Websites
- Internet Broadway DatabaseProvides records of productions from the beginnings of Broadway theatre until today.
E-Reference
Quick look-up of basic information.
- Shakespeare's WordsNEW! 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. You can see the word in context and then link to it in the play. Other features include circles showing all of the characters' relationships to one another, pronunciation, and more.
- Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative ArtsContains over 3,000 entries covering thousands of years of decorative arts production throughout western and non-western cultures.
- Gale LiteratureOnline, cross-searchable access to Drama Criticism and the Dictionary of Literary Biography, among other resources. Lengthy essays on major literary figures and works, including plays and playwrights.
- Theatre in Context CollectionO’Dell’s Annals of the New York Stage, the Oxford University Press Companion series, and Greenwood’s American Theatre Companies series are just a few of the many in-copyright sources included in the Theatre in Context Collection. Placed alongside thousands of playbills, posters, photographs, and related theatrical ephemera, users will be able to paint a more comprehensive picture of the life and evolution of dramatic works.
- 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.
- Oxford English DictionaryThe authority on the English language.
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 DramaCall 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 FashionCall Number: GT 507 .E54 201010 volumes, arranged by region. Reference Collection.
The Historical Encyclopedia of CostumesCall 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 LanguageCall 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 PlaywrightsCall 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 DramaCall 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 CollectionsCall Number: Z 5781 .O8 20118th edition. Bizzell Stacks, 4th floor.
Twenty-First Century DramaCall 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 TheatreCall 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.
