LibGuides: Musical Theatre: Reference Sources

Reference Sources

Online Reference Databases

Reference sources are designed to provide users with quick and authoritative background information on a given subject. They are the ideal place to familiarize yourself with a subject and its existing literature, although they should never be the culmination of your research process. The following reference sources are all available online, although log-in might be required off-campus.

Reference Databases, Encyclopedias, and Dictionaries:

Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television Series of 52 volumes spanning 1984 to 2003 and available through Gale eBooks. Provide biographical and career information on people currently working in the entertainment industry. For general and trade audiences.
Gale eBooks Gale eBooks is a collection of searchable subject encyclopedias and reference books from Gale Publishing and many other publishers, including nearly 500 specialized background sources in a wide variety of subjects. Choose your field of study under the "Subjects" heading to see the titles in your area. For music books, look under the subject "Arts."
The Grove Dictionary of American Music Edited by Charles Hiroshi Garrett, The Grove Dictionary of American Music is the largest, most comprehensive reference publication on American Music. Twenty-five years ago, the four volumes of the first edition of the dictionary initiated a great expansion in American music scholarship. This second edition reflects the growth in scholarship the first edition initiated. At eight volumes, it provides greatly expanded coverage, particularly in the areas of popular music, cities and regions, musical theater, opera, concert music, and music technology, as well as the musical traditions of many ethnic and cultural groups.
Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) IBDB (Internet Broadway Database) archive is the official database for Broadway theatre information. IBDB provides records of productions from the beginnings of New York theatre until today.
Ovrtur: The Musicals of New York, London and Beyond Ovrtur catalogs musicals from New York, London and beyond. Within the site you'll find thousands of shows, productions of those shows, recordings of those shows, the people and companies that made them, and the stages where they played.
The Oxford Companion to the American Musical With more than two thousand entries, this guide offers a wealth of information on musicals, performers, composers, lyricists, producers, choreographers, and much more. Biographical entries range from early stars Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, and Mae West to contemporary show-stoppers Nathan Lane, Savion Glover, and Kristin Chenoweth, while composers Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Andrew Lloyd Webber all have articles, and the choreography of Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Debbie Allen receives due examination. The plays and films covered range from modern hits like Mamma Mia! and Moulin Rouge! to timeless classics such as Yankee Doodle Dandy and Show Boat. Also, numerous musicals written specifically for television appear throughout, and many entries follow a work - Babes in Toyland for example - as it moves across genres, from stage, to film, to television. The Companion also includes cross references, a comprehensive listing of recommended recordings and further reading, a useful chronology of all the musicals described in the book, plus a complete index of Tony Award and Academy Award winners.
Oxford Music Online Oxford Music Online is the authoritative resource for music research with over 52,000 articles written by nearly 9,000 scholars charting the diverse history and cultures of music around the globe. It is the gateway to Grove Music Online which compiles invaluable resources like The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Second Edition (2001), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera (1992), The Grove Dictionary of American Music (2013), The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2002), and others. Oxford Music Online also provides access to The Oxford Dictionary of Music (2013) and The Oxford Companion to Music (2011), resources which are based in Oxford Reference Online.
Oxford Reference Online Searchable and browsable collection of highly trusted reference books. Dictionaries and encyclopedias in Oxford Reference Online include general works, foreign-language works, and specialized subject works in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Note: Oxford Reference Online is separate from the familiar Oxford Music Online, and it has its own set of twelve music dictionaries and encyclopedias. These can be found under the Subject tab or through the search bar.
Playbill This free website from the publisher of theater program booklets offers news about the theater industry, focusing on New York shows but including regional theater, touring, and international stage happenings. It is read by show fans and theater practitioners, and is updated regularly. It also offers discounts on tickets and dining for its members.
Stage Musical Rights Index This list covers more than 500 professionally produced musicals that are currently available for amateur performances in the United States. You will have to contact the rights providers to confirm availability, current rates, and information on international rights.

Print Reference Books

Most reference books for musical theatre are located in the Music Reference section shelved in ranges 36 through 38. The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers and include specialized dictionaries (ML102.M88), encyclopedias (also ML102.M88), and bibliographies (ML128.M78). Hover over the info icon to see a description of the book.

Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical by William A. Everett; Paul R. Laird The Broadway musical has greatly influenced American (and world) culture. Shows such as Oklahoma! and Annie Get Your Gun are as "American as apple pie," while the long runs of imports such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and Les Misérables have broken records. Broadway has produced cultural icons such as Ethel Merman, Yul Brynner, and Julie Andrews, and composers and lyricists such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and many others have had their melodies sung on its stages. Visionaries like George Abbott, Agnes de Mille, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Susan Stroman have brought productions to life through their innovative direction and choreography. Since the latter part of the 19th century, the Broadway musical has remained one of the most popular genres in entertainment and its history is related in detail in the Historical Dictionary of the Broadway Musical. Through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and 900 dictionary entries on Broadway shows, playwrights, directors, producers, designers, and actors, this handy desk reference offers quick information on the many aspects of the Broadway musical.
Call Number: ML102.M88 E94 2008 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2008
The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre by Kurt Gänzl A lot has happened in the musical theatre over the last ten years. New shows have opened and closed, new talents have emerged, and hit shows have made triumphant returns to Broadway. Now, the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre -- a 1994 Dartmouth Medal honorable mention -- has been fully revised and updated to document such developments with 500 new articles, more than 4,000 revised articles and dozens of color photos. 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.
Call Number: ML102.M88 G3 2001 V.1-3 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2001
The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia by Thomas S. Hischak The first encyclopedia of theatre songs from Broadway shows ranging from The Black Crook (1866) to the 1994 Tony Award-winning Passion, this handy guide 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. Of interest to scholars, students, and fans alike. The musical theatre song is conceived, written, and produced as part of a whole. While it may eventually stand on its own and join the ranks of popular hits, its immediate purpose is clear: it must work in the show. This book is about how hundreds of famous and not-so-famous songs have functioned in the American musical. In addition to identifying the authors and the source of the song, it hopes to explain the song: what kind of song it is, what it is about, what purpose it has in the show, as well as who originally sang it, what the song's history is, and what may be unique about this particular number. It is a book about songs as little pieces of playwriting for the musical theatre. The song entries are presented alphabetically, but the Musicals Listing at the end of the work includes all the songs discussed from a particular show.
Call Number: ML102.M88 H59 1995 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 1995
The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, and Television by Thomas S. Hischak With more than two thousand entries, this guide offers a wealth of information on musicals, performers, composers, lyricists, producers, choreographers, and much more. Biographical entries range from early stars Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, and Mae West to contemporary show-stoppers Nathan Lane, Savion Glover, and Kristin Chenoweth, while composers Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Andrew Lloyd Webber all have articles, and the choreography of Bob Fosse, Tommy Tune, and Debbie Allen receives due examination. The plays and films covered range from modern hits like Mamma Mia! and Moulin Rouge! to timeless classics such as Yankee Doodle Dandy and Show Boat. Also, numerous musicals written specifically for television appear throughout, and many entries follow a work - Babes in Toyland for example - as it moves across genres, from stage, to film, to television. The Companion also includes cross references, a comprehensive listing of recommended recordings and further reading, a useful chronology of all the musicals described in the book, plus a complete index of Tony Award and Academy Award winners.
Call Number: ML102.M88 H593 2008 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2008
Hollywood Song: The Complete Film and Musical Companion by Ken Bloom This comprehensive guide describes 7,000 Hollywood movies for which songs or scores were especially written. It cover all genres, including rock musicals. Many of the films are not musicals but are listed because a theme song was written for them. Some films listed include no songs; for example, a song was written for Psycho but the movie was released without it. Not included are most concert films, which do not usually have original music written especially for them. A notable exception is Woodstock. Bloom is also the author of a similar book on musical theater, American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion (Facts On File, 1985). Volumes 1 and 2 of this 3-volume work list the films alphabetically by title. Included in each entry is the studio that released the film, year of release, composer, lyricist, choreographer, producer, screenwriter, director, original source on which the film is based, cast (all stars are listed as well as selected character actors and supporting players), and songs. A notes section contains various other information of interest, such as alternative titles, songs that were cut from the picture, songs used instrumentally only, Academy Award winners, etc. Volume 3 lists the films chronologically from 1922 to 1989 (with three titles listed for 1990). It also includes a name index, which notes if the person was a cast member, choreographer, composer, lyricist, etc. A song index enables the reader to find the films for which songs such as "Moon River" (Breakfast at Tiffany's) or "The Power of Love" (Back to the Future) were written. Several books cover movie musicals. Parish and Pitts' Great Hollywood Musical Pictures [RBB N 1 92], for example, has lengthy descriptions of 340 musicals. The authors note which cast members performed each song, but the book has no song index. Hollywood Song, however, has a much broader scope, covering thousands of films that contain at least one song. This valuable and extensive work will be a good purchase for large film and music collections.
Call Number: ML128.M7 B6 1995 V.1-3 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 1995
American Song: The Complete Musical Theatre Companion by Ken Bloom 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.
Call Number: ML128.M78 B6 1996 V.1-4 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 1996
The New Broadway Song Companion: An Annotated Guide to Musical Theatre Literature by Voice Type and Song Style by David P. DeVenney This is a completely revised and expanded second edition of The Broadway Song Companion, the first complete guide and access point to the vast literature of the Broadway musical for the solo performer. 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 (soprano, baritone, etc.) and song style, vocal arrangement (duets, trios, chorus, etc.), and composer and lyricist, allowing increased access to the repertoire. For instance, a soprano looking for a ballad to sing will find every song in that category in the index. All solos, duets, and trios are indexed in this manner, with quartets and larger ensembles listed by voice type. Furthermore, the instant breakdowns (how many lead characters, who sings what song, and the range requirements of each character) will be a valuable resource to directors and producers.
