Scope: This guide offers suggestions for historical research into the performance aspects of the 19th century American theater.
Reference Materials
American Theatre Companies, 1749-1887. Edited by Weldon B. Durham (New York: Greenwood Press, 1986) Ref PNB2237.A43 1986)
Use in conjunction with his American Theatre Companies, 1888-1930 (New York: Greenwood Press, 1987) Ref PN2256.A44 1987 and Directory of Historic American Theatres. Ed. by John W. Frick and Carlton Ward for the League of Historic American Theatres. (New York: Greenwood Press, 1987) Stacks PN2289.D57 1987
Bordman, Gerald Martin. American Theatre: A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1869-1914. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994) Ref PN2256.B6 1994)
Cambridge Guide to the American Theatre. Edited by Don B. Wilmeth. 2nd edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007) Stacks PN2220.C35 2007
Fisher, James. Historical Dictionary of American Theater: Modernism (Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press, 2008) Stacks PN2266.3.F57 2008
Includes the closing decades of the 19th century.
The Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Gerald Bordman and Thomas S. Hischak. 3rd edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004) Ref PN2220.B6 2004)
Wemyss, Francis Courtney. Wemyss’ Chronology of the American Stage, from 1752 to 1852. microfilm reproduction (New York: Wm. Taylor & Co., 1852) Microfilm 861, reel 5, no.28
Contents Description from bibliographic record: “Wemyss chronology of the American stage [Includes playbills and production information about the first plays presented on the American stage.]--A list of all the theatres in the United States, as far as can be ascertained-when built-under whose management first opened-with the play performed--The names of all the managers who have presided over the destiny of the drama in North America from the 5th of September, 1752,...to the 1st of May, 1852--Extracts from the rules of the "American Dramatic Fund Association"--List of performers [i.e., a biographical dictionary]--Appendix [to the List of performers]--A list of all the theatres in the United States, (other than the first) built in each town or city, as far as can be ascertained-when built-under whose management first opened-with the play performed--A list of theatres in the United States, which have been destroyed by fire, and when--A list of all the managers of theatres in the United States, with their several locations, from 1752 to 1852--Copy of the bill at the centenary festival of the introduction of the drama into America..”
Use subject headings such as Theater—United States—Dictionaries; Theater—United
States—History—19th Century—Dictionaries; Theaters—United States—Directories, etc. in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat to find additional reference materials.
Bibliographies
Larson, Carl F. W. American Regional Theatre History to 1900: A Bibliography (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1979) Ref Z5781.L34
International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance with Full Text Connect
This bibliographic database includes journals and books.
MLA International Bibliography Connect
This literature-oriented database includes books and journal articles, some of the latter in full text. For a broad sweep of the database, conduct a general search using American Theater as a subject (you will need to change the default) and 1800-1899 as the time period (you will need to change the default). Pay attention to the sidebar listing additional related subjects in the database that you may use. Also pay attention to the subjects listed on each bibliographic record. Individual names such as Noah, Mordecai Manuel, Kemble, Frances Ann, or Jefferson, Joseph for example, may also be used as subjects. Search for other topics relating to the American theater in the 19th century by keywords (leave the default as originally set). Again, pay attention to the sidebar that will suggest other subject headings relating to the returned results. There are many citations to books and journal articles relating to aspects of the American theater in the 19th century in this bibliographic database.
Silvester, Robert. United States Theatre: A Bibliography, from the Beginning to 1990 (New York: G.K. Hall, 1993) Ref 5781.S55 1993
Wilmeth, Don B. The American Stage to World War I: A Guide to Information Sources (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1978) Ref Z1231.D7W55
Writings on American History 1902-1989/1990 Ref Z1236 .W7
Prepared under the auspice of the American Historical Association beginning in 1902, this bibliography contains what historians of the time agreed was the best in historical scholarship. It is also comprehensive. In later years the AHA turned over the publication of Writings on American History to a commercial publisher, and later to the United States government, during which two periods the quality declined. The work has now ceased publication. There is a comprehensive index for the years 1902-1940: Ref Z1236.W7 Index and for the years 1962-1973: Ref Z1236.W773 1985. Although it remains an indispensable resource for historical topics, theater is not much evident as such in the cumulative indexes. Use related topics such as “opera” or “minstrelsy” and personal names. Theater and theatrical-related topics can be found in the category “Life and Manners” in individual volumes. Use in conjunction with America: History and Life 1964- Connect
Use subject headings such as Theater—United States—Bibliography
in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat to find additional materials.
Also, see Source Material in this guide for additional bibliographies of interest.
