has been performing ever since. She made her professional debut at the age of 14 in the Corps De Ballet of The Merry Widow for the Cleveland 500.This beginning was followed by eight seasons of Summer Theatre at Cain Park and three years as staff actress at The Cleveland Play House. In 1950, Smith received the Cleveland Rotary Club Scholarship and chose to attend Kent State University. At the University, she was active in University Theatre, Orchestra, and Dance. Smith made her Broadway debut in 1956 in Ziegfeld Follies. Following her debut, she appeared in Fiorello, Hot Spot, To Broadway with Love, Mame, and many more. She has received the Theatre World Award, the San Francisco Critics Award, and the Kent State University Special Achievement in the Performing Arts award. In addition to her Broadway performances, Smith has performed in many Off-Broadway, national, and regional productions. She has also had television appearances ranging from Charlie's Angels on PBS' Great Performances. In 2002, Smith was a co-producer, adaptor, and stager of the musical Bertha: The Sewing Machine Girl. She also portrayed Mrs. Higgins in a production of My Fair Lady in Austin, Texas. In 2003, Smith made her feature film debut in Paramount's Marci X. Smith died on November 30, 2023 at the age of 90.

Scope and Content: The Sheila Smith papers include items relating to theater productions and her performances. It contains a collection of Broadway programs that range from The Little Minister in 1905 to Auntie Mame in 1958. One large series of interest is of Smith's theater work in Ohio. The series contains programs, newspaper clippings, and photographs of northeast Ohio productions in which Smith performed. Another item of interest is a scrapbook of Ohio theater from 1913-1920 that was given to Smith by a family friend, Hazel Coughlin. There is also a series of materials relating to Smith's experiences at Collinwood High School and Kent State University. The collection also contains sheet music, scripts, and scores from various productions.

Arrangement: The collection is organized into the following series:

• Series 1: Broadway Programs
• Series 2: Ohio Theatre
• Series 3: Biographical
• Series 4: Television Appearances
• Series 5: Other Papers

Series 1: Broadway Programs

Box 1
Folder - Contents

1. The Little Minister (Boston): 1905
2. Ziegfeld Follies (New York): 1913
3. Lightnin' (Chicago): 1922
4. For Goodness Sake (Chicago): 1922
5. Greenwich Village Follies (Boston): 1924
6. Poppy (New York): 1924
7. Melody Man (New York): 1924
8. Ziegfeld Follies (New York): 1924
9. Trelawny of the Wells (New York): 1925
10. Holiday (New York): 1929
11. School for Husbands (New York): 1933
12. Green Bay Tree (New York): 1934
13. Merrily We Roll Along (New York): 1934
14. Country Wife (New York): 1935
15. White Horse Inn (New York): 1936
16. Tovarich (New York): 1937
17. Mercury Theatre-Julius Caesar & Shomaker's Holiday (New York): 1937
18. Male Animal (New York): 1940
19. Corn is Green (New York): 1941
20. This is the Army (New York): 1942
21. Porgy and Bess (New York): 1942
22. The Pirate (New York): 1942
23. Glass Menagerie (New York): 1946
24. Another Part of the Forest (New York): 1946
25. Finian's Rainbow (New York): 1947
26. Man and Superman (New York): 1947
27. Streetcar Named Desire (New York): 1947
28. Command Decision (New York): 1948
29. The King and I (New York): 1952
30. Auntie Mame (New York): 1958

Series 2: Ohio Theatre

Box 1
Folder -- Contents

31. Scrapbook: Hugh Coughlin's scrapbook of Ohio Theatre: 1913-1920 (See note in scrapbook for contents.)
32. Cleveland 500: 1947-1949
33. Peninsula Players: 1950
34. Euclid Little Theatre: 1952
35. Musicarnival: 1954
36. Cleveland Play House: Miscellaneous Programs: 1936, 1950
37. Cleveland Play House: Children's Theatre: 1947-1950
38. Cleveland Play House: Caesar and Cleopatra: 1952
39. Cleveland Play House: Finian's Rainbow: 1952
40. Cleveland Play House: Darkness at Noon: 1953
41. Cleveland Play House: Othello: 1953
42. Cleveland Play House: Midsummer Night's Dream: 1953
43. Cleveland Play House: Regina: 1953
44. Cleveland Play House: Bloomer Girl: 1953
45. Cleveland Play House: Love of Four Colonels: 1954
46. Cleveland Play House: Tree Grows in Brooklyn: 1954
47. Cleveland Play House: School for Scandal: 1954
48. Cleveland Play House: Women's Committee: 1954
49. Cleveland Play House: Best Foot Forward: 1954
50. Cleveland Play House: Mrs. McThing: 1955
51. Cleveland Play House: 60th Anniversary: 1975
52. Cleveland Play House: Building a Theatre: 1984
53. Cain Park Theatre: History: 1938-1945
54. Cain Park Theatre: School of the Theatre: 1947-1949
55. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1947
56. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1948
57. Cain Park Theatre: Crew Show: 1948
58. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1949
59. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1950
60. Cain Park Theatre: Crew show: 1950
61. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1951
62. Cain Park Theatre: Script-Desert Song: 1951
63. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1952
64. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1953
65. Cain Park Theatre: Season: 1954
66. Cain Park Theatre: 50th Anniversary: 1988
67. Cain Park Theatre: Miscellaneous
68. Programs: Hedda Gabler: 1940
69. Programs: Captain Carvallo: 1950
70. Programs: Sadler's Wells Ballet: 1950

Series 3: Biographical

Box 1
Folder -- Contents

71. Collinwood High School-Folder 1: 1946-1950
72. Collinwood High School-Folder 2: 1946-1950
73. Kent State University: 1950-1952
74. Kent State University: Registration Cards
75. Kent State University: School Correspondence
76. Kent State University: Personal Correspondence
77. Kent State University: Scholarship/Honors
78. Kent State University: Invitations
79. Kent State University: Gamma Phi Beta

Series 4: Television Appearances

Box 1 
Folder -- Contents

80. Pappy Howard: 1952
81. Community Chest Campaign: 1953
82. Bob Hope "Live": 1953

Series 5: Other Papers

Box 1 
Folder -- Contents

83. Postcard: Taylor Holmes Co. (Chicago): 1916
84. Metropolitan Guide (New York): 1924
85. Stage Magazine: May 1936
86. Josephine Hull Letter: Oct. 1941
87. On the Town -Score and Script: 1951
88. Gentlemen Prefer Blonds -Score: 1954

Box 2
Folder - Contents

1. Melody Circus (Detroit): 1955
2. Lute Song -Sheet Music: 1948 and Audio Tape: 1959
3. Programs: 2002
4. White Gloves
5. Photo Collage of Sheila Smith in various performances