Background
The Cambridge Companion to African American Theatre, 2012Provides an overview of African American theatre from the early 19th century to the early 21st century. Chronicles the evolution of African American theatre and its engagement with the wider community. Spotlights producers, directors, playwrights and actors.
A History of African American Theatre, 2003Covers companies from across the U.S., anglophone Caribbean, and African-American companies touring Europe, Australia and Africa. Covers myriad styles, from African ritual to European forms, amateur to professional, and political nationalism to integration.
History of the Theatre, 2003Considered a key resource since first published in 1968. Covers Western theatre from antiquity to the late 20th century with some coverage of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Includes with over 530 images, illustrations, and maps.
The Oxford Companion to Theatre and Performance, 2010Originally published in 2003 under title: Oxford encyclopedia of theatre & performance (listed below). Covers styles and movements, organizations, regions and traditions with biographies of actors, playwrights, directors, and designers.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance, 2003Provides information across the broad sweep of Western, Asian, and African theatrical history with biographical, conceptual, theoretical entries.
The Oxford Handbook of American Drama, 2014Covers American drama from its inception in colonial America, through its many incarnations in the nineteenth century, to the early 21st century, including a full survey of the vexing tradition of minstrelsy and the struggles of Black Americans on the stage into the 20th century.
Routledge Companion to African American Theatre and Performance, 2019Charts the emergence, development, and diversity of African American Theatre and Performance--from the nineteenth-century African Grove Theatre to Afrofuturism with chapters from scholars are contributions from theatre makers, including producers, theatre managers, choreographers, directors, designers, and critics.
Digging Deeper in the Library Catalog
Databases
- Biography In Context This link opens in a new windowBiographical information on over 480,000 people throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas.
- Dictionary of Literary Biography CompleteProvides in-depth biography in the literary context.
The best entries for this assignment will look like:
Arthur Miller (17 October 1915 - )
Gotthold Emphraim Lessing (22 January 1729 - 15 February 1781)
- Theatre in Video This link opens in a new windowVideos, including documentaries and definitive performances of the world’s most important plays.
Digging Deeper in Databases
- Essay and General Literature Index This link opens in a new windowIndex of essays in the humanities and social sciences on topics including literary works, art history, drama, film, and more.
- Performing Arts Periodicals Database This link opens in a new windowFull text and indexing for the performing arts, including film, theatre, dance, stagecraft, and television
- International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance Full Text This link opens in a new windowIndexes journal articles, books, book chapters and dissertations covering all aspects of theatre and performance for over 126 countries.