Subject headings such as Women in the theater—United States—History—19th century;
American Drama—19th century—History and criticism or keywords such as plays and
19th century and United States; popular stage and United States and 19th century used in
Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat will help to identify materials on
these topics in the library’s collections or in the collections of other libraries from which
the items may be borrowed through InterLibrary Loan.
Biographical Sources: Actors, Actresses, Impresarios, etc.
American National Biography Connect
This authoritative work of national biography may be searched by personal name but it may also be used to create lists of people included in the publication according to their occupations such as “Circus Performers;” “Minstrel Show Performers;” “Sharpshooters,” “Theatrical Producers/Directors,” etc.
Use in conjunction with Notable American Women, 1607-1950. 3 vols. (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1971) Ref CT3260.N57 Connect
Search by personal name or use the “Classified List of Selected Biographies” to create lists of people included in the publication according to their area of renown such as “Actresses and Theatre Managers;” “Dancers;” “Performing Musicians,” etc.
Also use the earlier Dictionary of American Biography (DAB) Comprehensive Index Complete Through Supplement 10 Ref E176.D554 1996 Index which also lists persons according to occupation.
New York Times Obituaries Index 1858-1968 (New York: New York Times, 1970) Ref CT213.N47
Use in conjunction with the historical New York Times online Connect Obituaries sometimes quote friends and professional acquaintances and can provide leads not previously encountered. They are important summaries of how the person’s career was looked upon at the time of their death.
Use this bibliography to identify additional sources of collected biography:
Slocum, Robert B. Biographical Dictionaries and Related Works: An International Bibliography…. 2 vols. (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1986) Ref Z5301.S55 1986
These online collections offer brief biographical sketches:
Biography and Genealogy Master Index Connect
Biography Reference Bank Connect
Biography Resource Center Connect
Use subject headings such as Actors—Biography; Actresses—Biography, United States—Biography—Bibliography; Women—United States—Biography—Bibliography; Theater—United States—Biography—Dictionaries, etc. in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat to find additional reference materials.
For diaries and autobiographies, use:
American Diaries: An Annotated Bibliography of Published American Diaries and Journals. Comp. By Laura Arksey, Nancy Pries, and Marcia Reed. 2 vols. (Detroit: Gale Research, 1983-1987. Ref 5305.U5A74 1983
This bibliography lists published diaries written between 1492 and 1980 and has a subject index. Use in conjunction with: The Published Diaries and Letters of American Women: An Annotated Bibliography. Comp. By Joyce D. Goodfriend (Boston: G. K. Hall, 1987) Ref 5305.U5G66 1987
Bibliography of American Autobiographies. Comp. By Louis Kaplan et. al. (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1961) Ref Z1224.K3 and Indexes to Microfiche Edition of American Autobiographies… (LaCross, WI.: Northern Micrographics, 1974- )
Ref Z1224.I5 Series 1 [Series 1. 1676-1850. (Section A, 1676-1825. Section B, 1826-1841. Section C, 1842-1850) Microfiche 103, Ser.1, Sect. A, B. C,]
Source Material
[Also see Diaries and Autobiographies in Biographical Sources section; Wemyss, Francis Courtney. Wemyss’ Chronology of the American Stage, from 1752 to 1852. microfilm reproduction (New York: Wm. Taylor & Co., 1852) Microfilm 861, reel 5, no.28 in Reference Materials section]
American Culture Series, 1493-1875: A Cumulative Guide to the Microfilm Collection… Edited by Ophelia Y. Lo. (Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1979 Ref Z1215>A583
Items in this guide may be borrowed from the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) First check to make sure that the item is not available in another format or collection held in our own collections.
American Drama Full-Text Database
This collection of digitized plays is part of the Literature Online (LION) collection Connect of English and American poetry, drama, and prose. Search
American Drama Full-Text Database as a title in Uclid for a listing of the plays in this section of the collection such as Dunlap, William, 1766-1839. Abaellino, the great bandit. Translated from the German, and adapted to the New-York theatre New-York: David Longworth, 1802. 82 p. Use in conjunction with Smith, Susan Harris. Plays in American Periodicals, 1890-1918 (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) Stacks PS345.S65 2007
American Memory from the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is digitizing parts of its collections and making them freely accessible on their American Memory web site. Search across the entire digitized collections from the American Memory home page, or search within Performing Arts, Music collections. Present content is of limited usefulness for studying the 19th century American theater.
American Periodicals Series Online 1740-1900 Connect
This database provides images of American periodicals included in the original microfilm edition: American Periodicals Series (Microfilm 5029). When searching the database qualify the dates to cover only the 19th century. If using words such as theater or theatre or stage that are likely to produce too many false hits, change the default to “citation and abstracts.”
