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In 1993, when I first began to research theatre sites on the internet,
it was a difficult and laborious project. Sites were hard to find, search
engines were underdeveloped, there were very few theatre people who
had taken an interest in, or even knew about the internet. Obviously,
things have changed. Now the Web is easily accessible
through a variety of web browsers, making specific knowledge
of such utilities as telnet, ftp, and gopher (remember that one?) more or less obsolete
or invisible.
There are now so many theatre-related sites that keeping a truly
comprehensive guide to resources theatre on the internet, compiled
and maintained through human intervention, is incredibly time-consuming.
The area of performance studies is even more of a problem, with its
incursions into popular culture, communication studies, and hundreds of
other (legitimate!) tangents.
The proliferation of search engines and databases on the web now makes finding a
comprehensive listing of links fairly easy for a single user. Of course, access
to such an expanse of information raises the problem of evaluation and selection, which I
have attempted to address in this guide over the years.
This edition of my Brief Guide to Internet Resources in Theatre and
Performance Studies is based on what I have learned as a seeker
of information on the internet, which is mainly how to quickly find information
and resources in a medium where their sheer quantity is overwhelming.
As a researcher in search of useful information, I find myself turning again
and again to the same information sources, engaging in the same techniques,
and using the tools at my disposal in similar ways.
In previous versions, I have struggled to keep a balance between brief
and comprehensive. I decided some years ago to give the
advantage to brief. This has resulted in dropping (among other things) the "Listserv"
section (except for new resources), especially since most are now accessible
through HTTP addresses and can be found with a typical internet search.
In any event, I am attempting to live up to the title of this document as a guide
to resources rather than a listing of them.
What's not in this guide
In order to achieve this objective, some omissions have been necessary.
I consider this a good thing. Usually, when browsing through sites,
I tend to encounter the same links repeatedly and therefore run myself around
in circles. Although this sort of "empirical" research is sometimes desirable,
it is inefficient (not to mention frustrating) as a first recourse.
Therefore, I have privileged those sites that do offer comprehensive listings,
that offer something unique or interesting, that are somewhat off the beaten path, or that
serve as significant examples of well-managed and productive sites.
I have opted not to list commercial organizations (such as most actor databases) or sites
that simply repeat services or resources. (Just a note: for actors who want to
find these resources, simply submit a form to a search engine with the arguments
"actor," "casting," and/or "headshot" and
you will be swamped with information). I have also chosen to omit most regional
theatres and organizations, unless they offer significant resources (internet or other).
For example, I do not include the ANYWHERE, USA THEATRE COMPANY, but
I do include the National Endowment for the Arts at the Kennedy Center, AisleSay production reviews, and many playwriting pages (since these latter
often include new, unpublished, and/or original works).
Assumptions
This guide is not meant to be an introduction to the internet itself. I am assuming
that the reader will have a working knowledge of a web browser; be able to formulate,
understand, or at least use Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses; send and
receive email; and perform other basic tasks associated with the medium.
Submitting a site
For some time, I have begun to receive both automated and human-generated missives
from webmasters asking that their site be included in my guide. In order for us
all to better utilize our time, I have composed the following criteria for a site to
be considered for inclusion in subsequent versions of my guide. The site should:
- not be commercial, unless it overwhelming fits one of the following criteria;
- offer something unique or interesting (not offered by any other site);
- provide valuable research tools (such as book, article, or play indexes);
- provide a comprehensive listing of theatre or performance studies resources; and/or
- be off the beaten path, that is, unlikely to be found in a quick search engine query.
The reader will no doubt find exceptions to these guidelines within the body of this guide.
Since I am a human editor, I reserve the right to bend the rules and use my own judgment
in making these determinations.
- Ken McCoy
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This section contains the resources that I consult most often and that yield the best results.
Be sure to look carefully at this section before continuing, since the
resources in it are not repeated later (that would be redundant).
Theatre Central
Now at Playbill.
