LibGuides: Musical Theatre: Finding Background Information

Introduction

Reference sources are a great place to start your research when you need to gather initial information about a topic or get a rough overview of a subject so you can decide what areas to research further. Reference books and online tools are also excellent for looking up a quick fact, definition, or date, and they will often direct you to more sources.

If none of the recommended resources are quite what you're looking for, try a search in the library catalog for the subject you're researching and "reference", "handbook", "guide", or "companion" to see what reference materials we might have on the subject. Remember that you can always reach out to a librarian for help if your search doesn't turn up promising results!

Choosing a Reference Source

We've divided our recommendations by category: encyclopedias, dictionaries, and bibliographies / research guides. Browse the selected reference materials in the box below by clicking through the tabs to navigate the different categories.

Encyclopedias can provide helpful introductions or overviews, and they are an excellent source for checking quick facts.
Dictionaries and Biographical Dictionaries are a useful resource for navigating the subject's unique terminology and for quickly referencing who's who in the field.
Bibliographies and Research Guides can help you figure out what has been written about your topic and which major sources you'll need to read next.

Recommended Musical Theatre Reference

Encyclopedia of Musical Theater by Kurt Gñzl
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ; ML102.M88 G262001
From the dawn of operetta in the 18th century to the present, this set offers an unrivaled amount of information on the people, the songs and shows in America and around the world.
Broadway by Ken Bloom
Call Number: Main Stacks Q. 974.71 B623b2004
An A to Z encyclopedia of Broadway, this volume includes tons of information, including producers, writer, composers, lyricists, set designers, theaters, performers, and landmarks in its sweep.
The Complete Book of Broadway Musicals Collection
This collection of books gives full summaries of musicals spanning from 1920 to present day. Each entry contains the following information: Plot summary, cast members, names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors, opening and closing dates, number of performances, critical commentary, musical numbers and the performers who introduced the songs, production data, including information about tryouts, source material, Tony awards and nominations, [and] details about London and other foreign productions. Besides separate entries for each production, the books offer numerous appendixes, including a discography, filmography, and published scripts.
The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia by Thomas S. Hischak; Gerald Bordman (Foreword by)
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML102.M88 H57A4
Features over 1,800 songs from over 500 musicals. It gives such information as the songs' authors, original performers, and dates and history of recordings. Each song is described and briefly analyzed, explaining how the song fit in the original production and what is notable about its music, lyrics, and presentation. Thoroughly indexed by song title, show, authors, and performers. Coverage extends from 1866-1994.
Stage It with Music by Thomas S. Hischak
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML102.M88 H57S7
Coverage extends from the genre's nineteenth century beginnings to the present day, from The Black Crook (1866) to Jelly's Last Jam (1992). Included are entries on over 300 individual shows, musical series, performers, composers, lyricists, librettists, directors, designers, music directors, orchestrators, choreographers, producers, producing companies and other theatrical institutions, and on other subjects and genres relating to musical theatre.

Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical by William A. Everett; Paul R. Laird
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML102.M88 E94 2016
This second edition of Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical contains a chronology, an introduction, an appendix, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 1000 cross-referenced entries on Broadway shows, composers, playwrights, directors, producers, designers, actors, and theatres.
The Oxford Companion to the American Musical by Thomas S. Hischak
Call Number: Oak Street Library; Request Online
With more than two thousand entries, this book offers a wealth of information on musicals, performers, composers, lyricists, producers, choreographers, and much more. The Companion also includes cross references, a comprehensive listing of recommended recordings, and a useful chronological listing of all the musicals described in the book.

The Musical: A Research and Information Guide by William A. Everett
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ML128.M78 E94
This research guide includes more than 1,400 annotated entries related to the genre as it appears on stage and screen. It includes reference works, monographs, articles, anthologies, and websites related to the musical. Separate sections are devoted to sub-genres (such as operetta and megamusical), non-English language musical genres in the U.S., traditions outside the U.S., individual shows, creators, performers, and performance.
The New Broadway Song Companion by David P. DeVenney
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ; ML128.M78 D48 2009
Designed with the working actor in mind, the volume lists every song from over 300 Broadway shows, including at least 90 more than the first edition. Organized by show, each song is annotated with the name of the character(s) who sing(s) the song, the vocal range, and a style category, such as uptempo, narrative ballad, swing ballad, moderate character piece, etc. Several indexes are supplied, organizing the songs by voice type and song style, vocal arrangement, and composer and lyricist.
The Cambridge Companion to the Musical by William A. Everett (Editor); Paul R. Laird (Editor)
Call Number: ML2054 C363
Starting with the early history of the musical, the volume comes right up to date and examines the latest works and innovations, and includes information on the singers, audience and critical reception, and traditions. There is fresh coverage of the American musical theatre in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the British musical theatre in the middle of the twentieth century, and the rock musical. The Companion contains an extensive bibliography and photos from key productions.
American Song: the complete musical theatre companion by Ken Bloom
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ; ML128.S3 B561996
Covering every major production containing music, this revised guide to the American musical theatre includes details of over 1000 additional shows. In all, the details on 4300 productions, from vaudeville, operetta, nightclub revues, and the Follies to the emergence of the modern musical theatre are featured. The two volumes focus on a wide array of shows: from Broadway musicals to regional productions; from television musicals to ice shows; from nightclub scores to foreign shows by many writers.
The Musicals No One Came To See by Rick Simas
Call Number: MPAL Reference Non-circulating ; ML128.M78 S5
The musicals no one came to see : a guidebook to four decades of musical-comedy casualties on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in out-of-town try-out, 1943-1983
The Musical by Hubert Wildbihler; Sonja Voeglin (Editor)
Call Number: Oak St Library ML128.M78 W56 (request online)
The musical : an international annotated bibliography = eine internationale annotierte Bibliographie (Language: English and German)