H. David Kaplan Performing Arts Collection

An Inventory of Holdings at the University of Houston Libraries

Biographical Note

H. David Kaplan was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 13, 1934. In 1956, he received a B.A. in journalism from The University of Michigan. Kaplan has worked for newspapers, magazines, and corporate communications while also functioning as a patron of and volunteer to the arts throughout the United States.

Kaplan's longstanding interest in the performing/fine arts was established by his parents, and was further entrenched when he lived in New York City. Another influence on his interest in the arts was his uncle, Al Kaplan, who performed in vaudeville throughout the world from 1920-1947.

Kaplan has provided many years of service to the arts through his involvement with the Houston Grand Opera, in his former role as Associate Publisher for Houston's Performing Arts Magazine, and in his ongoing role as an instructor in Enjoying Opera and American Opera courses for continuing education classes in Federal Way, Washington. He has also enhanced the arts collections of several libraries, donating this collection as well as portions of the Hoblitzelle Theatre Collection to the University of Texas, Austin, and a 48-volume collection of New York City theatre playbills and programs to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections. He continues his enthusiastic patronage of the arts, and routinely donates New York theater programs to libraries and archives.

Scope and Contents

The H. David Kaplan Performing Arts Collection contains correspondence, publicity photographs, photographs taken by Kaplan, programs, various arts publications, autographs and miscellaneous items such as ticket stubs and clippings. There are more than 1,000 color 35 mm. slides taken by Kaplan of opera performances and rehearsals by Houston Grand Opera. Additional oversized collages, posters, showcards, and artwork, along with several framed items, are housed separately. A large part of the collection is signed and many items are personally inscribed to H. David Kaplan. The materials are dated from ca. 1950 to ca. 1996, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1975-1985.

The collection has been retained in the order in which it was received from Mr. Kaplan and, with some modifications; it has been divided into several series. The series are arranged in the different areas of the arts in which Mr. Kaplan was involved or interested and an oversize/framed series which includes every aspect of the arts. Each series may be subdivided into 1-5 subsections including: correspondence, photographs, programs/publications, autographs, and miscellaneous. For ease of storage, the oversize and framed portions of this collection have been placed together in a series and shelved separately.

Correspondence has been separated and is organized alphabetically by the last name of the correspondent. Copies of H. David Kaplan's letters to individual correspondents are filed with their replies. In publicity photographs, the production, if known, has been noted on the reverse side in pencil.

Bound volumes of Performing Arts Magazine, Houston Arts Magazine, Tonight and Houston on Stage donated by Mr. Kaplan have been incorporated into the library's holdings. These may be found by searching the UH Libraries' catalog by journal title or by author, using the phrase "H. David Kaplan Performing Arts Collection."

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open for research.

Use Restrictions

Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, locating copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

H. David Kaplan Performing Arts Collection, Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

Processed By

Processed by K. Fox, April 1999, Edward Lukasek, 2005, LaTasha N. Cormier, 2005-2006 and Rebecca Russell, 2007.

Detailed Description