One of the best-maintained and most comprehensive single site on the subject of theatre,
providing hundreds of links to theatre-related resources of all stripes. It includes a directory of Theatre
Professionals on the Internet (email addresses, bios, etc.), casting news, production listings, and even a
journal.
The World-Wide Web Virtual Library: Theatre and Drama
A collection of theatre links, whose scope aims for the multi-cultural and multi-lingual.
Its most remarkable features are its index to plays available on the internet (in several languages) and a
(very modest) syllabus bank.
AisleSay
The Internet Magazine of Stage Reviews and Opinions, covering New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
Los Angeles, Melbourne, and more, with frequent updates and additions.
It's been around for almost as long as this guide.
OOBR
The Off-Off Broadway Review is an electronic edition of the print journal,
which provides listings and reviews of current and archived shows of its
members in the venue--defined as "an Equity showcase or non-union
production of equivalent resources, being done in any of the New York
boroughs." Free listings are welcomed in the electronic version.
Musicals 101
This "Cyber Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre, TV, and Film"
by John Kenrick is a great site to begin an exploration of musical theatre as an
art form. With papers on history, reviews, essays on a variety of topics, and
even some "how-to" guides, it's far more than a fan site or list of
links.
Playscripts, Inc.
Although this site is, technically speaking, commercial, this online
publishing house also
happens to excel in providing access to a huge collection of playtexts for
performance, most notably short, original scripts suitable for young performers
and audiences (i.e., Thespian competition and high school festivals). Playtexts
are at least 80% viewable online, which greatly facilitates a search for "that
perfect play."
Primer for Actors
By Louis E. Catron, this is a great source of "how to" information for student actors and other beginners.
The advice on resume construction is particularly well done. Dr. Catron has
other useful web publications on the home
site.
The Foundation Center
An information resource for grantseekers and grantmakers, including fund-raising
libraries, a digest, and publications.
Ropers Knots Page
A meta-page with links to knot-tying sites. It's got links to ALL the knots.
For when I can't remember how the rabbit goes around the tree, in the hole, etc.
On-Line Books Page
An index to online books and other documents,
with links to other electronic text sites, indexes, and more.
LANIC -- Latin American Network Information Center (University of Texas).
UT-LANIC provides access to library catalogs, networks (redes),
databases, FTP and email archives (including the Latin American Information Base),
and more in and concerning Latin America. The amount of information is immense.
Since my area of research interest is Latin American Theatre, I often find it invaluable
(in locating play and production reviews published in newspapers, for example).
The Internet Broadway Database
This one is all about Broadway, and is a great source for statistics on
productions appearing there. However, Broadway theatres are no longer the sole
controlling venues for theatre production in America, especially non-musical
theatre, so it's not really as useful as I would want it to be. Still, a good
start - easy to search and fairly comprehensive.
The Internet Movie Database
As the film industry tends to be more centralized, this one is more useful,
especially for finding lists of performers, synopses of their movies, awards won, and other good stuff.
Actors who already appear in the database can take advantage of the photo-resume
service to edit and post their own additional information.
Well, these are the resources that I consult most often.
After reading through the many more that follow, be sure to look at the
Other Guides
section of this document for a more comprehensive tour of the internet theatre world.
If you are looking for something specific, you might also want to try a search engine.
Although there are dozens of them, the two I tend to use the most are
Google and
Yahoo.
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World Wide Web Resources by Topic
Acting Workshop Online
A nice, easy to understand site for beginning actors.
The Actor's Checklist
A fairly comprehensive site containing information and advice for actors new to the
business of the art (mostly SAG and film-focused).
The information is solid and reasonable and there are also suggestions for other
sites and print sources.
AEA: Actors Equity Association
This home of the professional Stage Actors' Union in the USA includes FAQ,
constitution/bylaws, and other info germain to the working actor. It also includes
information on auditioning as well as links to other unions, a few producers, and other
sites of general interest.
