Database Guides : New and Updated Resources

The Theatre in Context Collection searches reference books and primary/original source material on American and British theatre. Almost all items are photographs, books or text documents, with a small number of audio files and links to archival websites.

Search Tips:

Basic search is a typical simple / keyword search. Search results page lets you limit by:

• Publication type (photograph, ephemera, playbill, reference book, etc.)
• Genre
• Date written / performed

Advanced Search allows for field searching (such as title & author) and limiting by date.

Full text:

Almost all documents are immediately available online from Alexander Street.

A small number of entries (32) link to other digital/archival theatre sites.

Searching in OneSearch:

OneSearch only searches and lists brief information on each of the entries (1029 items).  Use the Alexander Street Press interface to search the full-text (36,000 pages) of each entry.

OneSearch Playbill record: Playbill for In the Wine Time, by Ed Bullins

To download / save images:

• Do not use the standard Alexander Street Press download button.
• Go to an individual item record, with the document displaying in a window.
• To save the image:
  • In the document window menu, click the download icon.
  • The may prompt you to download/save, or display in a different web browser window (e.g. Adobe).
  • If the document image(s) display in a browser window, look for a download, save, or print icon.
  • This will often save the document in PDF.
• To save as PDF:
  • In the document window menu, click the Print icon.
  • System should Print to PDF (or check your local printing settings).

To download / save text documents:

• Do not use the standard Alexander Street Press download button.
• Go to an individual item record.
• A document usually appears in its own window.
• To save the text transcript:
  • In the document window menu, click the Print icon.
  • System should Print to PDF (or check your local printing settings).

Citing a Document

• Citation icon provides a citation in APA, Chicago, and MLA styles.
• Always double-check the example citation for errors / corrections.

Link to a specific document:

• Use the "Embed" icon when viewing a list of search results or viewing a document.
• Copy "permanent link" option.  (This link includes the Stan State Library proxy server which provides for off-campus access.)

The collection includes 40,000 pages of important reference works, encyclopedias, images, flyers, playbills, postcards, scrapbooks, and other resources, including:

• Essential reference works that catalogue historic performances from the Broadway stage
• Archival playbills that document the major players of the day
• Original designs that allow you to reimagine the set
• Decades worth of periodicals that provide contemporary reactions to performances

Platform:  Alexander Street

Full-text:  All documents housed on Alexander Street (997); 32 entries link to outside platforms.

Content Update: Closed/one-time collection

Type of records: Theatre books, photographs, playbills, and ephemera.

Number of records: 1029  (365 photographs, 202 ephemera, 182 Playbills, 76 brochures, 67 reference books, 8 music albums, etc.)

Provider: ProQuest - Alexander Street / CSU Collections

Library Guides URL: https://library.csustan.edu/theatre-in-context

Library PURL: https://libpurl.csustan.edu/s/purl.php?2462

OneSearch: Collection record for Theatre in Context

OneSearch Playbill record: Playbill for In the Wine Time, by Ed Bullins

OneSearch photograph record: Production still of Workshop of Sebation by Alejandro Morales

OneSearch book record: History of the American Theatre: and Anecdotes of the Principal Actors.