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Mario Fratti Collection

Collection 228

Fratti, Mario (1927–2023). Collection, 1957–1981, n.d.

2.5 feet

Mario Fratti was born on 5 July 1927 to Palmira Silvi and Leone Fratti in L’Aquila, Italy. He attended Ca’ Foscari in Venice where he received his doctorate in languages and literature in 1951. He served in the Italian Army in 1951-1952. In 1953 he married Lina Fedrigo. In 1964 he married Laura Dubman. Fratti passed away in 2023 and is survived by three children.

Mario Fratti devoted his life to the theater: writing plays. He has received many awards for his work. He came to the United States in 1964 and settled in New York. His plays have been published and staged in Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, New Zealand, South America, and the United States. He served as a professor of Romance Languages at Hunter College, City University of New York.

Jane Bonin published a book on Fratti. Paul Nolan edited a collection of some of his plays and wrote some unpublished essays on him. Both were members of the USL (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) English Department faculty. They established this collection on him.

The collection contains play scripts; articles, reviews, playbills, etc. on Fratti and his plays; the writings of Bonin and Nolan on Fratti; correspondence; and some research materials.

Series:

A. Writings  
  1. Plays 1-01 through 2-07
  2. Poems 2-08
  3. Plays translated into Italian by Fratti 2-09
B. Materials reflecting Fratti’s work in theater 2-10 through 2-14
C. Writings about Fratti 2-15 through 2-17
  1. Writings about Fratti by USL’s Nolan and Bonin 2-18 through 2-31
D. Correspondence and research materials 2-32 through 2-34

Inventory:

A. Writings: Plays by Fratti
1-01 Plays (A)
  A: one-act play. copyright 1957, 1976; script
    written first in Italian, translated by the author
  The Academy, translated by Raymond Rosenthal, copyright, 1967
    in Richards, Stanley, (ed.). Best Short Plays of the World Theatre: 1957-1967. New York: Crown Publishers: 87-95 [inscribe by Fratti to Nolan]; also pp. 14-29, no source
  Allende Y Olivares in Enact October 1973, No. 82 . 1 p.
    also p. 1 only of Finnish publication of play: 13 Oct. 1973
     
1-02 Plays (BE)
  The Belltower, n.d. Act 1 handwritten; act 2 typed [script, photocopy]
    handwritten notes on p. 1: “ Translated by a student of mine. I had no time to check it.”
    “First and only Xerox copy of a rough translation. You’re the first one to read it!”
  Betrayals - A Play in Two Acts c. 1969 in Drama & Theatre, v. 7, no. 3 [Department of English-Speech, State University College Fredonia, N.Y.]: 207-227
1-03 Plays (BI-BR)
  The Biggest Thief in Town (Six Passionate Women) - two acts, c. 1978
  Birthday c. 1976 First Prize, Arta Therme Theatre Award script, photocopy; also in Fault, 12 (Nov., 1977) no pagination; also Polish translation, p. 1 only
  The Bridge, c. 1967, no source: 410-426
  The Brothel, c. 1970, in The Mediterranean Review, vol. 11, no. 1 (Fall, 1971): 17-26
    reprint inscribed to Bonin; full issue inscribed to Nolan
    [See also:The Doorbell in 1-07]
     
1-04 Plays (CA-CO)
  The Cage, a play in two acts. c. 1968, reprint from Enact (April, 1971) 2 copies, 1 inscribed to Nolan
  Che Guevara, c. 1968, reprint from Enact, April, 1970 (3 copies: 1 inscribe to Nolan and 1 to Bonin)
  The Coffin (Confidenze A Pagamento), A One Act Play, c. 1970; thermofax copy
    corrected text
    [See also: 2-01]
1-05 Plays (CY)
  Cybele (The Gift Of A Name): A Musical Play in Three Acts - Book by Mario Fratti, Music and lyrics by Paul Dick. Inspired by Eschasseriaux, Bernard. “Les Dimanches De Ville-D’Avray. ” c. Paul Dick 1963, 1964, c. 1969 Mario Fratti and Paul Dick.
    Unpublished script
     