ACTORSOURCE
A respectably comprehensive site for the actor. Most notably,
includes practical advice to the star-struck, such as how to avoid scams, how to relocate to LA,
and how to choose monologues and headshots. It also includes valuable lists of agencies, casting
directors, comedy clubs, and selected conservatories, colleges and universities (hard to cover
them all) with programs in actor training.
The Living Playbook
Rightly calls itself "the most complete, most up-to-date collection of improv games on the
planet." I have found them very useful in classes and workshops, although
it apparently has not been updated since 2001.
Now Casting
A talent database, based in LA, for actors to post resumes, photos, reel clips, etc. and review casting notices. The basic membership is free.
The Online Communicator
Essentially a site devoted to listing resources for the Entertainment Industry, the
Talent
section of this site lists resources useful to performers, such as information on unions,
vocal production, tongue twisters, audition resources, and more. Maintained by Rich Wilson;
last updated in 2005.
StageAgent.com
This site advertises itself as "free resource for the performers and producers of
musicals, operas, and dramas." It is mainly a disucssion forum, but it is indexed with
search capabilities, and there are occasional short articles.
Elizabethan Costuming Page
This is an excellent site for both amateur and professional costumers (and students of course),
with sections on history, design and even construction techniques. A "Monthly Costume
Feature" directs the reader to other excellent sites of interest. This site is very
thorough, and definitely worth a visit (even if you're not a costumer).
Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms: Theatrecrafts.com
Hosted by Jon Primrose / University of Exeter Drama Department (UK), this is a very comprehensive glossary of
English-language theatre terms. Users can perform a Word Search, get a random
word, browse by category or alphabetically. Very informative.
The History of Costume by Braun & Scheider
Braun & Scheider published this illustrated book on costumes c.1861-1880. The web site is the
book on line--an excellent resource for costume designers, directors, and those interested in
fashion and period costuming.
Lighting & Electronics
Features safety guides, math formulas for
lighting designers and electricians, links to news services and
magazines, and a problem/solution page, in which solutions to common
and not-so-common lighting problems are discussed.
The Stagehand Primer
Specifically intended for the use of the Stagehands and Apprentices of IATSE Local 470 in Northeast Wisconsin,
this handbook contains lots of useful information for technicians and other students of theatre
in need of plain definitions and procedures for the practical operation of theatre production.
The Theatre Design and Tech Jobs Page
A free online jobs bulletin board, artist listing, and forum.
USITT
The web site for the association of design, production, and technology
professionals in the performing arts and entertainment industry in the USA.
10 Minute Plays
An archive of short plays. Very suitable for one-act festivals and directing classes.
APN: The Alberta Playwrights' Network
The Alberta Playwrights' Network is a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to
fostering playwriting in Alberta, Canada. The site includes an online newsletter, but to
take advantage of many of the services, one needs to be in Alberta.
Cervantes Project
An excellent site devoted to the Spanish Golden Age playwright,
with academic articles, indices, images, a local search engine, and links to related sites.
Available in Spanish and English, it should prove very useful to the online researcher.
E-SCRIPT
An interactive scriptwriting workshop for playwrights and screenwriters
at all experience levels. The site also includes virtual Q & A sessions and archives with professionals
in TV, theatre, and film.
Ibsen.net
A very nice searchable database concerning stage productions of Ibsen's plays from 1850 and to present day.
In English, German, and Norwegian.
The International Centre for Women Playwrights
The web site for this organization includes a discussion list, links to
conferences and programs, the newsletter, and a "diary" of members' activities
and awards.
Eugène Ionesco
Soren Olsen's page in French and English on the absurdist playwright.
Limelight Scripts
The UK source for scripts for performance, notable for its section on
The History of British Pantomime
and scripts for this unique form of drama.
Moliere Adaptations In English by Timothy Mooney
An ever-growing collection of Moliere's plays in English translation (and a few adaptations)
that are original and creatively rhymed. Tim will also email a free copy of select plays upon
request. He also performs on the Fringe Theatre and College Tour circuits.