Although the digital edition is to be preferred, should it be necessary to use the microfilm set indexing for it exists through series 2: Index to American Periodicals of the 1700’s and 1800’s (Ref Computer H, CD-ROM disc 19) indexes the microfilm collection through reel 515. Paper indexes to the microfilm edition include American Periodicals, 1741-1900: an Index to the Microfilm Collections… (Microforms 6951.H65); Index to American Periodicals of the 1700’s: Keyed to University Microfilms APS I (stacks Z6995.H65 suppl); Index to American
Periodicals of the 1800’s: Keyed to University Microfilms APS II (stacks Z6951.H65 suppl. 2)
Use in conjunction with Nineteenth Century Masterfile Connect ; Periodicals Archive Online Connect and Periodicals Index Online Connect
Cincinnati NEWSDEX Connect
This product of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County serves as an index to newspapers published in Cincinnati over the years. Restrict the “Year” to 1800-1900 to limit articles to those from the 19th century. This is not a full text database. In most cases, resort will need to be made to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to obtain the newspaper article.
In addition to articles about theater in Cincinnati or reviews of performances given in Cincinnati located through using Cincinnati NEWSDEX consult the Guide to Ohio Newspapers, 1793-1973 (Columbus: Ohio Historical Society, 1974 c.1976) Ref Z6952.O3O4 1976 copy 2. If you are researching the 19th century theater in other towns and cities in Ohio this union listing of Ohio newspapers will help you identify other possible sources, although it will not provide any indexing for the newspapers.
Early American Imprints, Second Series Microfiche 1242
This collection reproduces on microfiche the contents of American Bibliography: A Preliminary Checklist for 1801-1819. Comp. By Ralph R. Shaw and Richard H. Shoemaker. 21 vols. (New York: Scarecrow Press, 1958-1966.) Ref Z1215.S4 All items included in this bibliography are printed works. The contents of the microfiche collection have been separately cataloged and entered into Uclid. Use the title Early American imprints. Second series in Uclid to browse through the collection as a whole. Use in conjunction with American Bibliography, A Preliminary Checklist, 1801-1819: Addenda, List of Sources, Library Symbols. Comp. By Ralph R. Shaw and Richard H. Shoemaker (New York: Scarecrow Press, 1965) Stacks Z1215.S4 Suppl. and A Checklist of American Imprints for 1820-1829. Comp. By Richard H. Shoemaker. 1820:no.1-1829:no.41633 (New York: Scarecrow Press, 1964-1971) Ref Z1215.S53 Items listed in these additional checklists must be searched for holdings in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat, as well as the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Other listings of books published in the United States during the 19th century include:
Early American Periodicals Index to 1850. 8 boxes (New York: Readex Microprint,
1964). Microforms Microprint 21 and Index Micro Index Shelf AI3.I52
This index is in microopaque format.
HarpWeek Connect
This database provides digitized images from Harper’s Weekly for the years 1851-1871. For the first-time user this database can be daunting. Begin by agreeing to “I accept.” Two guides on the opening “Welcome” page will be quite useful. These are Search (invoke and select Harper’s Weekly Indexes) and Finding Aids (invoke and select Occupation or Role in Society). Although the index retrieves from all of the digitized pages of Harper’s Weekly only those for the years 1851-1871 may be viewed.
History of Women Microfilm 811 and Guide Ref HQ1121.R4725
The contents of this collection have been individually cataloged and entered into Uclid. The contents as a whole may be searched either by using the title History of Women or by consulting the Guide to the collection. The History of Women collection is a rich resource that contains books (all published before 1920), periodicals, and manuscript material, including the diary of the 19th century actress Clara Morris. The collection is based on the holdings of the Sophia Smith and Schlessinger libraries.
Logan, Olive. Before the Footlights and Behind the Scenes: A Book about “the Show Business” in all its branches… (Philadelphia, Cincinnati: Parmelee, 1870) SW Depository PN2287.L6A25 Connect to resource online
Logan, Olive. Before the Footlights a
Making of America: Cornell University Connect Making of America: University of Michigan Connect
This “…digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction…” contains books published during this time period and journals contemporary to the period as well. The collection focus is education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. Use the basic search to locate references to or articles about individuals involved in the American theater of the 19th century (for example: John Drew, Mrs. Mowatt, Edwin Booth). Use the advanced search to locate articles about topics (for example Boolean Search: actors and salaries) Note that the Cornell version and the University of Michigan version employ different search screens.
