Theatre Reviews

Contents: Finding Theatre Reviews | Databases | Reference Guides | Websites

Finding Theatre Reviews

The University of Delaware Library offers a number of electronic and printed indexes to theatre reviews. They provide the citations or full-text reviews for specific productions of plays or musicals. Selected indexes and websites are described in this guide.

Reference books, such as The Theatregoers Almanac (Ref PN2266 .H53 1997), The Cambridge Guide to American Theatre (Ref PN2220 .C35 1993), and The New Penguin Dictionary of the Theatre (Ref PN 2035 .N49 2001) provide production dates, names of actors, and/or definitions of theatre terms. Please ask at the Reference Desk if you need assistance in finding theatre-related information.

Databases

Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1975 to present) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): AHCI provides indexing to articles in the arts and humanities. The database allows searchers to limit to reviews.

Expanded Academic ASAP Plus (1980 to present) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Expanded Academic ASAP Plus provides indexing to both popular magazines and scholarly journals in a variety of subject fields. Many articles are available in full text. Use the keyword search option and combine the name of the production with the phrase "theater reviews." Expanded Academic offers the full text of reviews from Variety (1997 to present) and citations (1980-1996).

Humanities & Social Sciences Retrospective (1907-1984) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Coverage includes a wide range of interdisciplinary fields covered in a broad array of humanities and social sciences journals. Content from H.W. Wilson’s International Index is also included. This database can be searched simultaneously with Readers' Guide Retrospective. Add "and theater reviews" to the keyword search to limit to reviews.

LexisNexis Academic (coverage varies by title/some 10 years) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Full-text information from newspapers, the legal literature, and other sources on a variety of topics. If looking for reviews published in the New York Times, use the Guided News Search mode. Choose Arts & Sports News in Step One, select Book, Movie, Music & Play Reviews in Step Two, and type New York Times in Step Five.

New York Times (1851-1999) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): Full-text articles from the New York Times, including photographs.

Readers' Guide Retrospective (1890-1982) LOCATION: Library Databases (restricted to University of Delaware users): The database provides indexing to popular periodicals. Add "and theater reviews" to the keyword search to limit to reviews. This database can be searched simultaneously with Humanities & Social Sciences Retrospective.

Reference Guides

Current Reviews

London Theatre Record/Theatre Record (1984 to present) Middlesex, England: I. Herbert. LOCATION: Morris Library (PN2596 .L6 L66): London Theatre Record (1984 - 1990)
Theatre Record (1991, 1997 to present)

Older Reviews

Cumulated Dramatic Index, 1909-1949 Boston: G. K. Hall, 1965. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref PN1601B .D73): Includes references to older reviews of plays, primarily American.

Marks, Patricia. American Literary and Drama Reviews: An Index to Late Nineteenth Century Periodicals (1880-1990) Boston: G.K. Hall, 1984. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref PN2256 .M37 1984): Indexes reviews of American and some London productions appearing in 13 periodicals from 1880-1990.

New York Theatre Critics' Reviews/National Theatre Critics' Reviews (1940-1996) New York: Critics' Theatre Reviews. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref PN2000 .N76): Critics' Theatre Reviews (1940-1942)
New York Theatre Critics' Reviews (1943-994)
National Theatre Critics' Reviews (1995-1996) (publication ceased); This source reprints reviews from New York City newspapers, the Christian Science Monitor, Time, and Newsweek.

Salem, James M., ed. A Guide to Critical Reviews (1909-1980s) 3rd ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref PN2101B .S25 1984): Salem indexes critical reviews of productions on the New York stage. Part 1. American Drama, 1909-1982. Part 2. The Musical, 1909-1989. Part 3. Foreign drama, 1909-1977 (2nd ed.).

Slide, Anthony, ed. Selected Theatre Criticism (1900-1950) Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (Ref PN2277 .N5 S44 1985): A collection of reprinted reviews of New York stage productions. Volume 1. 1900-1919. Volume 2. 1920-1930. Volume 3. 1931-1950.

Stanley, William T. Broadway in the West End: An Index of Reviews of American Theatre in London, 1950-1975 Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1978. LOCATION: Morris Library (Z2014.D7 S77): Stanley provides reviews of American theatrical productions appearing in 16 London newspapers from 1950-1975.

Wearing, J.P. The London Stage (1890-1959)
Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press.
LOCATION: Morris Library - Reference (beginning Ref PN2596.L6 W37 and ending Ref PN 2596 .L6 W3847 1993): The London Stage series provides information about London productions and includes citations for reviews.

Websites

CurtainUp LOCATION: Internet (http://www.curtainup.com/): "The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings."

Theatre Reviews Limited LOCATION: Internet (http://www.theatrereviews.com): A website for reviews of current Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows in New York City.

This page is maintained by Linda Lawrence Stein, Reference Department.
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Last modified: 01/03/06

Theatre Reviews:

A Research Guide

Finding Theatre Reviews

Databases

Reference Guides

Websites