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1930s-1950s (Creation)
- Creator
- Ryan, Toby Gordon
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Physical description
1.1 m of textual and other materials.
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Biographical history
Toby Gordon was born in 1912. She was a Co-founder and Director of Toronto's Workers' Experimental Theatre in 1933 and the Theatre of Action from 1936 to 1940. Ryan directed and performed in "Eight Men Speak" - one of the most historically significant plays that emerged from the Workers' Theatre Movement in Canada. This play criticized government persectuion of Communists and was banned by Toronto police after its opening performance at the Standard Theatre in 1933. "Eight Men Speak" was based on the events surrounding the attempted murder of Communist leader, Tim Buck, while imprisoned at the Kingston Penitentiary.
In 1949 she married Oscar Ryan (d. 1988) and shortly after that founded the Play Actors Troupe in the 1950's. She lived and taught in Toronto until her death in 2003.
The Toby Gordon Ryan fonds is unique in that it is the only known archival collection on the Canadian Workers' Theatre Movement. This 1930's, left-wing political theatre was primarily sponsored by Progressive Arts Clubs, located throughout large urban centers across the country, which had ties with the Communist Party.
Custodial history
Deposited by Toby and Oscar Ryan, May 1988.
Scope and content
Contains scrapbooks, programs, posters, photos, correspondence and articles relating to the Canadian Workers' Theatre, the Theatre of Action, and the Play Actors, 1930s to 1950s. Arranged under the following series: House Programs, Scrapbooks, Production Photos, Company Portraits, Periodicals, Correspondence, Ephemera, Publications, Posters (XZ1 MS A009 - A016, A018, XZ3 MS A009). Ryan, author of Stage Left, was actively involved in popular theatre movements, chiefly in Toronto, through the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
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No further accruals are expected.