The fonds consists of records pertaining to the operetta, Ryerson Opera Workshop, otherwise dubbed ROW, including programmes, notices and advertisements, newspaper articles and reviews, and a 1967 audio tape from The Wizard of Oz.
Established in 1951 by Jack McAllister, at the time faculty in the English Department, and in the continuing role of director-in-chief, the Workshop was an institute-wide, student endeavour from production crew to cast members.
Financial upsets were occasionally felt, with no Workshop performed usually because the Student Administrative Council felt it could not support the show.
The productions were as follows:
1952, March – Down in the Valley and The Devil and Daniel Webster (at Riverdale Collegiate)
1953, March – Beggar's Opera (at Riverdale Collegiat)e
1953, November – Brigadoon (at Bloor Collegiate)
1954 – Madamoiselle Angot (at Bloor Collegiate)
1955 / ‘56 – Trial By Jury and HMS Pinafore, (at Ryerson Hall Theatre)
1956 / ’57 – no production
1958, March – The Gondaliers (at Hart House)
1958 / ’59 - – no production, no funding from Student Admisitrative Council
1960, March – Finian’s Rainbow (at Hart House)
1961, March – The Boys from Syracuse (at Hart House)
1962 – Beggar’s Opera (at Ryerson Hall Theatre)
1963 – Once Upon A Mattress(last musical at Ryerson Hall Theatre)
1964 – Brigadoon (first ROW performance in newly constructed Ryerson Theatre)
1965 – no production
1966, March – Kiss Me Kate / November – Bye Bye Birdie
1967, November – The Wizard of Oz
1968, November – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1969, November – Peter Pan
1970, November – Alice in Wonderland
1971, Nov / Dec – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
1972, November – Sinbad and the Mermaid
1973, November – Red Riding Hood
1974, November – George, Gertie and the Garbage Grabbers
1975 – no production
1976, November – Stick With Molasses
