Research Resources:
Subject Research Guides:
Theater and Dance:
Biographical Sources
Sources recommended on the
Encyclopedias and Dictionaries page contain entries for major figures in theater and dance,
but these sources have more extensive coverage. This is a selection; for additional sources, search the following
subject headings in the
IRIS catalog:
performing arts -- biography -- bibliography
performing arts -- biography -- dictionaries -- indexes
performing arts -- biography -- indexes
theater -- biography -- bibliography
theater -- biography - dictionaries
dramatists - biography - dictionaries
dance -- biography
ballet -- biography - dictionaries
choreographers - biography
What is a bibliography?
Some of the sources listed below include bibliographies or bibliographic references. These have
information about sources of additional information on the subject.
Theater and Dance
Variety Obituaries.
(New York: Garland, 1988-1995).
Reprints of obituaries from Variety of figures in the performing arts, organized by date of obituary from 1905 through 1994. There's an index for volumes through 1986.
MUSIC REF PN1583.V35 1988
Theater
Contemporary Authors [Rutgers Restricted]
Includes biographical information on US and international playwrights, with bibliographic references.-->
Contemporary Theatre, Film & Television.
(Detroit: Gale Group, 1984-).
Brief biographies for people from all aspects of theater, film and television, including technicians,
composers, executives and critics. Look up your subject in the index of the most recent volume to find
out which volume you need. It also provides references to Who's Who in the Theatre and Who Was Who in the Theatre, which this newer series continues.
ALEXANDER REF PN2012.W51
MUSIC REF PN2208.W5
Grove Music Online [Rutgers Restricted]
Good for biographical information on prominent musical comedy composers and lyricists.
Literature Resource Center (Gale) [Rutgers Restricted]
Full-text online access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analysis of playwrights and their works.
Who's Who in Contemporary World Theatre.
(London; New York: Routledge, 2000).
Contains 1400 brief entries for actors, directors, designers and playwrights active worldwide in 2000, although it does not include those involved in performance art or musicals.
CAMDEN STACKS PN2035.W485 2000
Dance
Biographical Dictionary of Dance.
(New York: Schirmer, 1982).
Brief biographies of almost 3,000 figures from the history of European and American dance.
DANA and MUSIC REF GV1785.A1C58 1982
ALEXANDER STACKS GV1785.A1C58 1982
Bremser, Martha. Fifty Contemporary Choreographers.
(London: Routledge, 1999).
An international selection of prominent modern dance choreographers active in 1999. Each entry has a critical essay on the choreographer's art and influence, a brief biography, a list of dance works, and an extensive bibliography.
MUSIC REF GV1785.A1B74 1999
Related Biographical Resources
Electronic Reference Sources: Biography
