Mabel Clare Allen Papers, 1911-1979 | Dr. JoAnn Rayfield Archives at Illinois State University

The Mabel Clare Allen Papers collection is arranged into two series by type of materials. The collection includes reports, programs, photographs, scrapbooks, marketing, correspondence, and manuscripts.

The Mabel Clare Allen Papers collection contains materials collected and created during Allen's affiliation with theatre at Illinois State Normal University. These materials include photographs, manuscripts, play programs, and scrapbooks.

Allen, Mabel Clare
Children's Theatre of Normal

Mabel Clare Allen was born on April 13, 1905 in Dunlap, Illinois. Allen received a B.A. from Bradley and an M.A. from Northwestern. In 1929, Allen became a member of the Department of Speech and Dramatics at Illinois State Normal University. She was the Director of Dramatics from 1929-1960. She directed all theatre productions at ISNU from 1930-1960. Allen also co-founded and directed the Children's Theatre of Normal which helped promote interest in theatre among the children of the community. Mabel Clare Allen directed the production of "The Lighter of the Flames" which was the pageant presented to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first graduating class. In 1957, the university celebrated its one-hundredth anniversary. Allen wrote and directed the Centennial year pageant entitled "With Faith in the Future." After stepping down from the theatre, Allen continued teaching speech at ISU until she retired in 1967. In 1968, Illinois State University named Allen Theatre in Centennial East after Mabel Clare Allen. Allen died in 1982. Author: Jenna Self

Allen, Mabel Clare, 1905-1982
Allen, Mabel Clare, 1905-1982. - Correspondence.
Children's Theater of Normal
College theater - Illinois - Normal - Photographs.
College theater - Illinois - Normal.
Illinois State University. Department of Theatre - Faculty.
Theater--Study and teaching (Higher)
Women in the theater - Illinois - Normal.