Call Number: ML128.M78 D48 2009 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2009
The Musical: A Research and Information Guide by William Everett The musical, whether on stage or screen, is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable musical genres, yet one of the most perplexing. What are its defining features? How does it negotiate multiple socio-cultural-economic spaces? Is it a popular tradition? Is it a commercial enterprise? Is it a sophisticated cultural product and signifier? 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 second edition reflects the notable increase in musical theater scholarship since 2000. In addition to printed materials, it includes multimedia and electronic resources.
Call Number: ML128.M78 E84 2011 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2011
Broadway Sheet Music: A Comprehensive Listing of Published Music from Broadway and Other Stage Shows, 1918-1993 by Donald J. Stubblebine For the first time ever, the published songs from every composer in all Broadway shows, 1918 through 1993, are listed in a single reference work. Each of the over 2,500 entries includes the show's title, the year the show opened, a listing of all songs in the production with composers and lyricists, and the show's leading players. The sheet music cover is also described, along with a one-line synopsis of the show. A limited number of shows that closed before reaching Broadway are also included.
Call Number: ML128.M78 S78 1996 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 1996
Show Tunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers by Steven Suskin; Michael Feinstein (Foreword by) This majestic reference book fully chronicles the shows, songs, and careers of the major composers of the American musical theater, from Jerome Kern's earliest interpolations to the latest hits on Broadway. Gershwin, Rodgers, Porter, Berlin, Bernstein, Loesser, Sondheim, Kander, Finn, Flaherty, and more--this book covers their work, their innovations, their successes, and their failures. Show Tunes is simply the most comprehensive volume of its kind ever produced, and this newly revised and updated edition discusses over 900 shows and almost 8,000 show tunes. The book has been called "a concise skeleton key to the Broadway musical" (Variety) and "a ground-breaking reference work with a difference" (Show Music)--or, as the Washington Post observed, "It makes you sing and dance all over your memory. "The eagerly anticipated Third Edition, updated through January 1999, features the entire theatrical output of thirty-six of Broadway's leading composers, in addition to a wide selection of work by other composers. The listings include essential production data and statistics, the most extensive information available on published and recorded songs, and lively commentary on the shows, songs, and diverse careers. Based on meticulous research, the book also uncovers dozens of lost musicals--including shows that either closed out of town or were never headed for Broadway--and catalogs hundreds of previously unknown songs, including a number of musical gems that have been misplaced, cut, or forgotten. The book also includes a detailed chronology of the musicals and a show-by-show guide to the careers of Broadway's most important lyricists, librettists, producers, directors, and choreographers. Informative, insightful, and provocative, Show Tunes is an essential guide for anyone interested in the American musical.
Call Number: ML128.M78 S86 2000 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2000
American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle by Gerald Bordman; Richard Norton Hailed as "absolutely the best reference book on its subject" by Newsweek, American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle covers more than 250 years of musical theatre in the United States, from a 1735 South Carolina production of Flora, or Hob in the Well to The Addams Family in 2010. Authors Gerald Bordman and Richard Norton write an engaging narrative blending history, critical analysis, and lively description to illustrate the transformation of American musical theatre through such incarnations as the ballad opera, revue, Golden Age musical, rock musical, Disney musical, and, with 2010'sAmerican Idiot, even the punk musical. The Chronicle is arranged chronologically and is fully indexed according to names of shows, songs, and people involved, for easy searching and browsing. Chapters range from the "Prologue," which traces the origins of American musical theater to 1866, through several "intermissions" (for instance, "Broadway's Response to the Swing Era, 1937-1942") and up to "Act Seven," the theatre of the twenty-first century. This last chapter covers the dramatic changes in musical theatre since the last edition published - whereas Fosse, a choreography-heavy revue, won the 1999 Tony for Best Musical, the2008 award went to In the Heights, which combines hip-hop, rap, meringue and salsa unlike any musical before it. Other groundbreaking and/or box-office-breaking shows covered for the first time include Avenue Q, The Producers, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Monty Python's Spamalot, Wicked, Hairspray, Urinetown the Musical, and Spring Awakening. Discussion of these shows incorporates plot synopses, names of principal players, descriptions of scenery and costumes, and critical reactions. In addition, short biographies interspersed throughout the text colorfully depict the creative minds that shaped the most influential musicals. Collectively, these elements create the most comprehensive, authoritative history of musical theatre in this country and make this an essential resource for students, scholars, performers, dramaturges, and musical enthusiasts.
Call Number: ML1711 .B67 2010 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2010
The Oxford Handbook of the American Musical by Raymond Knapp (Editor); Mitchell Morris (Editor); Stacy Wolf (Editor) The Oxford Handbook of The American Musical offers new and cutting-edge essays on the most important and compelling issues and topics in the growing, interdisciplinary field of musical-theater and film-musical studies. Taking the form of a "keywords" book, it introduces readers to the concepts and terms that define the history of the musical as a genre and that offer ways to reflect on the specific creative choices that shape musicals and their performance on stage and screen. The handbook offers a cross-section of essays written by leading experts in the field, organized within broad conceptual groups, which together capture the breadth, direction, and tone of musicals studies today. Each essay traces the genealogy of the term or issue it addresses, including related issues and controversies, positions and problematizes those issues within larger bodies of scholarship, and provides specific examples drawn from shows and films. Essays both re-examine traditional topics and introduce underexplored areas. Reflecting the concerns of scholars and students alike, the authors emphasize critical and accessible perspectives, and supplement theory with concrete examples that may be accessed through links to the handbook's website. Taking into account issues of composition, performance, and reception, the book's contributors bring a wide range of practical and theoretical perspectives to bear on their considerations of one of America's most lively, enduring artistic traditions. The Oxford Handbook of The American Musical will engage all readers interested in the form, from students to scholars to fans and aficionados, as it analyses the complex relationships among the creators, performers, and audiences who sustain the genre.
Call Number: ML1711 .O95 2011