1-06 Plays (DE)
  Dead Man’s Bluff Three Acts , n.d., unpublished; 46 pp.
    handwritten notes: “First written in Italian. First draft in English. No time to fix it now.”
1-07 Plays (DO)
  Dolls No More c. 1973 in Drama & Theatre, v. 11, # 2 (Winter, 1972-73) Department of English, State University College Fredonia, NY: 114-117
  The Doorbell - A One Act Play, c.1970, reprint The Ohio University Review, v 12, # 2 (1971): 15-32 (2 copies)
    [See also: The Brothel]
     
1-08 Plays (E)
  Eleonora Duse. New York: Breakthrough Press, [1967]
     
1-09 Plays (FL)
  Flowers From Lidice a one-act play, c. 1965, 1972 in Dramatics (Oct., 1972): 5-8
1-10 Plays (FR)
  The Friday Bench A One Act Play, c. 1970. First Prize “Citta’ di Milano” 1970; script (2 copies)
    [See also: 2-01]
     
1-11 Plays (G-H)
  The Gift A Play In One Act. Houston: Edgemoor Publishing Company c. 1963, 1970
    [See also: 2-01]
  Half in Other Stages, 15 January 1981: 11; also article “Two for Nine” about Fratti production
  Her Voice A One-Acter, c. 1977 - reprinted by courtesy of the author by Laura Dubman Agency, 4 pp. including several articles about Fratti and reviews of plays
     
1-12 Plays (LE-MAD)
  The Letter c. 1972 in Wind, v. 4, # 14 (1974) 4 pp 2 copies of offprint: 1 inscribed to Bonin; 1 copy of full publication: Fratti play pp. 55-59
  Madam Senator Mario Fratti’s New Musical, music & lyrics by Ed Scott, c. 1975
    script, photocopy
     
1-13 Plays (MAF)
  Mafia (the White Widow) A Play in Two Acts. Newark, Del: The Proscenium Press, 1971 (2 copies)
    [See also: The White Widow]
1-14 Plays (MAN-ME)
  The Many Faces of Heinz A. Küssingar, c. 1975, in ENACT Plays # 116-117, (Aug.-Sept.,1976) 16 pp., photocopy; handwritten note “I just received this copy from India.”
  Messages, c. 1977 offprint from Wind/Literary Journal, v. 7, # 24 (1977) 4 pp. (2 copies)
1-15 Plays (MO)
  The Moroccan Dagger A play in three acts, c. 1962 heavily edited; handwritten note “A poor translation.” script, photocopy
     
1-16 Plays (O)
  The Only Good Indian ... by Mario Fratti and Henry Salerno, music by Judith Meyer, c. 1975, Drama & Theatre Department of English State University College Fredonia, n.d. (3 copies: 1 inscribed to Nolan, 1 inscribe to Bonin)
  The Only Good Indian ... A play by Mario Fratti and Henry Salerno, c. 1974 script, photocopy
  Originality A One act play. in The Penny Dreadful, Spring 1977 (Bowling Green, OH)
    [anthology of several short plays, poems, interviews etc.]
  Originality a one act play, c 1974 script, photocopy
  The Other One a minidrama, c 1970 script, photocopy
     
1-17 Plays (PA)
  Fratti, Mario Patty Hearst y otras piezas de vanguardia. (Barcelona: Editorial Bruguera, S. A., 1977; inscribed to Bonin
  Patty Hearst A play in One Act, reprint from Enact, Jan-Feb., 1975 10 pp.
  Patty Hearst, c. 1975 script, photocopy
     
1-18 Plays (PI)
  The Piggy Bank A One Act Play, c. 1976 script, photocopy (2 copies)
  The Piggy Bank in Scholia Satyrica, v. III, No. 4, (Autumn, 1977) [Department of English, University of South Florida]: 3-12 full publication and reprint
     
