Smith and Kraus

Smith and Kraus
Name	Smith and Kraus
Founded	1975
Founders	Michael Smith; Paul Kraus
Country	United States
Headquarters	New Jersey
Publications	Books; Educational Materials; Sheet Music; Anthologies

Smith and Kraus

Smith and Kraus is an American independent publishing company established in the mid-1970s with a focus on educational materials, theatrical texts, and anthologies for performance and classroom use. The company became known for producing collections of plays, improvisation exercises, and songbooks that served practitioners associated with New Jersey regional theaters, Off-Broadway companies, and university programs such as Yale School of Drama, Juilliard School, and New York University. Over decades it interacted with a wide network including actors from Broadway, directors from Lincoln Center, and educators connected to institutions like Harvard University and Columbia University.

History

Smith and Kraus was founded in 1975 during a period of expansion for independent publishing and small-press theatrical materials in the United States. The firm emerged alongside contemporaries such as Samuel French, Dramatists Play Service, and Heinemann during a time when Off-Off-Broadway and regional theater movements required accessible scripts, exercise manuals, and compilations. Early catalogs emphasized compilations for student performers and community theaters, aligning with pedagogical trends evident at Boston University, Northwestern University, and Southern Methodist University. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the company expanded distribution networks reaching libraries like the Library of Congress and theater archives associated with Lincoln Center Library and the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Founders and Key Personnel

Founders Michael Smith and Paul Kraus brought backgrounds in publishing, theatrical production, and music publishing. Michael Smith had prior contacts with editors at Random House and producers linked to Circle in the Square Theatre, while Paul Kraus maintained relationships with arrangers and songwriters who worked on Broadway revivals and regional productions. Over the years the executive team included editors and rights managers who negotiated with playwrights represented by agencies such as William Morris Agency and Creative Artists Agency, and collaborated with composers who had credits on projects with companies like Disney Theatrical Group and Lincoln Center Theater.

Publications and Catalog

The Smith and Kraus catalog comprises anthologies of short plays, compilations of improvisational games, collections of songs for educational use, and themed syllabi for performance workshops. Titles often catered to repertory performers associated with venues such as Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Public Theater, and Guthrie Theater. Their catalogs included works suitable for festivals like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, competitions like the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, and curricula used at conservatories including Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The firm produced both commercial editions and classroom packs for programs at institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and California Institute of the Arts.

Influence and Legacy

Smith and Kraus influenced generations of performers, directors, and teachers by providing accessible materials that supported training at conservatories and community theaters. The company’s publications were used by alumni from New York University, Yale School of Drama, and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art who later joined ensembles at companies like Steppenwolf Theatre Company and institutions like Lincoln Center. Its anthologies helped launch scenes published in seasonal festival programming at venues such as Shakespeare in the Park and influenced educators who wrote syllabi for programs at Juilliard School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Collectively, the imprint contributed to the infrastructure supporting productions linked to networks such as Off-Broadway and regional circuits that feed into national institutions like the Tony Awards ecosystem.

Business Operations and Distribution

Smith and Kraus operated through a combination of direct sales to educational institutions, partnerships with distributors serving bookstores and university presses, and relationships with rights clearance entities for performance licensing. Distribution partners included wholesale and retail channels that connected with stores like Barnes & Noble and academic distributors servicing libraries such as the Library of Congress and campus systems at University of California campuses. The company navigated licensing issues in collaboration with performing rights organizations and entities involved with theatrical licensing in the manner of services used by Samuel French and Dramatists Play Service for performance permissions and royalties.

Awards and Recognition

While not a major commercial conglomerate, Smith and Kraus received recognition from educational and theatrical communities for service to training and small-scale production. Their anthologies and pedagogical texts were cited in curricula at institutions including Harvard University, Yale School of Drama, and New York University, and were acknowledged in conference programs at gatherings like the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Individual editors and contributors associated with the company have received accolades and fellowships from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and awards tied to theatrical achievement such as regional honors connected to Drama Desk Awards and local theater foundations.

Category:Publishing companies of the United States Category:Educational publishing companies