New York Times Connect
Use the digital edition of the New York Times to locate the full text of articles published in that newspaper during the 19th century. The digital edition includes advertisements for New York theaters giving particulars of what was being offered, as well as articles about the New York stage, including reviews of theatrical performances. News of the theatrical world elsewhere can also be found in the New York Times. Search using both “theater” and “theatre.”
Use in conjunction with New York Times Theater Reviews volumes for the 19th century which are often easier to use than the digital New York Times to locate a review of a particular performance for the years covered in this compilation (1870-1885; 1886-1895; 1896-1903). These volumes must now be recalled from the SW Depository (PN2277.N5N4 –specify years of coverage)
Use the Times Digital Archive Connect for British news of the American theater published between 1800 and 1900 (specify dates in search) such as the Boston theatre [employ British usage] riot in 1826, news of Wilkes Booth’s capture, or the Time’s obituary of Joseph Jefferson actor.
Nineteenth Century Masterfile Connect
This is a value-added digital edition of Poole’s covering publications printed between 1802 and 1906, with links to related articles in America: History and Life. Searching is by “relevancy-ranking.” The Search Citations Containing default is set to “and” for multiple terms. Change the Search As default to “exact phrase” to search for phrases such as Wild West Show. This is not a full text database.
Use in conjunction with American Periodicals Series Online 1740-1900 Connect
Periodicals Archive Online Connect and Periodicals Index Online Connect
Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue (NSTC). Series I & II (1801-1870 Ref CDROM Station 4 Z2001 .N65 1996 and Manual Ref Z2001 .N65 1996; Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue (NSTC). Series III (1871-1916) Ref CD-ROM Station 4 Z2001 .N653 1996 and Manual Ref Z2001 .N653 1996
This short title catalog intends to compile as complete as possible a listing of works published in Britain, its colonies, and the United States. Titles identified in the catalog need to be checked in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat for availability.
Odell, George C.D. Annals of the New York Stage. 15 volumes (New York: Columbia University Press, 1927-1949) Volumes 1-4, 9: Stacks PN2277.N5O4; Volumes 5-8; 10-15 SW Depository PN2277.N5O4
This narrative history of the New York theater draws heavily on primary sources including newspapers, diaries, playbills and the like. Coverage includes performers, producers, and theatrical establishments. Stage includes not only the legitimate theater but also opera, ballet, and other forms of public entertainment. Volumes 2-15 cover the 19th century. Each of these volumes contains a detailed index. Use in conjunction with
Index to the Portraits in Odell’s Annals of the New York Stage. Transcribed from the file in the theatre collection at Princenton University (n.d.:American Society for Theatre Research, 1963) which is not in our collections but can be borrowed from a number of OhioLINK libraries and is also available at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
Periodicals Archive Online Connect and Periodicals Index Online Connect
This database is indexing and including the full text of the backfiles of journals in the humanities and social sciences covering some 200 years of publishing.
Use in conjunction with American Periodicals Series Online 1740-1900 Connect
Nineteenth Century Masterfile Connect
Reader’s Guide Retrospective Connect
This database covers the last decade of the 19th century. It is not full text. Its strength lies in the quality of its subject indexing.
Sabin Americana (1500-1926) Collection Online Connect
This collection makes the contents of Joseph Sabin’s Bibliotheca americana. A Dictionary of Books Relating to America from its Discovery to the Present Time. 29 vols. (New York: Sabin, 1868-1936) Ref Z1201.S2 available in a full text digital edition. The library has purchased only the base set. Included are printed books, pamphlets, documents, and periodicals. Search by known entry (for example: The Ramblers’ magazine, and New-York theatrical register for the season of 1809-1810; Smith, Sol. (Solomon). The theatrical apprenticeship and anecdotal recollections of Sol. Smith, comedian, attorney at law, etc. etc.: comprising a sketch of the first seven years of his professional life…(Philadelphia, 1846); by subject ( for example: Theater—United States; Theater—Anecdotes; Theater—New York (N.Y.)—History); by person as subject (for example: Forrest, Edwin (1806-1872); Mary Macready); by keywords (for example: Minstrel Shows), and so forth. All the items included in this collection have been individually cataloged and entered into Uclid as well.
Source Materials in the Field of Theatre Microfilm 861 and …Annotated Bibliography and Subject Index… Micro Index Shelf Z5781.A57 c.3
Although most of the items in this collection are either English or Continental, some references to the 19th century American theater are included such as James Robert Anderson’s manuscript diary of 1847 and Thomas Allston Browne’s published History of the American Stage (1870) and The Showman’s Guide (1874). The contents of this collection have all been individually cataloged and entered into Uclid. Use the title Source materials in the field of theatre to search the collection as a whole, or consult the annotated bibliography.
