In addition to the print titles listed below, see also Indexes to Periodicals, Newspapers, and Dissertations Annotations in that section note if the index includes references to performance reviews.
ref PN1707.S260 1976
Samples, Gordon. How to Locate Reviews of Plays and Films: A Bibliography of Criticism from the Beginnings to the Present. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1976.
The first section of this book covers drama and theatre, with attention focused on drama; however, of great value is the six-page section listing "Collected Reviews of Individual Critics" which lists titles such as The American Theatre as Seen by Its Critics, 1752-1934 compiled by Montrose Moses and The English Dramatic Critics; an Anthology, 1660-1932 compiled by James Agate. Library catalogs do not provide generic access to this type of material. Also valuable is a list of "Leading Theatre Periodicals" arranged chronologically by the time period they cover which provides users with possible titles to search for locating performance reviews.
ref PN2000.N76
New York Theatre Critics' Reviews (later National Theatre Critics Reviews) (1966-1996 in Jackson Library)
These annually cumulated volumes covering 1966-1996 contain reprints of reviews from magazines and newspapers of plays appearing on Broadway and--during some years--on Off Broadway and in some regional theatres. A wonderfully convenient compilation of performance reviews!
ref PN 2266.S240
Salem, James M. A Guide to Critical Reviews. 3d. ed. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1984- 1991. Part I: American Drama, 1909-1982; Part II: The Musical, 1909-1989; Part III: Foreign Drama, 1909-1977; Part IV: The Screenplay, 1927-1980.
Parts I through III cover plays and musical appearing on Broadway (some Off-Broadway, too) during the dates indicated in the title. Plays are listed alphabetically under the author's name and musicals are simply listed alphabetically by title. For each the opening date and the number of performances are given followed by citations to reviews of the play as they appeared in a select group of American and Canadian magazines and the New York Times. For musicals, additional information is provided: name(s) of author of book on which the musical is based, the composer(s), and persons responsible for staging, sets, costumes, and choreography, when available.
ref PN 2256.M37 1984
Marks, Patricia. American Literary and Drama Reviews: An Index to Late Nineteenth Century Periodicals. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1984.
Part I of this volume provides citations from 13 magazines to reviews of plays performed primarily in New York City from 1880-1900. Plays are arranged alphabetically by title.
ref PN 2277.N5544
Slide, Anthony, ed. Selected Theatre Criticism. 3 vols. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1985-1986. Vol.1, 1900-1919; Vol. 2, 1920-1930; Vol. 3, 1931-1950.
These volumes contain reprints of reviews from about nine magazines of selected plays appearing in New York City during the time period listed in the title of each volume. Plays are listed alphabetically followed by the names of the playwright and theatre and by the opening date of the play.
ref PN 2277.N5L36
Leiter, Samuel L. The Encyclopedia of the New York Stage. 4 vols. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1985-1992.
Arranged by decade (1920-1930, 1930-1940, and 1940-1950), these volumes list alphabetically plays performed in Manhattan during the time period indicated. For each play the following information is provided if known: type of play, playwright(s), director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, producer, theatre, opening date, number of performances. This information is followed by text that provides a brief plot summary and historical background and a notion of the critical reception of the play. In some instances, though not in most, quotations from reviews are included with, perhaps, the name of the publication (no dates) from which the quotation is taken.
ref PN 2285 Y6 1975b
Famous Actors and Actresses on the American Stage: Documents of American Theater History. 2 vols. New York: Bowker, 1975.
Though the title implies that this is a biographical source, it actually contains excerpts of reviews written at the time of performance. Actors and actresses (listed alphabetically) of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries receive the most attention, though some twentieth century ones are included. For each actor and actress, there are birth and death dates, marriage information, and a listing of their most famous roles. This brief information is followed by lengthy excerpts from several contemporary reviews. The source of each review is cited at the end of the section. The second volume includes an index of names of plays, theatre, characters in plays, and persons. Included also is bibliography listing not only important books on theatre history but also newspapers in Boston, Chicago and New York and journals and magazines of the period where anyone may turn for additional primary resources.
Ref PN 2596.L6W3847
Wearing, J. P. The London Stage. 16 vols. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1976-1993.
Each decade of the London stage from 1890-1959 is covered by one to three volumes of this scholarly set. For each decade, plays performed at some 30 to 50 major theatres in London are listed chronologically according to first date of performance with the following information: genre, number of acts, playwright, theatre, date and length of run, performers, production staff, and, most importantly for this section of theatre resources, citations to reviews of the performance. An index of titles and personnel is included for each decade.
ref PN2597.V5 1983
Mullin, Donald, comp. and ed. Victorian Actors and Actresses in Review: A Dictionary of Contemporary Views of Representative British and American Actors and Actresses, 1837-1901.
The excellent introduction contains a history of the Victorian stage and is followed by an alphabetical list of actors and actresses with birth and death dates and a few words of identification. The main entry for each actor and actress consists of very brief excerpts of reviews of theatre productions during the Victorian period. The sources of the reviews are listed with minimal identification, but complete information is listed in the bibliography near the end of the volume. An index of names of people, plays, characters, and theatres is included. This is part of a three-volume set; the other two volumes are listed and annotated in Biographical Sources for Theatre.
Page Author: Nancy Fogarty
Theatre Librarian
