Arnold Peter Hruska Papers
Provenance
The Arnold Peter Hruska Papers are a gift from Arthur Goodman.
Scope and Content
The collection includes journals of Mr. Hruska from 1987 to 1990, including a separate medical journal for the last months of his life. There is correspondence and greeting cards from 1968 to 1990. This includes separate folders for correspondence with friends Rhoda Carroll Fairman, Lynne Kane and Harriet Libstag. The larger part of the collection is Hruska’s writing, mostly plays. Many of the plays are for children. There is also business papers and flyers for the “Unexpected Company.” In addition there are curricula for his work as a teacher, and also for his own studies. A few folders contain family photos and theater scrapbooks.There are eleven videos, originally VHS but transferred to DVD. These videos are mostly of his school plays, but also include performances of the “Unexpected Company”. There are a number of audio reel to reel tapes. These are cataloged based only on their labeling. The cataloger has not listened to these tapes.
History or Bio
Arnold Peter Hruska was born on July 6, 1937 at New York Hospital. He grew up in the Bronx with his two siblings and attended New York’s Performing Arts High School. In his late teens he moved with his family to Woodmere, NY. He received his BA degree and his graduate degrees in speech from New York University, and studied Education at C.W. Post College. In addition he studied with “British Integrated Day” in London. For most of his adult life he lived in an apartment he owned at 670 West End Avenue, New York City.He worked in the Jericho, NY school district as an elementary school speech teacher, where he wrote and directed many school plays. He also acted, wrote and directed in legitimate theater. For a time he toured Florida in a Yiddish theater company, as well as doing summer stock, and various theater workshops. He was the co-founder of the improvisation troupe “Unexpected Company.” In addition to his other theater work, he designed sets and costumes.In the mid-1980s Hruska learned that he was HIV positive and in 1989 was diagnosed with PCP. He died in New York Hospital from AIDS related disease on September 14, 1990.
Folder List
Box 1
1. [Journal, 1987]
2. [“I Love My…” journal, 1987]
3. [Journal 1988-1989]
4. [Medical journal, May-June 1990]
5. [Journal, August 1990]
6. Rhoda!!! [ Rhoda Carroll Fairman correspondence, 1973-1985]
7. Lynne Kane Kards [cards]
8. Harriet [Libstag correspondence, 1974-1987]
9. Correspondence, 1968-1979
10. Correspondence 1980-1983
11. Correespondence 1984-1990
12. Correspondence undated, 1 of 3
13. Correspondence undated, 2 of 3
14. Correspondence undated, 3 of 3
15. Greeting card scrapbook, 1970-1973 [1 of 2]
16. Greeting card scrapbook, 1970-1973 [2 of 2]
17. Greeting card scrapbook, 1974-1989 [1 of 2]
18. Greeting card scrapbook, 1974-1989 [2 of 2]
Box 2
19. Alice [Alice in Wonderland [play]
20. And Friends [play]
21. Audition [play]
22. Bartholomew Cubbins [play]
23. Bingo
24. Bintelbrief [Letters about friendship from readers of Bintelbrief]
25. Carnival [play]
26. Cycles [play]
27. Fairbund…and Friends [play]
28. A Gay Play – Untitled
29. In Pursuit of Happiness [play]
30. Joan [ Joan of Arc play]
31. Lesbians and Gays on Stage – Retrospective
32. Midsummer Night’s Dream [play]
33. Once Upon a Kingdom [play]
34. Peter and the Wolf [play]
35. Patchwork ’83 [play]
36. Patchwork ’84 [play]
37. Peter Pan [play]
38. Pinocchio [play]
39. Scapino [play]
40. Should Have Been a Love Play [play]
41. Sound of Music [play]
42. Spoon River Anthology [play]
43. S. R. O.: An Historical Presentation of American Theater
44. Stella [Adler]
45. Transformations [play]
46. Yiddish Theater Play
47. Miscellaneous scripts
48. [Plays and musicals – School productions, 1968-1986]
49. Unexpected company -incorporation and legal business, 1977-1980
50. [Unexpected Company – contracts and administration]
51. [Unexpected Company – correspondence 1976-1984]
52. [Unexpected Company – graphics, flyers, promotional materials]
53. [Unexpected Company – stage directions]
Box 3
54. Unexpected Company – The Book [1 of 2]
55. Unexpected Company – The Book [2 of 2]
56. [Theater scrapbook]
57. [Costume sketches]
58. Children’s Theater Workshop
59. [Hruska biographical information]
60. [Calendar 1990]
