Library Guides: International Bibliography of Theater and Dance: Home

How to Search

When searching for items in the catalog, make sure to follow these helpful tips:

Check your spelling, a misspelled word can lead to a lot of dead ends
Use subject heading searching to explore similar topics your are interested (i.e. Library of Congress Subject heading Theater & Performance
Combine Terms, use boolean operators AND, OR, and NOT to expand/reduce the number or your results

Related Subject Guides

Looking for more topics related to the stage? Try searching our Theater Subject Guide

http://libraryguides.missouri.edu/c.php?g=123765

created and maintained by Michael Muchow

You've seen the play, now read the book its based on! Try our English Literature Guide

http://libraryguides.missouri.edu/English

created and maintained by Anne Barker

Spot Light Materials

Actor of the Month: James O'Neill

One of Missouri's famous historical actors, James O'Neill is most known for his portrayal of Edmund Dantes in the theatrical adaption of Alexander Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo". O'Neil began the roll in 1883 and contiuned to play the Count for over 30 years. This typecasting made him incredibly famous but also left him frustrated as a performer who longed to expand his acting abilities.

Want More Info?

Click here for a review of O'Neill's career in the International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance database.

Play of the Month: Lysistrata

Created by the Greek playwright Aristophenes, the Lysistrata is a comedy that satirizes traditional gender rolls and wartime politics. Tired of their husbands constantly fighting, the women of Sparta and Greece decide to take matters into their own hands and vow to withhold sex until peace is reached. Lewd humour, slapstick, and general "war of the sexes" behaviour ensures.

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Click here for an article discussing some of the subtle political commentary hiding underneath the plays more provocative elements.

Playwright of the Month: Henrik Ibsen

Author of such works as "An Enemy of the People", "A Doll's House", and "Hedda Gabler" Henrik Ibson is known for addressing challenging social issues in a very direct and upfront manner. Abusive relationships, corrupt politics, and other taboo topics are placed center stage as the audience is forced to question why such topics are not discussed. Ibsen's has often been the subject of controversy, with critics often demanding his work be altered or banned altogether.

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Click here for an article that discusses Ibsens use of swear words in his plays and argues that they are necessary to convey a message.

Theater from around the world

Kabuki Dancer. Digital image. Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

Decor, Act 1 for "Semiramis" Digital image. Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online. Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

Scene from the Play Kanadehon Chushingura at the Ichimura Theater in 1740. Digital image. Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

The Barnstormer, Old South Theater, Boston. Digital image. Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

Theater Scene (Ernelinde, Princess of Norway). Digital image. Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online. Fine Arts Museum of San Fransisco, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014. .

Summary

This guide allows users to find hundreds of scholarly articles that are focused around theatrical works. This database is useful for students looking for information regarding a play that is seperate from its literary counterpart. For example, using this guide, a student could find information regarding the various stage adaptions of Moby Dick, as well as scholary reviews and articles concerning those plays, without bringing back results that focus on the novel version of the story.

Along with being able search theatrical versions of classic stories, this guide also provides indepth articles regarding famous playwrights, such as Shakespeare, Ibsen, Miller, and more. The articles regarding the playwrights cover everything from their writing techniques, themes, and personal lives. Articles such as this can provide crucial background information for those students looking to find context behind great works.