Databases
The following databases can also be accessed from the library home page from Databases A-Z.
Proquest
Mega-database that searches many interdisciplinary databases together - journals, newspapers, magazines, dissertatations; also industry reports.
International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance
Cites articles and books with selected access to full-text content relating to all aspects of performance and the theatre; replaces the scholarly print edition of the International Bibliography of Theatre.
Performing Arts Periodical Database
Cites international scholarly and poplular articles on the performing arts, except music. It also cites performing arts articles and obituaries appearing in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Most records include an abstract in addition to the citation. The retrospective database draws citations from 46 periodicals and dates back to 1864.
JSTOR
Full-text scholarly journals and primary resources
Project Muse
Full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly journals and books
Literature Resource Center
This database could be a good place to start to get a variety of resources and background information about your play or production, artists, directors etc. Search by content type: biography, multimedia, news, literary criticism, primary sources and literary work, and topic.
MLA International Bibliography
Venerated reference database for finding citations to books, book chapters, periodical articles, and dissertations in all languages for all periods from the Middle Ages to present.
Music Index
Citations of articles about classical and popular music, musicians, and the music industry for more than 475 periodicals, as well as book reviews, obituaries, news, and selective coverage for more than 230 periodicals. Covers 1970-present
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
Citations and abstracts for scholarly articles, books, commentaries, conference proceedings, dissertations, festschriften, reviews, internet resources, motion pictures, sound recordings and technical drawings of musical instruments are all covered by RILM. Concert reviews, recording notes, and pedagogical manuals are indexed if they are of scholarly interest. Covers 1967-present.
Broader databases
Academic OneFile
Full-Text articles on all subjects
Google Scholar
Open access scholarly web resources.
General OneFile
Full-text articles on all subjects
ArticleFirst
Citations to scholarly journal articles in all disciplines
Lexis Nexis Academic
International news, law and business information.
Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
London Times articles covering two centuries
Newspapers Guide (Sue Collins, History Librarian)Databases
Once you have found the citation to an article, it's full content may be available via CMU Libraries in print form, online or both. If there is not a full-content online link to the article in the database of your choice, try this protocol:
1. Do a Journal Search to see if we have electronic or print copies in the Carnegie Mellon Libraries collection.
2. Check local libraries for their holdings and/or search WorldCat.
3. Make an Interlibrary Loan Request (Illiad). This is a free service to all CMU students, staff and faculty.
5. If you are having difficulties anywhere along the way, Ask!!
Facsimile reviews in New York newspapers
Note: Some prefer these print versions, but much if not all of the content will be found in the Proquest database.
New York Theatre Critics' Reviews
HUNT FA-REF PN2000 .N76, 1940-1995 (Look for the red binders directly behing the Arts Reference Desk.)
Full-text weekly reviews as they originally appeared in appeared the New York Sun, New York Post, New York Herald Tribune, New York Newspaper "PM," New York Times, New York Daily News, New York World-Telegram and New York Journal American.
New York Times Theatre Reviews
HUNT FA-REF PN2266 .N48, 1870-2000
Facsimiles of newspaper reviews.
Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global
Dissertations and theses from around the world, from 1
Dissertations and Theses @ Carnegie Mellon
1920-present; full-text may be available from 1997-present.
American Doctoral Dissertations, 1933-1955
100,000 dissertations from 1933 through 1955 accepted by U.S. universities during that period of time.
Criticism (and sometimes reviews) can be found in books and will strengthen your understanding of commentary gleaned from reviews in newspapers and magazines.
Focused study with reviews in a monograph (example)
Hurrell, John D. Two Modern American Tragedies: Reviews and Criticism of Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire. Scribner Research Anthology. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1961.
HUNT STACKS-2 PS3525 .I5156 D435
Sourcebooks and reference works containing critical commentary (examples)
Bloom, Harold, ed. in various locations: search Harold Bloom in Cameo
Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations (series)
Bloom's Modern Critical Views (series)
Bloom's Major Literary Characters (series)
Magill, Frank N., ed. Masterplots II Drama Series. Pasadena CA; Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Salem Press, 1990.
HUNT FA-REF-4 PN6112.6 .M37 1990.
Plays selected include critical play synopses and commentary on themes and meanings, dramatic devices and critical context.
Leiter, Samuel L. Encyclopedia of the New York Stage. Westport CN, London: Greenwood Press, 1985, 1992.
HUNT FA-REF-4 PN2277 .N5 L365
Volumes 1-2: 1920-1930
Volume 3: 1920-1930
Volume 4:1940-1950
Critical commentary, calendar of productions, play categories (by subject), awards, sources of plays
Drama Online Modern Theatre Guides: Context and Criticism
Includes information on plays, playwrights analysis, production history, further reading, timelines, critical companions, more. The list is rather short, but if your play, playwright or topic focus is included this will be useful for basic information.
Some books contain only bibliographies- lists of resources that will lead you to more resources on your topic including critical texts.
Here are two examples:
Wide scope:
Carpenter, Charles A. Modern Drama Scholarship and Criticism, 1981-1990, An International Bibliography. Toronto; Buffalo, London: Modern Drama; University of Toronto Press, 1997.
HUNT FA-REF-4 Z5781 .C37 1997.
Focused bibliography:
Havashi,Tetsumaro. Arthur Miller, Criticism, 1930-1967. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1969.
HUNT STACKS-3 (Stacks 3rd floor) Z8574.88 .H37