Publication Date: 2011
Broadway Musicals: Show by Show, Sixth Edition by Stanley Green; Kay Green The most comprehensive and widely used Broadway reference book has been expanded and updated to include nearly 400 of the most important and memorable productions of the American musical theatre, including revivals. Chronologically arranged beginning with The Black Crook in 1866, the sixth edition adds entries on numerous musicals from recent years, including The Lion King, Hairspray, The Producers, Wicked, Mamma Mia!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Avenue Q, and others. Features a wealth of statistics, including: music and lyrics information; names of producers, directors and choreographers; cast lists; New York run dates; songs; and more. Also includes inside information, info on critical reception, and pithy commentary about each show.
Call Number: ML1711.8.N3 G73 2008 (Music Reference)

Publication Date: 2008
Little Musicals for Little Theatres: A Reference Guide to the Musicals that Don't Need Chandeliers or Helicopters to Succeed by Denny Martin Flinn With this book, the many wonderful musicals that played the small theaters and cabarets of Off Broadway are finally given the spotlight they deserve. Little Musicals for Little Theatres is a comprehensive reference guide to over 150 small musicals that any theater or school can produce with limited resources. Each entry includes writing credits, synopsis, cast size, musical numbers, production notes, and licensing information. The book also includes the few Broadway musicals that have small casts and can be performed in almost any circumstances. Photos give the reader a look at production requirements, and statistics on the number of performances indicate how successful a show's original production was.
Call Number: MT955 .F55 2006

Publication Date: 2006

Interlibrary Loan

Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.