Websites
-
Internet Broadway DatabaseProvides records of productions from the beginnings of Broadway theatre until today.
E-Reference
Quick look-up of basic information.
-
Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and PerformanceProvides authoritative and up-to-date information about theatre and performance from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London, Paris, New York, and around the globe. In addition to performances in playhouses, it covers dance, opera, radio, film, television, and popular performance, including carnivals, circus, and public executions.
-
Gale Literature This link opens in a new window
Provides online access to Contemporary Literary Criticism, Drama Criticism, Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism, Poetry Criticism, Short Story Criticism, Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism, Dictionary of Literary Biography, Something About the Author, and Gale Virtual Reference titles in literature. Resources can be cross-searched simultaneously. Content includes includes biographies, critical essays, reviews, full-text articles, and audio files.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
-
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Access encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. This platform allows users to search multiple resources at one time. The reference library includes titles such as Dictionary of American History, Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, and many others.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
-
Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts This link opens in a new window
The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts contains over 3,000 entries covering thousands of years of decorative arts production throughout western and non-western cultures. Also included are hundreds of entries on the qualities and historical uses of materials, concise definitions on art forms and styles, and in-depth articles discussing the history of armor, jewelry, furniture, textiles, and ceramics.
-
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Provides full text access to the Oxford English Dictionary online. Includes definitions, etymologies, and quotations.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
-
Shakespeare's Words This link opens in a new window
This site integrates the full text of Shakespeare's plays and poems with the entire glossary database, allowing you to search for any word or phrase in Shakespeare's works, and in particular to find all instances of all words that can pose a difficulty to the modern reader.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
-
Theatre in Context This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive reference work covering all aspects of the Canadian and American theatre, including plays, people, theatres, productions, and production companies. The work includes images, playbills, postcards, scrapbooks and other resources.
For more information about using this resource, view the publisher's online tutorial.
Print Reference
Here are some specialized reference works useful for finding background information. They are located in Bizzell, mostly in the Stacks with the rest of the books. A few might be on the main floor in the Reference Collection, so note the location. Reference Collection books must be used in the library and cannot be checked out.
TIP: Also browse the regular stacks from around GT 507 - GT 2340 for numerous books on fashion, makeup, shoes, etc. through the ages and across cultures. The books in the regular stacks may be borrowed.
-
The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama
Call Number: PN 1861 .C65 2007Short articles with emphasis on the cultural context of plays and playwrights. 2 vols. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor. -
Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion
Call Number: GT 507 .E54 201010 volumes, arranged by region. Reference Collection. -
The Historical Encyclopedia of Costumes
Call Number: GT 510 .R3313 1988A one-volume translation of the classic Le Costume Historique. Filled with full-color illustrations. The original sits next to this volume on the reference shelves. Reference Collection. -
An International Dictionary of Theatre Language
Call Number: PN 2035 .I5 1985Defines current and historical terms used by actors, theatre managers, critics, designers, etc. around the world. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor. -
The Ivan R. Dee Guide to Plays and Playwrights
Call Number: PN 2035 .G73 2003Very short descriptions. Useful feature: "Try This" list after each entry suggesting plays similar in tone, theme, or style. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor. -
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama
Call Number: PN 1625 .M3 1984Brief entries on people, theatre history, and theory internationally. Heavily illustrated. Useful feature: lists editions or playwrights' work, including anthologies. 5 vols. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor. -
Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections
Call Number: Z 5781 .O8 20118th edition. Bizzell Stacks, 4th floor. -
Twenty-First Century Drama
Call Number: PN 6112 .T926 2012Essays on English-language plays written and produced worldwide from 2000-2009. Each essay puts the play in its literary and historical context, identifies themes and style, and discusses its critical reception. 2 vols. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor. -
World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre
Call Number: PN 1861 .W67 2001Good articles on 20th and 21st century theatre around the world. 5 volumes, arranged by geographical region and then by country. Illustrated. Bizzell Stacks, 3rd floor.