Playwrights Cafe
The members of this organization in Albany, CA critiques a play each month by one of
its fellows; the Network Cafe in the site allows participation, i.e., forum discussions, by
non-members as well, although threads are very sparse and limited except for the Playwrights section.
The Playwrights Forum
The Playwrights Forum is "a non-profit organization dedicated to the artistic
development of talented playwrights from the Washington D.C. area." Their web site
includes short descriptions of over 200 plays written by members.
Playwrights on the Web
Maintained by Paul Thain on the Internet Theatre Bookshop web site,
this is a long contact list of playwrights whose material is accessible on the web.
His home site includes some nice links for playwrights, especially those in the UK.
Playwriting Seminars
This site is essentially a 230-page manual of the playwright's craft, with an
"inevitable excursion into film." It is a very informative and thought-provoking
guide to many playwriting issues.
Small-Cast One-Act Play Guide
A companion to the print-published index, this continually updated site
aims to access "playwrights, their scripts, and related sundries."
It includes indices of small-cast one-act plays sorted by cast size/gender, title,
and author, a glossary of terms, reference sources for playwrights, and even
script analyses.
August Strindberg
This attractive site has some good biographical material and photos, as well as excerpts from his journals and sketchbooks.
USA Plays for Kids
This program sponsored by the Drury University (Missouri) Dept. of Education (and other
partners) provides a listing of authors willing to make direct contact with children who are
producing their plays--a worthy project, and well-thought out.
Writing-World.com
Formerly the InkSpot, this is a very solid site for writers of all kinds. It includes a
bi-weekly newsletter, interviews, articles, links, and more.
Absolute Shakespeare
This impressive site includes not only the plays, sonnets, and historical background,
but also such features as trivia, study guides, quotes, filmography, and bibliography.
One of the best.
A Compendium of Common Knowledge 1558-1603
(Hosted at Renaissance, The Elizabethan World, this a very attractive and informative on-line book by Maggie Pierce Secara on
"Elizabethan Commonplaces for Writers, Actors, and Re-enactors."
This fifth edition is a very thorough source for information on everyday life in Elizabethan
times, drawn both from formal research and the author's experiences at Renaissance Faires.
The web designer, Paula Katherine Marmor, has crafted a very elegant presentation.
The book can also be downloaded for printing in Word 6.0 and Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
The main site also has other good resources.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
HTML versions of the plays.
Internet Shakespeare Editions
According to the editors, the purpose of this site is "to make scholarly, fully
annotated texts of Shakespeare's plays available" on the internet. This includes Quartos
and Folios, old-spelling editions of selected plays, and a refereed introduction to Shakespeare's
life and times.
Ren Faire: Elizabethan Accents
A very interesting page that is part of a site devoted to Renaissance Faires. It includes sections on
pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, forms of address, insults and cursing, all aimed toward the improvisational
use of Elizabethan English. A particularly interesting feature is a collection of sound files with Elizabethan
pronunciations of some words.
Shakespeare Authorship
"Dedicated to the Proposition that Shakespeare Wrote Shakespeare," this site
is devoted to a critical examination of Oxfordian claims on the authorship of Shakespeare's plays.
It also includes numerous links to other sites related both to the controversy and to Shakespeare
in general.
Shakespeare's Theatre
Terry Gray's superb annotated guide to Shakespeare web resources. A great place to start to research
your production.
AATE Online
The American Alliance for Theatre and Education web site.
American Arts Alliance
The Advocacy Page of the American Arts Alliance provides "advocacy information and
tools for arts supporters to communicate the need for continued federal support of the arts
to their senators and representatives."
American Association of Community Theatre
A very respectable site that, in addition to a huge listing of regional community
theatres and programs to service them, has a Tips of the Month
section with practical advice on lots of theatre topics.
