Research Tools
Style Guides
Check out these MLA (Modern Language Association) style guides for tips on creating citations and organizing a research paper.
MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue)
Purdue University's online guide to MLA style.
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Call Number: Reference LB2369 .G53 2009
The Modern Language Association's comprehensive guide.
Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age (4th ed.)
Call Number: Reference Desk LB2369 .H33 2006
Diana Hacker's respected guide also has a handy online companion where you can quickly see citations and sample papers in MLA (and other) styles.
Databases
- Project MuseSearching is difficult in Project Muse! It does contain quite a bit of material pertaining to drama. FYI-if you are searching another database, it links to Project Muse.
- ProQuest NewspapersProquest Newspapers is an excellent source to track down reviews of plays that opened in cities other than New York.
- MLA International BibliographySearch here for scholarly theatre criticism. You might want to consider searching by the name of your play, a character in your play, etc.
No full text? Click "Find It" by the article to get it elsewhere, or to order it (learn more).
Books onTheatre
Search WorldCat
If your first search brings up too many irrelevant items, try using the Refine by Topic suggestions in the box on the left of the search results screen.
Try searching use the terms listed below:
- enter the name of your play, director or playwright
- drama criticism or theater criticism
- American drama--African American authors
- African American theater--history and criticism
- African Americans--intellectual life
- African American theater--history
Call Number: REF PN 2270 A35 H 53 1009
ISBN: 9780810855342
Publication Date: 2008-12-04
This work is useful for brief articles about playwrights, actors and plays.
The Oxford Companion to African American Literature
Call Number: REF 153 N5 o96 1997
ISBN: 0195065107
Publication Date: 1997
Brief entries on African-American playwrights, plays and other aspects of Black Theater.
Harlem Renaissance and Beyond: literary biographies of 100 Black Women Writers, 1900-1945
Call Number: REF PS 153 N5 R65 1990
Publication Date: 1990
This work provides short biographical sketches of women involved with the Harlem Renaissance as well lists of their works and works about them.
The Ghost Walks: A Chronological history of blacks in show business, 1865-1910
Call Number: REF PN 2270 A35 S25 1988
Publication Date: 1988
This book provides am excellent overview of African Americans in the theater by year. It has many pictures and references to primary sources.
The Library of Congress's Perfroming Arts Encyclopedia
Call Number: online
The Performing Arts Encyclopedia (PAE) is a guide to performing arts resources at the Library of Congress--and it is huge. It strengths appear to be in African American band music---There is also a section called.."Its Showtime-sheet music from the past 300 years which might be helpful.
Vaudeville, Old and New
Call Number: REF PN 1968 U5 C85 2007
ISBN: 0415938538
Publication Date: 2006-10-16
Use the index in Volume 2 to find references to African-Americans who performed in Vaudeville.
American Decades
Call Number: Reference E169.12 .A419
History in a nutshell! This works analyzes 20th century U.S. by decade then by topics i.e. world events, arts, fashion, lifestyle sports, politics, etc. It is useful for finding out what was happening in a given year.
Call Number: PN 2101
ISBN: 007038469x
Publication Date: 1999-07-21
Theater Histories are useful for brief production histories, as well what else is going on the theater world at the time of the play you are researching. Also use the call number PN 2101 other theater histories--not histries are created equal!
Encyclopedia of African American History 1619-1895
Call Number: REF E185 .E545 2006
ISBN: 0195167775
Publication Date: 2006-04-06
Very useful for background information on topics in African American History i.e. Jim Crow, freedmen and famous African Americans.
Web Resources
- BTN: The Black Theatre NetworkFor over 25 years, the Black Theatre Network has collected, processed and distributed information that supports the professional and personal development of its membership (comprised of representatives from all areas of theatre, community and professional organizations, and academic institutions)
- African American Theatre CompaniesThis website provides links to many African American Theater companies in the U.S.
- IBDB: Internet Broadway DatabaseA good source for background on Broadway plays
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