General Theater Resources

From FSU Libraries Subject Pages

Introduction

Musee Grevin... by Jules Cheret (1892)

This research guide is intended for both undergraduate and graduate students studying theater.

This guide focuses on general reference books, journals, and online resources available at the FSU Libraries. It also includes relevant Library of Congress classifications and subject headings to help researchers locate additional materials.

See also: Advanced Theater Resources subject guide.

[edit]

Finding Articles

[edit]

Databases and Indexes

America: History & Life (1954 to date)

U.S. and Canadian history, from prehistory to the present, including theater history.

Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975 to date)

A multidisciplinary database indexing more than 1,100 arts and humanities journals as well as relevant references from over 6,800 science and social sciences periodicals.

Avery Architectural Index (1977 to date)

Contains records describing articles in over 1,000 architectural periodicals in the fields of architecture and related disciplines. Includes theater architecture.

Biography and Genealogy Master Index (all years)

An index to more than 12.7 million biographical sketches in over 3400 volumes and editions of current and retrospective reference books, covering both contemporary and historical figures throughout the world.

Biography Index (1984 to date)

Cites more than 2,700 periodicals and 1,800 books, including individual and collective biographies. Biographical subjects indexed range from antiquity to the present and represent all fields and nationalities.

Biography Resource Center + the Complete Marquis Who's Who (all years)

Comprehensive database of biographical information on more than one million people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas.

Black Drama (mid-1800's to date)

When complete, Black Drama will contain the full text of 1,200 plays written from the mid-1800s to the present by more than 100 playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries.

Historical New York Times (1851 to 3 yrs. before present)

Full image of articles from The New York Times, including theater reviews.

Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective and Humanities & Social Sciences Full Text (1907-1984) Index only: STROZIER Reference AI 3 .H84

Indexes more than 300 humanities publications including feature articles, book reviews, interviews, obituaries, bibliographies, original works of fiction, and reviews of plays and television and radio programs.

IIPA: International Index to the Performing Arts (1998 to date, and 89,464 retrospective citations from 46 periodicals dating back to 1864)

IIPA indexes more than 130 international performing arts periodicals from 9 countries, and also feature performing arts articles and obituaries appearing in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

JSTOR

A database of the back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences and sciences. The gap between the most recently published issue of any journal and the date of the most recent issue available in JSTOR is from 2 to 5 years. Three theater journals are indexed in JSTOR.

Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe (Last 10 yrs.)

Full-text national and international newspaper coverage of general news, business, legal, governmental and other topics. A good place to find current theater reviews from around the world.

Literature Resource Center

Provides full-text access to biographies, bibliographies and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline.

MLA Bibliography (1963 to date)

Multilingual index to books and journals in the fields of literature (including drama), languages, linguistics, and folklore. Print version: MLA Bibliography (1921-1994) STROZIER Reference Z 7006 .M64 covers earlier years that are not in the database.

Project MUSE

Provides access to the full-text of more than 200 scholarly journals published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Subjects include art, anthropology, classics, culture and society, demographics, economics, folklore, history, language, literature, mathematics, medicine and health, philosophy, politics, religion, science, sociology, etc. Coverage varies according to title (1993-). Six theater journals are indexed in MUSE.

[edit]

Journals

[edit]

Electronic Journal Resources

Drama eJournals

[edit]

Print Journals

Links to electronic versions are provided if available.

American Theatre STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 A5128

Costume STROZIER Periodicals GT500 .C6

Comparative Drama STROZIER Periodicals 805 C736

Dress STROZIER Periodicals GT500 .D74

Essays in Theatre STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 E78

Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 J869

Modern Drama STROZIER Periodicals 820.5 M6891

TDR/The Drama Review STROZIER Periodicals 820.5 T917

Theatre Design and Technology STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 T3747

Theatre History Studies STROZIER Periodicals PN2000 .T49

Theatre Journal STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 E24

Theatre Research International STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 T37491 & STROZIER Micromaterials -- Film PR 2543

Theatre Survey STROZIER Periodicals PN2000 .T716

Women and Performance STROZIER Periodicals 790.5 W8725

[edit]

Finding Books & Media

Books and media resources about theater can be found in two main ways: by searching the online FSU Library Catalog and by browsing the aisles at Strozier.

When searching the online catalog, a basic search will let you search by keyword, title, author, subject or call number. An advanced search will let you search by a combination of these fields, as well as by format, language, location, and date. Searching by the subject headings listed below may also be helpful.

When browsing the aisles, the majority of books on theater will be on the fifth floor, while the media resources will be on the ground floor in the Digital Media Center. The Library of Congress classifications listed below may be helpful when browsing the aisles.

[edit]

Library of Congress Classifications

The following Library of Congress classifications may be useful when browsing the shelves at Strozier Library for additional materials on theater. The majority of the 'PN's are on the fifth floor. Additional materials (such as government documents, micromaterials, media, and reference books) may be found on the ground floor and the first (main) floor.

MT 955-956 --- Musical Theater
NA 278.T5-6845 --- Fine Arts. Theaters. Architecture.
PN 1600-3307 --- Literature (General). Drama.
PN 1720-1861 --- Drama. History.
PN 2000-3307 --- Dramatic representation. The Theater.
PN 2131-2193 --- Dramatic representation. The Theater. By time period.
PN 6110.5-6120 --- Collections of General Literature. Drama
TK4399.T6, TK7881.9 --- Technology in the Theater.

[edit]

Subject Headings

The following subject headings may be useful when browsing the online FSU Library Catalog. To browse by subject heading, select Subject from the Browse Organized Lists drop-down menu, type the subject heading in the search box, then click the Go box.