Americans for the Arts (ArtsUSA)
ArtsUsa is the homepage of the Americans for the Arts, the advocacy arm of the American
Council for the Arts and the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies. Includes ACA Catalog
of books, the ArtsUSA Cafe discussion group, grant-writing and legal information, and Arts
Advocacy resources. An excellent site.
ArtsEdge
The mission of the Kennedy Center ArtsEdge is "to help artists, teachers, and students gain access to
and/or share information, resources, and ideas that support the arts as a core subject
area in the K12 curriculum". This mission has given rise to several programs of
interest, including a news digest and archive, links to sites in the arts and education,
and a calendar of Conferences, Contests, Grants, Requests for Papers, and
Job Listings, and the Community Center bulletin board.
ASTR: The American Society for Theatre Research
The home site for the professional academic organization that hosts a
conference, working groups, a discussion list, and the journal
Theatre Survey.
ATHE
The Association for Theatre in Higher Education web site.
IATSE
The national website of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United
States and Canada (the stagehands' union).
Institute for the Management of Creative Enterprises
This site, formerly ArtsNet, provides (among other things) a
searchable database of arts
resources.
The International Federation for Theatre Research
In French and English, this is the home site for the professional academic organization for conferences,
working groups, and the journal
Theatre Research International.
NEA Homepage
The National Endowment for the Arts.
Standing Conference of University Drama Departments (SCUDD)
An umbrella agency for University Drama Departments in the UK; includes a discussion list and
some publications.
TCG: Theatre Communications Group
The national membership organization for academes, amateurs, and professionals alike. Among
other things, the organization features a bookstore, journal (American Theatre) and
ArtSearch, the
main national listing for jobs in the arts in the USA.
The Theatre Library Association
Housed by the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center, this site for the
professional academic organzation supports librarians and archivists in the performing arts. It features links to
Performing Arts Libraries, Archives and Museums, among other things.
World Wide Arts Resources
An impressive inventory of (mostly visual arts) resources that includes a searchable
database, some dance links, links to arts organizations, arts employment, and more.
American Musicals
This site is basically a directory of contact information and publicity for theatre
practitioners and their shows in the Los Angeles area.
American Theater Web
This site for "top news" has production listings by state, date, and alphabetical order,
as well as a callboard with various news and announcements.
Bhasabharathi
The website of the Sopanam Institute of Kerala, India, engaged in the
production and preservation of performance styles and methods of traditional
Sanskrit and other Indian folk plays.
Branson Critic
This site provides a forum for volunteer reviewers as "regular people" to
share their quite literate opinions on theatre performances in Branson, MO. They
also offer a newsletter, a Q&A, and an index to current shows playing.
Broadway.com in London
A guide to London & West End theatres, with news headlines. They do sell tickets & hotel packages,
but the free info is appreciated.
Chicago Theatre from Studio Z
Dan Zellner's page on Chicago theatre, with articles, play bills, reviews, and links.
Culture Vulture
The theatre section is a good place to find a sampling of what's playing in various cities of
the world. More importantly, it includes very intelligent reviews and archives them for future
reference--many kudos to the webmaster.
CurtainUp
This site has lots of reviews, some feature articles and interviews, covering the New York,
London, and Washington, DC areas.
Directory of Outdoor Drama in the United States
From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Institute of Outdoor
Drama, this site features an up-to-date list of shows and contact information on outdoor drama producing organizations.
Drama.ca
Canadian theatre listings, reviews, festivals, theatre rental information,
news and auditions.
Irish Theatre Resource
This site has a comprehensive directory of links to "all Irish Theatre Companies,
Venues, Dance, Festivals, and Theatre Sites."
London Theatre Guide
Concentrating on theatres that are members of the Society of London Theatre: "the main 46 top theatres" of the West End.
Ohio Educational Theatre Association (Ohio Thespians)
Aside from a center for information on Ohio Thespians, there are excellent sections
(reprinted articles) on copyright and censorship concerns for theatre in public school settings.
