THREE-PAGE AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO PRODUCER JEAN DALRYMPLE SIGNED BY AMERICAN CHOREOGRAPHER AGNES DE MILLE. by De Mille, Agnes. (c. 1905-1993). Innovative American choreographer - [1972].

New York: circa [1972]., [1972].. Very good. - Letter penned in blue ink and filling just over three sides of two sheets of her cream-colored personalized letterhead with her married name "Agnes De Mille Prude" and address printed in blue at the top. Signed "Agnes". A red crayon mark on the 4th side was probably made by the recipient. Folded once for mailing. Near fine.

De Mille writes to producer Jean Dalrymple about an upcoming trip to Vienna, sending her personal publicity [not here present] for the engagement, and for a book "Speak to Me, Dance with Me". De Mille choreographed City Center revivals of "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel", produced by Jean Dalrymple, and restaged "Carousel with the Volksoper company in Vienna in 1972. She mentions various aspects of the Vienna engagement--where she will be staying, that "Walter [her husband Walter Prude] is getting panicky about scenery" and "Try to see Alvin Ailey's sound man" [Ailey being director of the well-known African American dance company]. She also writes about the performing arts center in Fairfax County, Virginia: "I'm getting cold feet about Wolf Trap. Ambler [?] doesn't particularly want us. Although Walter says they can be forced into one performance."

The innovative American choreographer Agnes de Mille was the daughter of William C. DeMille and the niece of the legendary Hollywood film director Cecil B. DeMille. She was also the granddaughter of the famous economist Henry George. She first choreographed the movie "Cleopatra" in 1934, though most of the dance scenes were cut from the film. She began a long-lived association with the American Ballet Theatre in 1939. Her 1942 ballet "Rodeo", choreographed to the score by Aaron Copland, was performed by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She choreographed the stage and screen version of the musical "Oklahoma!" and created dances for the stage performances of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", "Paint Your Wagon", etc.

The recipient, Jean Dalrymple (1902-1998) was the dynamic producer and director of theater and light-opera at Manhattan's City Center. Dalrymple began her career in Vaudeville, appearing with James Cagney and Cary Grant in the early 1930s. She was a founding member of the American Theatre Wing, the theatre service organization. She worked over the years as a personal manager for the likes of Leopold Stokowski, Mary Martin, Jose Iturbi, Andre Kostalanetz, Nathan Milstein, and Lily Pons. She began her work at City Center with its founding in 1943, serving as a board member, producer, and publicist. Her productions there from the 1940s through the 1960s were a revitalizing influence on the whole New York theatre scene. In 1951, Jean Dalrymple married Major-General Philip deWitt Ginder, commander of the Thunderbirds in Korea. She was a friend to Presidents and entertainment personalities throughout the world.