This is a research guide for finding materials on theater in the Greenfield Library at The University of the Arts. Reference materials are listed first, followed by a list of suggested subject headings for searching library catalogs. Periodical indexes to magazine articles and newspapers are next, followed by style manuals and finally Web sites. If you have questions about this topic please see the librarian's e-mail address at the end of this document.
If you're interested in theater you may also be interested in the Musical Theater Reference Sources guide for the UArts Music Library.
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites
The first place to look when beginning research on a topic is in reference material: specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias or handbooks. These allow you to check names, dates and places, find additional information, look up unknown terms, and check for the proper spelling of words. They are particularly helpful for finding basic background information on a topic, and are often the only place many students may need to look to find answers to their questions. They may include bibliographies (lists of additional materials on a topic, usually considered by the author to be the best materials on that topic) that you can use to find other materials.
Call numbers are for the Greenfield Library unless otherwise indicated. REF in front of a call number indicates the reference section of the library, which in Greenfield is opposite the circulation desk.
REFERENCE BOOKS || DIRECTORIES || CRITICISM
REFERENCE BOOKS
Simons, Linda Keir. The performing arts : a guide to the literature. Libraries Unlimited, 1994.
REF 016.7902 Si57p
"This book describes, evaluates, and compares reference sources in the performing arts. In defining the scope of the work I have concentrated on theatre and dance along with the minor arts of puppetry, mime, magic, and the circus. Because other guides in this series have dealt with music, film, and television, I have excluded them here. I have included musical comedy, however ... When evaluating books, I have considered the busy reference librarian who needs to find an answer quickly; the student who requires guidance through an unfamiliar subject; and the scholar who may need help in a field other than her specialty. ... I have emphasized performance above all, and this guide does not look at books that are primarily interested in drama as literature." Author's preface, p. vii. A guide to the literature is an attempt to describe the major information tools and resources in a particular discipline or subject area.
Acting : an international encyclopedia. Beth Osnes. Santa Barbara, California ; Denver Colorado : ABC-CLIO, c2001.
REF 790.203 Os5a
A better title would be Theater and Acting: An International Dictionary. Brief entries on people (including some film directors and actors), styles and forms of theater, geographical entries. Each entry has a short bibliography.
American playwrights since 1945 : a guide to scholarship, criticism, and performance / edited by Philip C. Kolin. New York : Greenwood Press, c1989.
REF 812.016 Am35g
Bordman, Gerald Martin. The Oxford companion to American theatre. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 1992.
REF 792.0973 B644 1992
Brewer's theater : a phrase and fable dictionary. 1st U.S. ed. HarperCollins, c1994.
REF 792.03 B758h 1994
Pavis, Patrice. Dictionary of the theatre : terms, concepts, and analysis. University of Toronto Press, 1998.
REF 792.03 P288d
Cambridge guide to American theatre / edited by Don B. Wilmeth and Tice L. Miller. Cambridge University Press, 1993.
REF 792.0973 C144w
The Cambridge guide to theatre. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
REF 792.03 C144b 1995
The Columbia encyclopedia of modern drama / edited by Gabrielle H. Cody and Evert Sprinchorn. NY: Columbia University Press, c2007.
REF 809.2003 C723c v.1-2
The concise Oxford companion to the theatre. 2nd ed. Edited by Phyllis Hartnoll and Peter Found. London, New York, Oxford University Press, 1992.
REF 792.03 Ox25c 1992
Leiter, Samuel L. The encyclopedia of the New York stage, 1920-1930. Greenwood Press, 1985.
REF 792.097471 L536e 1920-30 v. 1-2
Leiter, Samuel L. The encyclopedia of the New York stage, 1930-1940. Greenwood Press, 1989.
REF 792.097471 L536e 1930-40
The Encyclopedia of world theater : with 420 illustrations and an index of play titles / introd. by Martin Esslin. New York : Scribner, c1977.
REF 792.03 En19e
Harrison, Martin. The language of theatre. Routledge, 1998.
REF 792.03 H247l
McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of world drama : an international reference work in 5 volumes / Stanley Hochman, editor in chief. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y. : McGraw-Hill, c1984.
REF 809.2 M178h vols. 1-5
Oxford encyclopedia of theatre and performance / Edited by Dennis Kennedy. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2003
REF 792.03 Ox2k v. 1-2. See also the online version on our Research Tools and Resources page.