Proscenio: Teatro Brasileiro
A good source for those seeking information on professional and academic theatres in Brazil,
especially contact information such as addresses and phone numbers. Also features the complete
resumes (or links to them) of various Brazilian theatre professionals. In Portuguese.
StageDiary.com
Billing itself as an "Online Stage Magazine--a new source of information and
comment on theatre and other performing arts in Queensland, Australia," this site
includes arts headlines, reviews, and a "what's playing" section.
Teatrolinks
Links to theatre groups, organizations, festivals, and other web sites, mainly in Portugal,
but also internationally.
Theatre Australia
Serving mostly Western Australia, this is a very respectable and well-organized site.
It includes the usual links to regional theatres and their seasons, as well as a script
library for locals, message boards, and reviews of productions submitted by regular theatre-going
citizens. The gossip section is particularly juicy.
Theatre (Dance and Performance) in Wales
A nicely organized site concerning the performing arts in Wales. In addition to a
comprehensive listing of companies, universities and community organizations, the site
includes a rich compendium of reviews, articles, essays, and profiles on a variety of related topics.
Larry Stark's THEATER MIRROR, Boston's Live Theater Guide
This eclectic and witty guide starts with and focuses on Boston, Massachusetts, but
also expands its coverage of quality links to the rest of the globe.
Lots of information, few "bells and whistles."
Theatremonkey.com
An "independent guide to London Theatre and Concert Venues," this site
reviews London theatre auditoria, and gives advice on seat selection, getting tickets while
avoiding scalpers, etc. It also ranks a seat's "value," which includes handicapped
accessibility and general comfort. They even send undercover agents in and publish a report of
their experiences at the hands of management.
World Theatres - New York, London, Toronto and International
As the title suggests, this page gives the addresses and seasons of various theatre companies
sorted by venue. The very large type makes it difficult to get a sense of what the site offers
without reading the whole thing. It's hard to navigate or scan for information; it's probably a
more productive use of time to search for a particular theatre or show.
Zurich's Cynical Theatre Guide
A nice guide to the theatre scene in Zurich. It's in German, but provides English descriptions
of the entries.
UK Theatre Web
A fairly comprehensive listing of performing arts events and resources
in the UK, including amateur and professional theatre, opera and dance.
Potpourri: The Best of the Rest
1800's Ephemera
This page contains a section of links to theatre program and poster art, engravings, and other materials from the 1800s.
AFS Home Page
American Fencers Supply, although a commercial site, also offers much in the way of
information and education on fencing and weapons for the stage. Particularly informative
is the illustration of the many types of sword blades.
Applied and Interactive Theatre Guide
Information on and links to psychodrama, drama therapy, sociodrama, playback theater,
Boal centers and practitioners, community issues groups, and training and development specialists.
Artmedia (Australia)
Run by Alan Clay, this site
on Physical Theatre reads like a newsletter and focuses on Australia and New
Zealand. In fact, they have an e-newsletter available. It's an interesting place
to find out what's going on in that part of world in that brand of theatre.
Asian American Theatre Revue
An up-to-date resource on Asian American theatre, this site includes a
directory of organizations and annotated bibliography of plays, as well as news
and a calendar of events.
The Association of Theatre Movement Educators
Formerly the Society of Theatre Movement Specialists, ATME is an umbrella service
organization primarily for movement educators in actor training. Currently of national (USA) scope,
plans are underway to expand internationally.
Audio Theatre
Audio theatre is what happened to Radio Drama when "the delivery vehicle abandoned the
art form." This site includes news on over 125 practicing organizations, as well as
contests on writing and producing audio theatre.
Bob Hope and American Variety
More than a biographical Hope site, this online library of Congress exhibit
explores the American Variety performance from vaudeville through the present
using Hope's work as a springboard. Photos, programs, partial scripts, and other
memorabilia provide the core of the collection.
Border Crossings
This site sponsored by a theatre company has a series of very good essays on
and interviews focusing on
intercultural theory and performances from its repertory.
