All Guides: Theater and Dance: Researching a Person

Getting Started

Looking for info on a particular person? Try:

Browsing in the PN section.

Browsing our Theater and Dance databases.

Searching in the library catalog: (theatre OR theater) AND su:Biography Dictionaries .

From Our Collection

The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Performance by Jen Harvie; Paul Allain
MAC Stacks PN1581 .A45 2006
Profiles of African American Stage Performers and Theatre People, 1816-1960 by Bernard L. Peterson; James V. Hatch (Foreword by)
MAC Stacks: PN2286 .P46 2001
Notable Women in the American Theatre by Alice M. Robinson (Editor); Milly S. Barranger (Editor); Vera Mowry Roberts (Editor)
MAC Stacks PN2285 .N65 1989
Who's Who in Contemporary World Theatre by Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe (Editor)
MAC Stacks PN1581 .A45 2006

Other Resources for Research on Specific People

Off-Broadway Oral History Project
A collection of interview with the creators who contributed to New York's vibrant Off-Broadway scene.
Internet Broadway Database
Official database for Broadway in New York City from its inception to today.
America's Dance Treasures
A curated online exhibit of people, places, and groups that have had an impact on the dance cultural heritage of the United States. Profiles include biographies, videos, essays, and ‘suggested reading’ lists for further research.
British Black and Asian Shakespeare Performance Database
Documents Black and Asian contributions to the UK’s theatre scene. Search by person, role, play, and company.
Photography & The American Stage
Biographical collection of Broadway photographers and performers.
Performing Arts Digital Collections at the Library of Congress
Digitized archives across music, theater, and dance.

Sources for Selected Individuals

Bronislava Nijinska Collection
Archives collection at the Library of Congress of Bronislava Nijinska (1891-1972) containing manuscripts, books, diaries, choreographic notebooks, correspondence, moving image materials, music scores, photographs, posters, programs, set and costume designs, and scrapbooks
Isadora Duncan Archives
Video, manuscripts, photos and other documentation of Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) and followers.
Martha Graham at the Library of Congress
In this collection, the Library of Congress follows Martha Graham's (1894-1991) work between 1918 and 1949, and offers a selection of materials related to them – concert programs, clippings (including press announcements and reviews), libretti, scripts and photographs.

Topic Overviews

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance

eBook
This encyclopedia provides 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.

Encyclopedia of Musical Theater

MAC Reference ML102.M88 G3 2001
Musical theater around the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, covering performers, composers, writers, shows, producers, directors, choreographers, and designers.

International Encyclopedia of Dance

eBook and MAC Reference GV1585 .I586 1998
A core reference work including signed entries and bibliographies, this covers the full spectrum of dance—theatrical, ritual, dance-drama, folk, traditional, ethnic, and social dance.

The SAGE Handbook of Performance Studies

MAC Stacks PN1590.S6 S24 2006
Brings together discussions of the major research in performance studies and identifies directions for further investigation.

Acting

MAC Stacks PN2035 .O84 2001
A cross-cultural reference work exploring the diversity of expression found in rituals, festivals, and performances, uncovering acting techniques and practices from around the world.