Acting
Actors
Actresses
American drama
Costume
Costume design
Drama
Dramatists
English drama
Musical theater
Playwriting
Set designers
Stage lighting
Theater
Theater management
Theater production and direction
Theaters

Names of specific theaters, theater companies, and people also have their own subject headings.

[edit]

General Reference Works

When an item's location line reads STROZIER Reference, then the item is located on the first (main) floor of Strozier Library and can only be used in the library. When an item's location line reads STROZIER Documents, then the item is located on the ground floor. When an item's location line reads STROZIER Ready Reference, then the item is located at the first (main) floor reference desk.

[edit]

Encyclopedias

Cambridge Guide to American Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2220 .C35 1993

Cambridge Guide to Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2035 .C27 1995

International Dictionary of the Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2035 .I49 1992

Oxford Companion to the Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2035 .H3 1993

Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre & Performance STROZIER Reference PH 2035 O94 2003 (2 vol.)

World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 1861 .W67 1994 (6 vol.)

[edit]

Bibliographies

American Theatre History: An Annotated Bibliography STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .T25 1992

British Theatre: A Bibliography 1901 to 1985 STROZIER Reference Z 2014 .D7 C38 1989

Catalog of the Theatre and Drama Collections [of the Research Libraries of the New York Public Library]; Supplement; and Bibliographic Guide to Theatre Arts STROZIER Reference Z 5785 .N4; Oversize N4 sup; Oversize N42.

The Catalog is 51 vols., and the Supplement is 4 vols. The Bibliographic Guide is an annual update from 1975 to date.

Cumulated Dramatic Index (1909-1949) 2 vol. STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .C8

An index to articles and illustrations in more than 150 American and British periodicals. Appendices include lists of over 4 of 6,500 books about the drama and of about 24,000 play texts published during this period.

English Theatrical Literature (1559-1900) STROZIER Reference Z 2014 .D7 A74 1970

International Bibliography of Theatre (1982 to date) References from books, essays, journal articles, dissertations, conference papers and other documents dealing with any aspect of theater significant to research--without historical, cultural or geographical limitations.

Modern Drama Scholarship and Criticism (1966-1990) STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .C37

Indexes books and articles on drama, i.e. plays and playwrights (rather than theater--performers and performances). Continues as annual supplements in the journal Modern Drama.

Theatre and Allied Arts: A Guide to Books Dealing with the History, Criticism, and Technic of the Drama and Theatre STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .B18

United States Theatre: From the Beginning to 1990 STROZIER Reference PN 2221 .Z99 S55 1993

[edit]

Biographies

American Playwrights, 1880-1945 STROZIER Reference PS 351 .A43 1995

American Playwrights Since 1945 STROZIER Reference PS 350 .A53 1989

American Women Playwrights, 1900-1950 STROZIER PS 338 .W6 S48 1995

American Women Playwrights, 1964-1989 STROZIER Reference PS 338 .W6 G38 1993

Biographical Dictionary of Scenographers, 500 B.C. to 1900 A.D. STROZIER Reference PN 2096 .A1 L33 1990

British Playwrights, 1880-1956 STROZIER Reference PR 736 .B7 1996

British Playwrights, 1956-1995 STROZIER Reference PR 736 .B75 1996

Contemporary American Dramatists STROZIER Reference PS 352 .C65 1994

Contemporary Black American Playwrights STROZIER Reference PS 153 ,N5 P43 1988

Contemporary British Dramatists STROZIER Reference PR 736 .C577 1994

Contemporary Dramatists STROZIER Reference PR 737 ,C57 1999

Contemporary Women Dramatists STROZIER Reference PR 736 .C58 1994

Costume Design on Broadway: Designers, 1915-1985 STROZIER Reference PN 2067 .O94 1987

Lighting Design on Broadway: Designers, 915-1990 STROZIER Reference PN 2091 .E4 O94 1991

Scenic Design on Broadway: Designers, 1915-1990 STROZIER Reference PN 2096 .A1 O94 1991

Theatrical Designers: An International Biographical Dictionary STROZIER Reference PN 2096 .A1 M54 1992

Theatrical Directors: A Biographical Dictionary STROZIER Reference PN 2205 .T 54 1994

Who Was Who in the Theatre, 1912-1976 STROZIER Reference PN 2597 .W52 (4 vol.)

Who's Who in Contemporary World Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2035 .W485 2000

[edit]

Chronologies

Chronological Outline of World Theatre STROZIER Reference PN 2101 .M47 1992

[edit]

Criticism and Reviews

American Drama Criticism, 1890-1977 and Supplements 1-3, covering 1977-1990 STROZIER Reference Z 1231.D7 P3 1979 and sup.1-sup.3

American Literary and Drama Reviews: An Index to Late Nineteenth Century Periodicals STROZIER Reference PN 2256 .M37 1984

Drama Criticism, v.1(1991)-v.21(2003) STROZIER Reference PN 1601 .D59

Drama Criticism, 2 vol. (covers 1940-1964) STROZIER Reference Z 1231 .D7 C6

Dramatic Criticism Index (covers to 1971) STROZIER Reference Z5781 .B8

European Drama Criticism, 1900-1975 STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .P2 1977

Guide to American Drama Explication (covers 1942-1994) STROZIER Reference PS 332 .O84 1995

Guide to Critical Reviews, American Drama, 1909-1982 STROZIER Reference Z 5782 .S34 1984 pt.1

Guide to Critical Reviews, Foreign Drama, 1909-1977 STROZIER Reference Z 5782 .S34 1973 pt.3

Modern Drama Scholarship and Criticism, 1966-1980 and 1981-1990 STROZIER Reference Z 5781 .C37 1986 and 1997

New York Times Theater Reviews (1870-1978, 1981-82, 1985-96, 1999-2000) STROZIER Reference PN 2266.N48 (Also: Historical New York Times database covering 1851 to three years before the current date)

[edit]