Its chief patron is opera director Peter Sellars.
Centre for Performance Research
Located in Aberystwyth, Wales, this is a membership organization whose site includes a
modest collection of links and descriptions of past and on-going projects in
performance. Members get more, such as a peer-reviewed journal and access to an archive
of books and videos on the subject of contemporary (postmodern, etc.) performance.
Comedy-O-Rama
A comedy site from Joe Bevilacqua and Lorie Kellogg, Comedy-O-Rama includes their own
material (scripts, radio dramas, funnies, etc.), as well as a very nice set of links to
resources on the
"Great Ones" of comedy: Fred Allen, Fanny Brice, Phil Silvers, and
Jack Benny.
Creative Drama and Theatre Education Resource Site
Geared for K-12 teachers, this site includes theatre games and classroom
ideas, a short listing of plays for performance, and an annotated bibliography
of books for the classroom drama teacher.
Creative Drama & Theatre for
Youth Webring
This site links those with an interest in drama education and drama for
youth. There are now enough partners to make it a good resource.
Dance Links
Links to dance-related resources based on the list compiled by Amy Reusch and friends and
hosted by Gaynor Minden pointe shoes. The new web design may cause some erroneous file not found
messages - but don't worry - they are there.
DIOTIMA: Women and Gender in the Ancient World
Contains a bibliography, links to course materials, on-line articles, reviews, and images.
Eserver Drama Collection: Drama
Links to plays, screenplays and discussions of drama and dramatic productions
not typically found elsewhere.
Federal Theatre Project Collection
Lots of information and images from the Federal Theatre Project archives at the
Library of Congress. This is an excellent tour through the only national theatre directly
funded by the US government in its history -- and rumor has it it actually made money.
Gruppo Storico e Sbandieratori Città di Castiglion Fiorentino
An Italian site on folklore and historicla re-enactment from the Tuscan Middle Ages. A good
source for music and flags/heraldry.
History of Performance Studies
This site is a result of Dr. Kelly Taylor's Seminar on the History of Performance Studies
course at the University of North Texas. There are student essays, as well as her own model
site on Chambers of Rhetoric.
Diane Howard's Professional Support Network
An eclectic potpourri of professional resources in performance studies
and communication, such as course syllabi, performance texts, audition
announcements, and links to outside resources in a variety of areas.
Interactive Drama
A "Scenario-Based Theatre-Style Interactive Drama Freeform Live Action
Roleplaying Game Scenario Archive." Includes many links, information, and above all, a
collection of interactive scenarios available online.
International Phonetic Association
Get the latest information about the International Phonetic Alphabet, used in voice
study. The site includes charts, a handbook, and information on joining the association.
For those who need to write things in the internet phonetic alphabet,
this page contains
links to several font packages for a variety of platforms.
Kabuki for Everyone
A really nice, surprisingly comprehensive page on Kabuki and related forms.
Landing Place
This site "for and about the fine arts" has a searchable database of venues,
lists of agents, bulletin boards, and more, with contact information (phone and address more
often than email or web site).
Literary Resources on the Net
Jack Lynch's site is a very comprehensive annotated collection of links to literary
resources, including many playwrights and general theatre resources. It also includes a
local search engine for those seeking specific information.
The Live Art Archives
A source for information about Live Art/Performance Art materials in the UK.
The current database covers 1994-2000, and work is underway to update to the present.
The site includes links to the LiveArt discussion group and the Digital Performance Archives.
Magic for Socialism
This site is too interesting to pass by. Ian Saville explains his magic routines:
"whereas David Copperfield is content with little tricks like making the Statue
of Liberty disappear, I aim at the much more ambitious goal of making International
Capitalism and exploitation disappear."
Medieval English Drama
From the University of Rochester's Robbins Library, a comprehensive bibliography of
print resources on the subject, including their Library of Congress designations.
Musicals.Net
Song lists, lyrics, synopses and more of your favorite musicals.