1-19 Plays (RE)
  The Refrigerators, c. 1969 reprint (2 copies) and galley from Modern International Drama, v. III, No. 1 (1970), The Pennsylvania State University Press; 1 reprint inscribed to Nolan
  The Refusal A Play In One Act, reprint from Poet Lore - A Quarterly Of World Literature, n.d.: 368-380; photocopy, inscribed to Nolan
  The Return A One Act Play, English version by Robert W. Corrigan and Mario Fratti, c.1961, reprint, no source; inscribed to Nolan
1-20 Plays (RO)
  The Roman Quest A Play in Three Acts c. 1968; script, photocopy
    1st prize International Competition for Christian Drama, 1968
     
1-21 Plays (SE-SP)
  The Seducers A Musical by Mario Fratti and Ed Scott, based on Fratti’s “Academy”, Book by Mario Fratti, Music and Lyrics by Ed Scott, c. 1974; script
  Il Settantacinquesimo, minidrama in Arcoscenico, v. 19, # 1 (1972); photocopy
  The Seventyfifth, c. 1973; typescript, photocopy
  Slaves two acts; typescript; inscribed to Nolan
  Spies a One Act Play, c. 1962; 1976; script, photocopy; note to Nolan
     
1-22 Plays (TA-THI)
  The Third Daughter A Play in Three Acts, translated by Adrienne S. Mandel, reprint from Stage, A Quarterly of New Drama, Purdue University, Fall, 1966, includes An Interview with Mario Fratti pp. 139-157; 2 copies
1-23 Plays (THR)
  Three Beds (a satirical play on masculinity), c 1975-1977; script, photocopy
1-24 Plays (TW-V)
  Two Women a one-act play, c 1978 typescript, 2 pp.
  Unique in Ann Arbor Review, no. 13 (1971) with comment on actors by Fratti: 12-25; inscribed to Nolan
  The Victim, c. 1970; script, photocopy
  The Victim, translated by Mario Fratti (Italian), Modern International Drama, the magazine of contemporary international drama in translation, v. 12, # 2 (Spring, 1979) [State University of New York at Binghamton]: 13-49
     
1-25 Plays (WA)
  Waiting A play in One Act, reprint from Poet Lore, A quarterly of World Literature, v. 63, # 3 (Autumn,1968): 330-342; 2 copies [1 inscribed to Nolan] 1 photocopy
1-26 Plays (WH)
  The White Widow a.k.a. Mafia a play in two acts script with notes about sounds
    See also: [Mafia]
1-27 Plays (WI)
  The Wish A play in One Act, copyright 1965, 1970. Houston: Edgemoor Publishing Company, n.d.
  The Wish A one Act Play, c. 1965. Reprint from Religious Theatre Number 6, Five Short Plays. Wichita: The Mennonite Press, n.d.: 7-29
    See also: 2-01
     
1-28 Plays: Multiple plays (A-E)
  “Chile 1973,” Enact, No. 82 (Oct., 1973) includes Fratti plays: Allende Y Olivares; Pablo Neruda: The Satraps; El Americano
  Enact, no. 70, (Oct., 1972) includes Fratti plays: The Chinese Friend A play in One Act, pp. 1-7; The Family A play in Four Scenes. pp.7-18; also interview with Fratti
     
2-01 Plays: Multiple plays (FO)
  4 Plays By Mario Fratti, Introduction by Paul T. Nolan. Houston: Edgemoor Publishing Company, 1972
    The Gift; The Wish; The Coffin; The Friday Bench
     
2-02 Plays: Multiple plays (I-J)
  Bulletin of the Italian National Theatre Guild, v . 13, # 1, (March, 1964) “Italian Theatre Review: Revue du Théâtre Italien,” Fratti biography; L’Accademia,(The Academy); Il Ritorno (The Return); Confidenze a pagamento (The Coffin); In Attesa (Waiting); La telefonata (The Gift) [each play in both English and French]
  Janus, v. 3, # 1 (March, 1972): Too Much: 13-17; The Girl With A Ring On Her Nose: 16-17; Games: 17
    [issue also includes an article by Paul T. Nolan, “From Script to Stage.”]
     
