Files of items relating to production of "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel, directed by Patrick Mason at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, designed by Joe Vaněk. Materials relates to original production at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin and also the Tony-Award winning Broadway production, and later subsequent productions.
File 1 includes a folder (Abbey Theatre branded) including colour polaroid photographs of furniture items for use on set in Dancing at Lughnasa with captions by Vaněk; printed flyer from the Irish tour of the play, with details of all venues and dates; printed invitation from Noel Pearson to a post-opening night party following the Broadway opening of the play; black and white photographic print from Dancing at Lughnasa, featuring Jane Brennan and [Anna Healy]; Letter on Dancing at Lughnasa headed paper, signed by Noel Pearson to Joe Vaněk in thanks for all work on "the journey to Broadway. . ." (24 Oct 1991). File also Includes draft poster; photographic print of field of wheat, and also assorted colour photographs, 6 inch X 4 inch, from production of the play at Abbey Theatre, Dublin. Also review of the play taken from Time magazine, 4 Nov 1991.
Theatre programmes from productions of Dancing at Lughnasa at Gaiety Theatre Dublin Spring 1993, National Theatre London; [1992]; Flyer mounted on card backing-board from Oxford Playhouse production, Spring/Summer 1992; Season programme from Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Bristol Old Vic. Also photocopy of Drama Desk Award Nomination Certificate 1991-1992 for Joe Vaněk for "Outstanding Set Design" for Dancing at Lughnasa.
File 2 includes press coverage of the Tony Awards ceremony and the awards won by Dancing at Lughnasa for Brian Friel, Patrick Mason and Brid Brennan, as well as wider articles and US reviews of the play. Also includes interview with Joe Vaněk about his work on design for the play.

Print-outs of colour images of stage design work by Joe Vaněk and submitted to the PQ (Prague Quadrennial), works include The Goat by Edward Albee; Performances and A Month in The Country by Brian Friel and What Happened Bridgie Cleary?

File includes black and white photographs taken during production of Northern Star at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast, design by Joe Vaněk, directed by Peter Farago. Also colour photographs of the set as constructed, taken by Joe Vaněk. Includes printed flyers advertising the production at the Lyric Theatre, Ridgeway Street, Belfast, and also production as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. Also MS letter from Vaněk to Gandon Editions with comments regarding selection of material for inclusion in his book, "Irish Theatrescapes". MS letter from John Kirwan to Vaněk sending negatives of images from the play.

File relating to production of The Recruiting Officer, produced at the Gate Theatre Dublin, designed by Joe Vaněk and directed by Patrick Mason. Includes black and white photographs of the production [taken during rehearsal], colour prints of the set taken by Joe Vaněk (with negatives). Also article with comments by Liz Heade, from 'Theatre Ireland' magazine, with images from the production and discussions on designs for the play by Vaněk. Press cutting of review of the production from the Sunday Tribune. Also includes printed programme from the production at the Gate Theatre.

Assorted printed programmes from productions at the Gate Theatre Dublin which were designed by Joe Vaněk. Programmes include: "A Woman of No Importance" by Oscar Wilde, July 1984; "Innocence: The Life of Caravaggio" by Frank McGuinness, October 1986; "The School for Scandal" by R.B. Sheridan (25 July 1989); "Peer Gynt", in a new version by Frank McGuinness, October 1988; "Molly Sweeney" by Brian Friel (Aug 1994); "Gates of Gold" by Frank McGuinness (Photocopy Only); "The Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, in a new version by Frank McGuinness (Photocopy only); "The Recruiting Officer" by George Farquhar (photocopy only); "Heartbreak House" by G.B. Shaw (Photocopy Only); "Bash" by Neil LaBute (March 2001); "Therese Raquin by Emile Zola, adapted by Nicholas Wright (Feb 2001); "The Shape of Things" by Michael Caven (Feb 2002); "The Price" by Arthur Miller. 2004; "Performances" by Brian Friel, (Sep 2003); "The Book of Evidence" by John Banville, adapted by Alan Gilsenan, June 2003; "The Speckled People" by Hugo Hamilton (2011); "The Mariner" by Hugo Hamilton (2014). Assorted flyers and handbills for productions as above also included.

