May 4, 1963

Dear Miss Abramson:

I'd love to see Juanita, but since all my play scripts, theatre files, and relavant materials are here at my studio, it might be better if you came here in case we wanted to refer to something while we are talking. 5 P. M. is about the best time for me, almost any afternoon, so I suggest you phone me around that time someday next week and we can set up an appointment: LE. 4:02-05:2.

I'm been inquiring among old freinds of Thurman's to see if I can track down HARLEM. No luck so far. His former wife (divorced before Thurman died) never had a script, but suggests perhaps his one-time landlady and friend might have, or could help track one down: Mrs. Iolanthe Sidney, 1925 Seventh Avenue, New York, (MO. 2-5871), so you might contact her. Also another friend: Bruce Nugent, 1181 Union Avenue, Bronx 59, New York. (LU. 9-0293). These are the only friends of Thurman I have not myself already contacted in this regard. The original script (which I once read) we all felt was better than the Broadway adaption made with Rapp (who died) but perhaps his wife is still living, or one of the producers of the play, or the agent---if you could discover who the agent was.

Your PROBECTUS is most interesting. Error on Page 4: I was not an active member of NEGRO PLAYWRIGHTS, was in California or someplace most of time it functioned, did not get sued by creditors when the breakup came. I had, as I recall, only honorary or advisory listing on the letterhead.....Page 6: SOURCES might well include the James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection at Yale.....SOURCES 3 might include interviews with William Branch, Alice Childress, Loften Mitchell who all had plays performed, I believe, before 1959. Also Ruth Jett in charge of the theatre group at Club Baron who did my JUST A LITTLE SIMPLE as adapted by Alice Childress, and FLORENCE and other very good one-actors there.

As an off-Broadway production I think my Harlem Suitcase Theatre presentation of my DON'T YOU WANT TO BE FREE? might be considered. It had the longest run of any dramatic show in Harlem so far, 135 performances, weekends over a period of almost two years. Is still being performed: Talladega last month, Los Angeles last week in its revised Centennial version; San Francisco and Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, scheduling it also for this year......My I WONDER AS I WANDER has an account of the Broadway production of MULATTO in it. MULATTO is currently being done in both Tokyo and Madrid.....SIMPLY HEAVENLY, my play with music (not a musical) might come within your scope; 1957 both off-Broadway and on at the Playhouse. Numerous productions elsewhere in college and little theatre......If you consider Karamu Theatre in Cleveland off-Broadway, various of my plays done there.....OUR LAN' was by Theodore Ward (Page 10).....LAND BEYOND THE RIVER (Mitchell) and TROUBLED IN MIND (Childress) should be added to your 1950s lists.

Looking forward to seeing you,

Sincerely,

(N)
D&Abamson
314 W. 105 St.
N.Y. 25, N.Y.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127 Street
New York 35, N.Y.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
Amherst

1 February 1965

Dear Langston Hughes:

I was sorry to learn that you cannot
attend our party. Maybe another year.

I didn't get around to calling you in
N.Y., because I lived at libraries and
theatres--and anyway I'd received your
answer about the party.

Now I am writing mainly to enclose this
copy of a note from Hallie Flanagen Davis.
I was really touched, as I'm sure you
will be. She is in a nursing home,
suffering from Parkinson's disease. It
is a terrible thing to think of for this
brave little woman.

I'm afraid our friend Juanita has been
having a bad time of it, too. Trouble
with her eyes. I don't have her address
here at the office, but I'll get it for
you soon. She's been staying with friends
at 157th St., but I didn't hear in N.Y.
that she has found an apt. I hope so.

Good luck with your work. I appreciate
all your kindnesses.

DORIS E. ABRAMSON

R. F. D. 2 AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

20 April 1965

Dear Langston:

Thanks for sending along the excerpt from the
Donald Dickinson thesis. We've written to him
about it, but I wanted to thank you personally
and to approach you about another matter.

I am a member of the personnel committee in my
department, representing the theatre area of
the Speech Department. What I am wondering is
if you ever consider or would consider being
a visiting lecturer at such a university as ours.
It occurs to me that we could use a man of your
background and experience, and so I am writing
on the chance that you might be able to get away
from New York for a year or so (maybe even a
semester?) and join us in Academia. If such
a proposition interests you at all, please let
me know and I'll start the ball rolling here.

Our theatre program is small, but we have some
good young men on the staff (2 directors, a techni-
cal man, a designer, two of us who also teach oral
 interp. of literature) + me, and we have just
begun an M.F.A. program. We could use someone of
your stature and what shall I call it--notoriety?
Your experience as a playwright, a man of the
professional theatre, would make you very important
for our students.

So--let me know what you think of such a propo-
stion.