Martha Graham. Inscribed Program for Her First Cincinnati Appearance, 1942

Published by J.H. THurman/Cincinnati Dance Guild and Society of Modern Art, Cincinnati, 1942

About this Item

Program for a Martha Graham and Company performance held at Cincinnati?s Emery Auditorium on March 15, 1942. Inscribed prominently on the front panel: Barbara Effron?Best wishes for your dancing/Martha Graham. 8vo (6? x 8?), single sheet folded to 4 pages.

A rare survival from what contemporary press accounts confirm as Graham?s first appearance in Cincinnati, presented under the auspices of J.H. Thuman in association with the Cincinnati Dance Guild and the Society of Modern Art. The program documents a fully developed early repertory moment?El Penitente, Letter to the World, and Punch and the Judy?with cast lists intact, including a young Merce Cunningham in formative roles.

The recipient of the inscription, Barbara Effron (b. 1937), was a Cincinnati child at the time of the performance, likely studying dance locally. Graham?s inscription??Best wishes for your dancing??thus records a direct and personal moment: the leading figure of modern dance encouraging a young student encountered at her debut appearance in the city. Effron would later pursue a career in the visual arts, working as a corporate art director and as a designer for Dover Publications.

Physically, a fragile wartime survival printed on inexpensive stock. Folded once horizontally, with minor separations beginning at the fold, light creasing and chipping, and even toning. A small area of discoloration at the left margin from an early mount, residual from being sandwiched in glass for preservation. The top and bottom margins were likely trimmed to fit in the glass framing. The inscription remains bold and visually prominent.

Programs from Graham?s early touring years are scarce. Examples tied to a documented first appearance, and further distinguished by a personalized inscription of this character?linking the artist to a named young participant in the audience?are distinctly uncommon. No references for this program in the market or the OCLC were located. Especially resonant in this centennial year of the company.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1778184392404

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Martha Graham. Inscribed Program for Her First Cincinnati Appearance, 1942
• Publisher: J.H. THurman/Cincinnati Dance Guild and Society of Modern Art, Cincinnati
• Publication Date: 1942
• Language: English
• Binding: No Binding
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Good
• Dimensions: 6W x 8H x 0.01D inches 6 inches width by 8 inches height by 0.01 inches depth
• Weight: 1 ounce
• Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Signature
  • Ephemera
  • Performing Arts