Printed programmes, flyers, and handbills from productions at the Abbey Theatre, NUI Galway, which featured design work by Joe Vaněk. Programmes present for "Dancing at Lughnasa" by Brian Friel, 1999; "Angels in America" by Tony Kushner (1995); "Brian Friel: A Celebration" (1999); "Moses Rock" by Frank O'Connor and Hugh Hunt (1994); "Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme" by Frank McGuinness (1995/1995) Touring copy programme from "Observe the Sons of Ulster", Malvern Festival Theatre, 1996; "Wonderful Tennessee" by Brian Friel (1993); "Macbeth" by William Shakespeare (1996); "A Woman of No Importance" by Oscar Wilde (1996); "The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde" by Thomas Kilroy [1998]; "Love in the Title" by Hugh Leonard [2000]; "Abbey One Hundred" Series; "Brian Friel Festival" 1999.
Also present includes "Dancing at Lughnasa" (Apr 1990, Photocopy) by Brian Friel; "What Happened Bridgei Cleary" by Tom McIntyre (Photocopy); "The Brogan Jug" by John Banville (after Kleist, photocopy); "The Rivals" by R.B. Sheridan (Photocopy); "Saint Joan" by G.B. Shaw (Photocopy); "A Month in the Country" by Brian Friel (After Turgenev, Photocopy); "Aristocrats" by Brian Friel (Photocopy).

Programmes and flyers from productions by Landmark Productions and which included design work by Joe Vaněk. Programmes present for "Miss Julie", by August Strindberg in a version by Frank McGuinness (Project Arts Centre, Feb 2008); "Knives in Hens" by David Harrower (Smock Alley Theatre, 2009); "The Goat or Who is Sylvia?" by Edward Albee (Project Arts Centre, 2005); "Blackbird" by David Harrower (Project Arts Centre, 2007); "Skylight" by David Hare (2004, Project Arts Centre).

Printed programmes from productions which included design work by Joe Vaněk. Plays include "Happy Days" by Samuel Beckett (Corn Exchange Theatre Company, co production with Theatre Nationale Populaire, Lyon, Project Arts Centre, 2010); "Dubliners" by James Joyce (Corn Exchange Theatre Company, Dublin Theatre Festival, Draíocht, Blanchardstown); "The Book of Evidence" by John Banville, Kilkenny Arts Festival; "Grounded" by George Brant, Project Arts Centre, Siren Productions, Sep 2015; "Boston Marriage" by David Mamet, B*Spoke Theatre Company, Project Arts Centre, 2004; "A Moon for the Misbegotten" by Eugene O'Neill, Lyric Theatre Belfast, 2016. "Oedipus" by Sophocles, in a version by W.B. Yeats, produced by Druid Theatre Company. (1987).

File of programmes and magazines from theatre productions which feature design work by Joe Vaněk. Includes "Performing Arts Magazine", September 2001 and featuring cover image from San José Repertory Company production of "By the Bog of Cats" by Marina Carr; Playbill for "Molly Sweeney" by Brian Friel, Roundabout Theatre Company, Criterion Centre and Laura Pels Theatre, NY, from Gate Theatre Dublin, 1994; "Same Old Moon" by Geraldine Aron (Oxford Playhouse, [1988]); "Molly Sweeney" by Brian Friel, British Premiere, Almeida Theatre, London (Oct 1994); "Observe the Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme" (RSC/Abbey Theatre, 1996); programme from Melbourne Festival, November 1998; Barbican International Theatre Event - BITE 2000; Festival programme from "Go Wilde" Barbican Centre, London, 2001; Programme from production of "The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde" written by Thomas Kilroy, Barbican Centre, London, 2000; Awards booklet from the 1991 Laurence Olivier Awards, London; Printed guide to the Scotsman Edinburgh International Festival, 1995.

Files of press reviews of plays which feature design work by Joe Vaněk. Files 1-2 include press cuttings of reviews of plays connected to work by Vaněk; Files 3-4 includes press cuttings of interviews with Joe Vaněk. Files 5-6 are mainly coverage of the Irish and US production of Molly Sweeney by Brian Friel, designed by Joe Vaněk.