2-03 Plays: Multiple plays (N)
  Fratti-New Italian Theatre: The Seducers, The Roman Guest. Orazero: Rome, 1972
   
2-04 Plays: Multiple plays (R)
  Races - Six Short Plays by Mario Fratti. Newark, Del.: Proscenium Press, 1972 [The Short Play Series, No. 5]
    Rapes; Fire; Dialogue With A Negro; The Refusal; White Cat; The Other One
     
2-05 Plays: Multiple plays (S)
  Scene Americaine : Atti unici per gli anni ottanta - 15, Collana Theatrale Moderna. Editrice Tusculum, n.d.
    Il Bavaglio (1973); Figlie (19730; Il Salvadanaio (1973); Originalità (1973); Indiani (1972); David, Figlio Di Sam (La Crociata) (1978); L’Anniversario (1973)
     
2-06 Plays: Multiple plays
  Birthday (1976); The Piggy Bank (1976); Originality (1974)
    scripts in 3 ring binder (photocopies); Fratti address sticker on front page
     
2-07 Plays: Multiple plays
  The Girl With Ring On Her Nose; Games; Too Much. printed
  Messages; The Girl With A Ring On Her Nose; Too Much. script
     
A. Writings: Other
2-08 Poems by Fratti
    New Faces. Hunter College, Italian Series, n.d. 24 pp. inscribed by Fratti to Bonin
    Poems by Mario Fratti (translations) (photocopies)
2-09 Bonin, Jane F. Il Magliore Dei Mondi Possibili, n.d.
    Contract for Fratti and Masolina D’Amico to translate Bonin plays into Italian
     
C. Materials about Fratti plays
2-10 clippings, articles [mainly NYC publications] [originals and photocopies]
    announcements of performances; reviews
    some annotations by Fratti and possibly Bonin or Nolan
2-11 clippings, articles: mainly non-NYC publications; publicity flyers of reviews [mainly photocopies]
2-12 clippings, articles: foreign language [photocopies]
    mainly Italian; some German
2-13 programs, playbills, or schedules
2-14 bibliographies of Fratti writings
     
C. Material about Fratti
2-15 publications about Fratti
    bibliography lists; articles
2-16 Fratti interviews, essays, articles on speeches
2-17 writings about Fratti
    Players, Dec.-Jan., 1976 Migone, Mario B. “Mario Fratti and The Theatre of Entrapment”: 46-53
    Nolan, Paul T. review of 4 Plays by Mario Fratti, The Round Table of the South Central College English Association, v. 13, # 4 (October, 1972): 1, 4
2-18 papers on Fratti by Paul T. Nolan (all typescripts)
2-19 Bonin manuscript : prospectus; preface, chronology
2-20 Bonin manuscript: Chapter I
    numerous drafts
2-21 Bonin manuscript: Chapter II
2-22 Bonin manuscript: Chapter II
2-23 Bonin manuscript: Chapter III
2-24 Bonin manuscript: Chapter IV
2-25 Bonin manuscript: Chapter V
2-26 Bonin manuscript: Chapter VI
2-27 Bonin manuscript: Chapter VII
2-28 Bonin manuscript: Chapter VIII
2-29 Bonin manuscript: Chapter IX and Conclusion
2-30 Bonin manuscript: Notes and References, Selected Bibliography
2-31 Bonin manuscript: galley, 1982
   
D. Correspondence and research materials
2-32 Correspondence, 1971-1981
    1971 - 1972, n.d.: Nolan and Edgemoor Publishing Company
    1978 - 1981, n.d.: Bonin and publisher; Bonin and Fratti
2-33 Research: handwritten notes, 1976, n.d.
    notes of interviews with Fratti and writings on him: probably taken by Bonin
2-34 Research: information about individual plays