Theatre in the United States: A Documentary History. Ed. by Barry Witham. (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996- ) Stacks PN221.T54 1996 v.1 [1750-1915]
Travels in the Old South, A Bibliography. Thomas D. Clark, comp. 3 vols. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1956) Ref Z1251.S7C4 and Travels in the New South, A Bibliography. Thomas D. Clark, comp. 2 vols.(Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1962) Ref Z1251.S7C38
Use volumes 2 and 3 of the Old South and volume 1 of the New South for 19th century coverage. Each volume has an index that includes proper names and a minimum of subject listings. “Theater” is used only in Old South volume 2. Nevertheless, check the index in the volume that corresponds to appropriate dates for proper names (for example, “Jenny Lind;” “P.T. Barnum,”). All of the books included in these two bibliographies were written about journeys taken and are necessarily very descriptive. Since every item included is a published book, check the individual author and title in
Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat to locate copies. Also, check the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County catalog. Items in this guide that are not locally owned may be borrowed from the Center for Research Libraries (CRL)
A number of these titles may also be available online in one of our full text digitized collections.
Use various subject headings such as Acting—History—19th Century; Theater—United States—19th Century; Theater—United States—History—19th Century; Theater—United States—History—Sources as well as the bibliographies appended to secondary sources to find additional material in Uclid Web Version , OhioLINK , and WorldCat
Secondary Literature Relating to the 19th Century American Theater
[A note about OneSearch Connect . Employ OneSearch to conduct a simultaneous search in multiple databases and in Uclid. For history topics, OneSearch may produce either too few or too many hits to be useful. Searching individual databases is tedious but recommended.]
Academic Search Complete 1865- Connect
Most of the articles in this database are full text and will be drawn from a wide array of periodicals.
America: History and Life 1964- Connect
This database includes only the history of the United States and Canada. Note the subjects suggested in the sidebar on the screen left side of the returned search. These may be used to define your search more precisely. Use in conjunction with Writings on American History Ref Z1236.W7.
Communication & Mass Media Complete 1915- Connect
There are a limited number of citations to the American theater during the 19th century in this database.
Expanded Academic ASAP Connect
Many full text articles are included in this general database. Begin with a general subject search for Theater—History for an overview of the database contents. Use the tab “Subject Guide Search” to determine what terms to use in this database. Personal names may always be used.
Humanities and Social Sciences Index Retrospective: 1907-1984 Connect
Use the subjects such as Theater—United States—History and Vaudeville for a broad overview of the database contents. Note other suggested subject headings in the sidebar. Also use keyword searching for specific theatrical topics such as Medicine Shows or for persons, paying attention to the suggested subject headings on the sidebar.
Also use the Thesaurus tab to check for subject headings used in the database.
Humanities International Complete Connect
Many of the articles in this database are provided in full text. For a broad overview of the database contents leave the default as set and use the words United States and theater or theatre and 19th century. Note the subjects suggested in the sidebar of the executed search. Use keyword as well for specific topics such as Yiddish and 19th century and theater or theatre; actresses and 19th century and theater or theatre and United States. Also search by personal names.
Index to Black Periodicals (Ref Z1361.N39I5)
This source provides indexing to articles appearing in the African American press from 1950 to the present. The index has changed names several times.
JSTOR Connect
This database provides the full text of the back issues of the most important history journals. No current issues are included, but current issues of some of the journals are available in the History Cooperative Connect. Some performing arts journals are also available in JSTOR.
MLA International Bibliography 1921- Connect
See Bibliographies section of this guide for a description of this database.
OmniFile Full Text Mega 1982- Connect
This multidisciplinary resource combines several indexing services into one searchable database. Full text of the articles is available since 1994. For a broad overview of the database contents leave the default as set and use the worlds United States and theater or theatre and 19th century. Note the suggested subject terms on the sidebar returned with the executed search. Use in conjunction with Reader’s Guide Retrospective Connect
Project Muse 1995- Connect
Construct a simple search using theater or theatre and United States and 19th century. You may also define your topic more precisely. Articles are provided as full text documents in this database. The default is set to extract results from Muse periodicals available in our library. For a broader search, change this default.
Research Library 1971- Connect
Use this interdisciplinary database to find full text articles. Go to the Topic Guide section and use theater to obtain a display of all available subjects under which to find material in this database using that term. Also use keywords such as magicians and 19th century and United States in the Advanced Search section, as well as personal names.
This page is maintained by:
Sally Moffitt, History Bibliographer
401M Langsam Library: Hours by Appointment
May 2008