Selected theatre criticism / Edited by Anthony Slide. Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press, 1985-
REF 792.015 Se48 v. 1, 1900-1919; v. 2, 1920-1930; v. 3, 1930-1950..
Selected reprints (i.e., the entire review) of theater reviews for the years covered.
Theatre companies of the world / edited by Colby H. Kullman and William C. Young. Greenwood Press, 1986.
REF 792.092 T34k v. 1-2
"Contributors were asked to supply the following information in a clearly organized narrative essay: (1) the name and address of the company; (2) a general statement explaining the company's significance; (3) a brief history of the company ... ; (4) the achievements of certain playwrights who may have been associated with the company; (5) a philosophy or special purpose that might unify the company's approach to production; (6) the number of stages ...; (7) the future plans of the company." Preface, p. xiii.
The Crown guide to the world's great plays : from ancient Greece to modern times / by Joseph T. Shipley.
Rev., updated ed. New York : Crown Publishers, c1984.
REF 809.2 Sh64c 1984
Handbook of Russian literature. Edited by Victor Terras. New Haven : Yale University Press, c1985.
REF 891.703 H191t
The Oxford companion to classical literature. 2nd ed. Edited by M.C. Howatson. Oxford University Press, 1989.
REF 880.3 H26 1989
DIRECTORIES
To find information about specific theaters and theater companies you should consult many of the reference books listed above as well as these directories.
- American theatre companies, 1749-1887 / edited by Weldon B. Durham. Greenwood Press, 1986.
REF 792.0973 Am25d
- American theatre companies, 1888-1930 / edited by Weldon B. Durham. Greenwood Press, 1987.
REF 792.0973 Am25d2
- American theatre companies, 1931-1986 / edited by Weldon B. Durham. Greenwood Press, 1989.
REF 792.0973 Am25d3
- Directory of historic American theatres / edited by John W. Frick and Carlton Ward for the League of Historic American Theatres. Greenwood Press, 1987.
REF 792.0295 D628f
- Dramatists sourcebook. Theatre Communications Group, c1981- .
REF 792.0295 D79 2002-2003
- Regional theatre directory. Dorset Theatre Festival & Colony House, c1985- .
REF 792.0295 R263 1994-95
- Theatre companies of the world / edited by Colby H. Kullman and William C. Young. Greenwood Press, 1986.
REF 792.092 T34k
CRITICISM
The four literary criticism titles published by Gale listed below provide biographical information on authors, including playwrights, and excerpts of criticism. There are cumulating indexes and cumulating title indexes.
To find current theater reviews, consult the periodical indexes.
- Contemporary literary criticism. Gale Research, 1973- .
REF 809 C76
Contemporary Literary Criticism is also available online as one of the UArts Libraries' subscription databases.
- Nineteenth-century literature criticism. Gale Research, 1973- .
REF 809.034 N6225
- Twentieth-century literary criticism. Gale Research, 1973- .
REF 809.04 G131t
- Drama criticism : criticism of the most significant and widely studied dramatic works from all the world's literatures. Gale Research, c1991- .
REF 809.2 D79g vols. 1-10
- Analytical sourcebook of concepts in dramatic theory / Oscar Lee Brownstein and Darlene M. Daubert. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1981.
REF 801.952 B825a
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites || Top
Use the University Libraries catalog to find books, videos, CDs, scores, journal titles, etc. To locate all of the materials the library holds on a topic, it is most efficient to search by Subject. Use the following subject headings in the online catalog. Be careful to follow the exact spelling and form. These subject headings are standard and are used in most libraries.
These subject headings are linked to run the respective subject heading search in the University Libraries' online catalog.