61. Contract to create change [contract with himself]
62. Medical – completed files
63. Medical Blood Project [HIV test results, bloodwork]
64. Fire Island [lease etc.]
65. [Arthur Goodman birthday party]
66. Blue Book, November 1985 – October 1986 [financial records]
67. Evaluations [of Hruska at Jericho Public Schools]
68. [Jericho Public Schools curricula]
69. Jericho Public Schools curricula]
70. School Assembly [planning]
71. [Jericho Public Schools miscellaneous]
72. [Curriculum materials 1]
73. [Curriculum materials 2]
74. [Curriculum materials 3]
75. [Curriculum materials 4]
76. [Curriculum materials 5]
77. [British Integrated Day curriculum materials]
78. British Integrated Day
79. [Thinking About the 17th Century: Humanaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 1 of 2]
80. [Thinking About the 17th Century: Humanaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 2 of 2]
81. [Thinking About the 18th Century: Humanaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 1 of 5]
82. [Thinking About the 18th Century: Humanaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 2 of 5]
83. [Thinking About the 18th Century: Humanities Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 3 of 5]
Box 4
84. Thinking About the 18th Century: Humaniaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 4 of 5]
85. Thinking About the 18th Century: Humaniaties Curriculum for Grades 4 to 6, 1984. 5 of 5]
86. Speech therapy games
87. [C. W. Post syllabi and course work]
88. Term papers [C. W. Post School of Education]
89. [Academic work]
90. Papers for in-service – term papers
91. Survivors: Conversations with Upper Westsider [MSS of Backroom BBS [computer bulletin board]
92. Photos: family
93. Photos: Unexpected Company
94. School theater scrapbook
95. Photos: miscellaneous 35mm transparencies
VIDEO TAPE LIST
1. Three Wishes
2. Jack and the Beanstalk
3. To Mrs. Hruska: We Hope you Feel Better, Love, Mrs. Rocchio’s 6th grade class
4. Uncensored – Sixth grade play rehearsal, 1986
5. Arnold and Brian [News clip re: Sixth grade show, includes brief talk with Hruska]
6. Sixth grade Play, 1987
7. Fairlawn Rehearsal, 1990
8. This is Your Life [Drag show at Fire Island’s Ice Palace starring Bella]
9. Unexpected Company at F. L. High School [Fair Lawn, NJ, 15 Apr 1988]
10. The Sword and the Stone, 21 Jun 1988 – CCC Video Productions, Benay Phillips [Sixth grade play]
11. Unexpected Company Presents A Vaudeville for Children, 15 Jul 1987
AUDIO TAPE LIST
1. Peter and the Wolf recording, 7 inch reel
2. Emperors New Clothes production master complete, 7 inch reel
3. Emperors New Clothes master tape, 7 inch reel
4. Arnold’s Radio Program, 7 inch reel
5. Legends of Lovers, 7 inch reel
6. Pied Piper, 7 inch reel
7. Bartholomew Cubbins, July 1963; William Tell, September 1963; the Wizard of Oz, piano; 7 inch reel
8. Alice: Jackson School Production, 7 inch reel
9. VII ACA Seminar, April 1973, 7 inch reel
10. Mary Poppins, 7 inch reel
11. Peter and the Wolf, double copy, 7 inch reel
12. Spoon River, Montclair read through, 5 inch reel