Old Sword-Play
A PDF version of the rare book by
"Victorian scholar of the sword," Captain Alfred Hutton. Caveat emptor.
On the Theatrical Origin of the Expression "Green Room"
This scholarly article by George B. Bryan, published in DE PROVERBIO: An Electronic Journal of International Proverb Studies
(Volume 3 - Number 1 - 1997), provides a great many options, but no firm conclusions regarding
the origin of the term.
Phonetics Resources for Studying Spoken English
This site provides a nice annotated index to resources for voice study on the internet;
not only phonetics, but also speech recognition and processing software and other
technological fixes.
The Puppetry Home Page
A very comprehensive page of links to puppetry resources, including technique,
construction, puppeteers, tour schedules, and related issues.
The Ring of Steel Theatrical, Stage and Film Combat Homepage
From Ann Arbor, Michigan, this is an excellent site for stage combat and fencing. The Reference Shelf section is particularly informative.
Semiotics for Beginners
A comprehensive introduction to the subject of semiotics. It is
appropriately heady, and not for the academically thin-skinned. Still, its
otherwise useful bibliography does not contain Keir Elam's Semiotics of Theatre.
Stephen Sondheim Society
Besides the latest news on Sondheim productions and events in the UK, there
is an archive of performance records: programs, dates, numbers of show runs,
etc. as well as a message board.
Theatre Ephemera
A collection of image files of mostly people, productions, and theatres for teachers
and students of theatre history. They seem to cover mostly the 19th and early 20th century.
TheatreHistory.com
This is a quite comprehensive academically-oriented site (almost an
e-course) which provides a nice insight into issues of theatre history. In
addition to an index of topics (divided mainly by region, but also by Age),
there is a "Today in Theatre history" section, as well as a featured topic and
very modest script archive.
Theatre on a Shoestring
This is a remarkably comprehensive site for the theatre aficionado and practitioner,
offering a number of articles for theatre people of all stripes, a glossary of theatre terms,
theatre graphics, theatre games, stagecraft tips, play synopses, and more. A very impressive site.
Theatron: Theatre History in Europe
An innovative presentation of architectural and textual resources, offering interactive
walkthroughs of 3-d models of select theatre buildings. It does require certain minimum computing
resources and the installation of two browser plugins, but it's worth it to teachers and students
of theatre history.
Tongue Twister Database
There are plenty of tongue twisters here, indispensable for the actor/speaker.
Traveling Culture: Circuit Chautauqua in the Twentieth Century
This Library of Congress online exhibit and searchable database
presents an overview of this touring arts & lectures forum and collection of
circulars and talent brochures for performing artists. Based on the records of
one of the principal booking agents, Redpath Lyceum Bureau, currently held by
the University of Iowa Libraries.
Vaudeville in Ohio
A very interesting, freely accessible database cataloging shows and performers at the
Chicago Opera House in Chicago Junction (now Willard), Ohio from August 1903 to December 1911.
This small-town American vaudeville information is just the kind of thing the internet should
make possible (in my opinion).
Urban Dictionary
This is an irresistible Wiki-style dictionary database of current slang, focusing overmuch on the scatological.
Still, when I want to translate my students' rehearsal ad-libs into coherent terms, I often consult it.
Virtual Vaudeville
This experimental site hosted by the University of Georgia (USA) presents a Shockwave
3-D performance simulation by vaudevillian Frank Bush, complete with reactions by the
historical audience. It is replete with historical information, presented both
in the performance context and as "notes." More importantly, it actually works
-- a one-of-a-kind application of scholarship and an amazing site!
Women's Theatre and Creativity Centre
A page that seeks to create a community for women through performance.
The World of Mime Theatre
Dedicated to "promotion of Mime as a serious theatrical art," this site
offers a clickable index to all kinds of sites and subjects related to Mime,
which include "a Library, Resources, Performer Contacts, and an Events
Calendar."
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Please address praise, scorn, and other comments concerning
the design of this web page
to Ken McCoy