ACTING--HISTORY
ACTORS
CLASSICAL DRAMA
COSTUME
COSTUME DESIGN
COSTUME DESIGN--HISTORY
COSTUME DESIGNERS
COSTUME--HISTORY
DRAMA--ENCYCLOPEDIAS
DRAMA--HISTORY AND CRITICISM
DRAMA--20TH CENTURY--HISTORY AND CRITICISM
EXPERIMENTAL THEATER
GREEK DRAMA
GREEK DRAMA (COMEDY)
GREEK DRAMA (TRAGEDY)
LATIN DRAMA
MASQUES
MUSIC HALLS
MUSICAL THEATER
REPERTORY THEATER
SCENE PAINTING
SET DESIGNERS
STAGE LIGHTING
STAGE MACHINERY
STAGE PROPS
THEATER ARCHITECTURE
THEATER--ENCYCLOPEDIAS
THEATER--ENGLAND--HISTORY
THEATER--ENGLAND--HISTORY--MEDIEVAL, 500-1500
THEATER--GREECE
THEATER--HISTORY
THEATER--HISTORY--16TH CENTURY
THEATER--HISTORY--20TH CENTURY
THEATER--HISTORY--MEDIEVAL
THEATER--PRODUCTION AND DIRECTION
THEATER--UNITED STATES--HISTORY
THEATERS
THEATERS--DESIGNS AND PLANS
THEATERS--SOUND EFFECTS
THEATERS--STAGE-SETTING AND SCENERY
THEATERS--UNITED STATES--DIRECTORIES
THEATRICAL MAKEUP
THEATRICAL PRODUCERS AND DIRECTORS
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites || Go to Top
Periodical indexes are research tools that allow you to search for articles in journals and magazines.
Be aware that there are different ways to find an article once you pull up a citation in the index:
- Check to see if our library holds the journal title. Look up the journal title in the catalog and look at the holdings.
- See if there is a link in the index or database you're using to a full-text article online and download it or e-mail it to yourself.
- See what other libraries in the area hold the journal.
- Use interlibrary loan to request materials not owned by the UArts Libraries.
PERIODICAL INDEXES
On the Web:
Go to the library's Research Tools and Resources page for a list of the UArts Libraries' subscription databases, indexes, and reference works. You can select View Databases by Type or View Databases by Subject to see which is best for your topic, or you can always ask a librarian which ones to try.
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites || Top
When you find information on a topic, no matter what format it takes (book, journal, Web page), there are style manuals to show you the correct way to cite those sources in a paper.
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites || Top
Searching the Web can be overwhelming. If you are using the Internet for research you want to choose sites that meet the standards of accuracy, currency and authority.
Below are just a few theater-related sites that may be of interest to the University of the Arts community. Sites are usually selected for inclusion here because they have a lot of good links, so explore and look for that Web page's links.
Librarians Internet Index
http://lii.org/
This is always a good place to start any kind of Internet research. To find theater materials, type theater or theatre in the search box. You can also truncate and type theat* in the search box, which will find theater, theatre, theatres, theatrical, etc.
Costumer's Manifesto
http://www.costumes.org/
This Web site appears on just about every costume Web site's links.
IDEA - The International Dialects of English Archive
http://web.ku.edu/idea/
Preparing for an audition or a role? Learning an accent? This is fun and free (but it is copyrighted).
International Costumers' Guild, Inc
http://costume.org/
Nice links: http://costume.org/links/resources.html
Jack Wolcott's Theatre History on the Web
http://www.videoccasions-nw.com/history/jack.html
McCoy's Guide to Theatre and Performance Studies
http://www.stetson.edu/csata/custom/thr_guid.html
Many links, maintained and annotated by a professor of communication studies and theatre arts.
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
http://www.nypl.org/research/lpa/lpa.html
Great library, great Web pages. Be sure to see their Selected Internet Resources. Acting is listed under General Resources.
Theatre Communications Group (TCG)
http://www.tcg.org/index.cfm
TCG's mission: "To strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre... our programs further our core values of fostering connection, embracing diversity and supporting artistry in the American theatre. In all our endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of our member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field, and promote a larger public understanding of and appreciation for the theatre." TCG publishes the magazine, American Theatre, plus various directories, plays and books. Note the link for Tools and Research.
Theatre Library Association, New York NY
http://tla.library.unt.edu/
"The Theatre Library Association is a non-profit, educational organization established in 1937 to promote the collection, preservation, and use of theatrical and performing arts materials. Membership includes librarians, scholars, curators, archivists, performers, writers, designers, historians, collectors, and students." Be sure to see their "Related Theatre Resources" links.
World Wide Web Virtual Library for Theatre and Drama
http://vl-theatre.com/
The Virtual Library is one of the best and most authoritative sources you can use to start finding good information on the Web.
Reference materials || Subject Headings || Periodical Indexes || Style Manuals || Web Sites || Top
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Last updated 10 April 2008 sjm
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