Theatre History, Theory & Criticism (2024): Home/Books

Welcome! This guide will help you in your search for great research materials.

• Background sources
• Finding books
• Finding articles (using databases)
• Finding items from other libraries
• Citation

More tips for writing an Annotated Bibliography (University of Toronto)

use in the Online Catalog and in databases:

DRAMA AND THEATER: TRY BOTH!!

Drama (= works on drama as a literary form.)

    Drama – 16th century
    Drama – 17th century
    etc.

Theater (= works on drama as acted on the stage. Works on facilities used to stage drama are entered under Theaters.)

Theater may have additional subjects attached. Some examples:
 

• Theater  - Audiences
• Theater – History
• Theater – History – Medieval, 500-1500
• Theater – Production and direction
• Theater – Political Aspects
• Theater – France - Biography

Remember: from broad to specific. Example:

• Theater – France        
• Theater – France – History       
• Theater – France – History – 18th century

To Search for information about making theatre:

• Stage history
• Dramatic production

Both of these are used, added to playwrights' names, for information on how their works have been produced/staged. Example:

Sophocles -- Dramatic Production

To Search for People:

• Actors
• Actresses
• Playwrights
• Women authors
• Women in the theater

Specific People:

Last name, first name
(+ Criticism and interpretation, + Adaptations, etc.)

 e.g. Jonson, Ben, 1573-1637 – Criticism and interpretation

Time period:  

 16^th century

Other useful subdivisions:

• History
• Biography
• Stage history
• Dramatic works

Broader headings, for context:

• Art and society
• France – social conditions – 16th century