Terry Helbing Papers

Provenance

Approximately 15 feet of records and personal papers received from the Estate of Terry Helbing on May 24, 1994. Rachel Green, executor of estate.

Scope and Content

Approximately 15 feet of materials housed in 15 boxes. The records relate mostly to Meridian Theatre and gay theatrical productions and spans the period from the 1960’s to the early 1990’s, focused primarily in the late 1970’s to the mid 1980’s. The collection consists primarily of scripts, articles, letters, press releases, programs, posters, financial information, reviews, mailing lists, photographs (headshots, stills, contact sheets), and audio cassettes. In addition, the collection contains personal papers, newspaper clippings of personal interest, mailing lists from a gay bowling league, and information about the Gay Presses of NY and JH Press. Before processing, the materials were placed in folders and organized by play or subject (e.g. “Invoices”); however, there was also haphazard placement. An effort has been made to retain Helbing’s arrangement, but most material not relating to gay and lesbian activity was removed, in accordance with the repository’s general policy. The collection will provide extensive information to researchers interested in records regarding gay theatre in NY during the 1970’s to early 1980’s; including productions of the Meridian Theater, the Gay Theatre Alliance, and the Gay Presses of New York.

History or Bio

Terry Helbing was born on May 21, 1951 and grew up in East Dubuque, Illinois. He began working and acting in Theater in 1966, and Gay Theater in 1973. He graduated from Emerson College in 1973 with a BA in Dramatic Arts and acted in Boston and New England with the touring company of Jonathan Ned Katz’s “Coming Out.” Mr. Helbing served as Managing Editor of The Drama Review for four years beginning in 1977 and contributed to many theatrical and gay and lesbian publications, including “The Advocate” and “TheaterWeek”. He was theater editor at “New York Native” from 1981 until his death, and he contributed a weekly theater news column at “Stonewall News”. In 1979, he was founder and publisher of the JH Press (named for his father, John Helbing), which became the drama division of the Gay Presses of NY. GPNY was also started by Helbing in conjunction with Felice Picano and Larry Mitchell in 1982 and they published Harvey Fierstein’s successful “Torch Song Trilogy”, among others. In addition, he cofounded the Gay Theatre Alliance, an international organization dedicated to the growth of gay theatre by connecting theater companies and playwrights through a quarterly newsletter. He served as President of the organization and edited the “Gay Theatre Alliance Directory of Gay Plays”. Helbing also played in a gay bowling league. Helbing co-founded the Meridian Gay Theatre Produciton Company in 1983 with Terry Miller and together they produced plays and musicals with gay and elsbian themes. The Meridian’s most immediate parent was The Glines (founded in 1976 by John Glines), which was an off-off Broadway theatre and Production Company. The Glines was turned over to Helbing and Miller and, through a generous grant, they started the Meridian which became the only continuously operating gay theatre with a homebase on the East Coast. Helbing became Artistic Director but was largely responsible in all areas. The Company moved into the Shandol Theatre at 137 W. 22nd Street and produced a number of plays including “Stray Dog Story” by Robert Chesley and “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove” by Jane Chambers. They initiated a Playwrights and Directors Series which featured staged readings of new plays nad they sponsored a national gay playwriting contest every year. Terry Helbing passed away from AIDS on March 28, 1994 in New York City.

Folder List