Director and Augustana graduate Philip Wm. McKinley discussed his recitation of the Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” during a reception last week.
McKinley donated his papers from his career as a director that presents the 126 boxes filled with scores of musicals, newspaper clippings, scripts and playbills equaling to 72.125 linear feet.
“The most rewarding aspect of (directing ‘Spider-Man’) was saving 350 jobs,” said McKinley. “All of those performers and the crew and the ushers and all that had worked for three years.”
Until Dec. 12, Special Collections, located on the first floor of the Thomas Tredway library, is featuring the exhibit “From Avon to Broadway: Selections from the Philip Wm. McKinley papers.”
According to Special Collection’s online edition of the McKinley papers, the materials cover McKinley’s work from 1955-2013.
The reception for the exhibit was on Dec. 4, where he answered questions and commented on the materials presented. McKinley has directed for multiple circuses, including the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey, and Broadway productions including “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” that’s playing in New York until Jan. 4.
“I keep telling people I wanted to clean out my garage,” said McKinley, referring to why he donated his collection.
Kai Swanson, the executive assistant to the president of Augustana, urged McKinley to donate the papers to the college after he called Swanson and said he wanted to “get rid of” his papers.
According to Special Collections librarian Sarah Horowitz, the McKinley papers is the third largest assortment in the collection, “I think it’s a really visually appealing exhibit,” said Horowitz. “It’s sparkly and has a lot of fun stuff, and I think it’s a great introduction to the collection, since the collection is huge.”
McKinley moved back to the Quad Cities in 2010, before directing “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” to, as he put it, “get out of the business.”
“I love living in the Quad Cities,” said McKinley. “I like the normalcy of it. I love New York, and I love living in it, and I keep an apartment there because it’s fun to go back, but I was raised in the Midwest, and it’s slower and quieter here.”
Still, McKinley directed “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark” and is directing the play “A Green River” at Augustana that’s about a solider who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from a tour. There are shows Wednesday through Sunday.
Contract technician Annie Tunnicliff, who was hired by Special Collections to organize the Philip Wm. McKinley papers, started to organize the collection in March and finished in August.
“There’s so much variety in (McKinley’s) career,” said Tunnicliff. “Any aspect you’re looking for in theatre, you should be able to find something here to help you.”
McKinley says that he even is referred to as a “stage managing director,” because he invests in “all aspects of production.”
“I’m a control freak,” said McKinley, in reference to his choice to direct. “It’s simple. I preferred sitting in the audience and watching, and the reward of watching someone else up there.”
After the exhibit closes on Dec. 12, students can still view the donated materials by asking for them in Special Collections. The papers are also available online through Special Collection’s website.