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A Guide to the records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by C. Harrison Wick, Paul C. Heyde, and Janna Carney

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-7000
Phone: (812) 855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Majestic (Showboat)

Extent
2.2 cubic feet

Language
Materials are in English unless otherwise indicated.

Title
Indiana University Showboat Majestic records, 1948-1973 

Collection No.
C65

Abstract
The Showboat Majestic was a riverboat used for performances by the theater departments at both Hiram College and Indiana University. Collection consists of records from the Showboat Majestic spanning 1948-1973. Included in the collection are newspaper clippings, correspondence, information about the proposed Showboat II, artifacts, and several administrative files consisting of records on billing and attendance, performances, and maintenance costs.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

Administrative History

The Majestic showboat, built in 1923 by Thomas J. Reynolds, was leased to Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio in 1948. The Dramatic Department at Hiram College used the Majestic to perform plays during college summer courses, and after running for nine seasons all over Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, Captian Reynolds, deciding to retire at 80 years of age, put the riverboat up for sale.

Indiana University President Herman B Wells read an article about the sale of this last running showboat and sent a copy to Lee Norvelle, head of the Department of Speech and Theatre. Norvelle and I.U. Vice President and Treasurer, J. A. Franklin, inspected the vessel and discussed with Captian Reynolds the sale of both the showboat and its tow, Atta-Boy. With approval from President Wells and the Board of Trustees, Indiana University purchased the Majestic showboat and tow in 1959 for $30,000.

Lee Norvelle served until 1963 as president of the non-profit corporation responsible for the operation of the vessel, and he served as Executive Director of The Showboat Majestic for its first two seasons after which Richard Moody accepted this title. William E. Kinzer was appointed Director Aboard in 1960 and remained in that position through the last season. The Showboat Majestic ran for five seasons on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and was used for many performances in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, before it was moored in Jeffersonville, Indiana in 1965 after the Coast Guard deemed the Showboat Majestic unsafe for travel. The Indiana University Theatre Department performed on the Majestic for two more seasons before the riverboat was sold to the City of Cincinnati for $13,500 in 1967.

Richard Moody and William Kinzer proposed The Showboat Majestic II project, and a committee was formed to investigate the possibility of either purchasing or building a second showboat. The project was abandoned in 1970, when the Showboat account had $11,280, and the cost of a new riverboat was estimated at $500,000.

Arrangement

Organized in eight series: Administrative, Correspondence, Productions, Showboat Majestic II Project, Subject Files, Realia, Scrapbook, and Oversized posters.

Scope and Content Note

The Administrative series, 1959-1973, is arranged alphabetically and consists primarily of financial and business records maintained by Lee Norvelle and Richard Moody. Included in this series are maintenance and repairs records, attendance sheets and accounting, IRS tax records, licenses and inspections, and a contract of sale to the City of Cincinnati.

The Correspondence series is arranged chronologically, spanning 1959-1967, and consists primarly of letters to and from Lee Norvelle and Richard Moody. Other prominent correspondants include Herman B Wells, Byron Laird, William E. Kinzer, Jeffery Auer, J. A. Franklin, Hubert Heffner, and Robert Burton. The majority of the correspondence dates from 1959-1961 and deals with the purchase of The Showboat Majestic and the first seasons of operation.

The Productions series, 1960-1966, is arranged alphabetically and consists of records from the showboat's seven performance seasons. Of interest are lists of rules and necessities for "Showboaters." Also included are itineraries and programs, scripts and music, and cast lists for summer productions.

The fourth series, Showboat Majestic II, is arranged alphabetically, spanning 1966-1973, and consists of records on the planning of Showboat Majestic II. Included are letters to contractors, estimates, specifications and bidder information, promotional materials, and records detailing business trips to Memphis, St. Louis, and Louisiana.

The fifth series, Subject Files, 1948-1970, is arranged alphabetically and chronicles the activities of The Showboat Majestic. Included are records pertaining to special events that took place on the vessel, a captain's log, and news clippings and releases. Several folders contain news releases and correspondence related to the tug naming contest initiated by Lee Norvelle.

The six series, Realia, is arranged alphabetically and consists of artifacts from the Showboat Majestic including a large, painted sign from the boat, the wheel, and a life preserver. All items are undated.

The seventh series, Scrapbook, consists of one scrapbook of newspaper clippings and photographs of the 1965 production season of the Showboat Majestic. Loose photographs were removed and stored with the University Archives photograph collections.

The eigth and final series, Oversized posters, consists of four promotional posters for the Showboat Majestic. Three posters are copies of an unused, undated poster entitled "Here Comes Indiana University: Showboat Majestic." The other poster is for the production of "The Barker", which was performed in July 1966. These posters are stored with oversized architectural drawings.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University. Department of Theatre and Drama --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Department of Theatre and Drama --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Indiana University. Department of Speech and Theatre --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Majestic (Showboat) --History --Sources.
  • Majestic (Showboat) --Records and correspondence.
  • Majestic (Showboat) --Archives.
  • Indiana University. Department of Theatre and Drama.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Department of Theatre and Drama.
  • Indiana University. Department of Speech and Theatre.
• • Topics
  • Showboats --History --20th century --Sources.

Separated Material

Photographs transferred to the University Archives Photographs Collection. Architectural drawings transferred to University Archives Architectural Records.

Administrative Information

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