The Oxford encyclopedia of theatre & performance by edited by Dennis KennedyCall Number: Sawyer Reference PN2035 .O94 2003
"It's not perfect-nothing of this sort can be-but it is thorough, carefully thought out, and easy to use. Kennedy (Samuel Beckett Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies, Sch. of Drama, Trinity Coll., Dublin) has arranged the 4300 entries alphabetically, with a thematic table of contents at the start that serves as a guide. Biographical entries make up 45 percent of the text, and most are short-two or three to a column. But many of the entries on concepts and history, as well as styles and movements, are much longer. The item on "Scenography," for example, is 13 double-columned pages-a small textbook on history and theory-and while it lacks illustrations or designs, it does contain a bibliography of essential works. Overall, the great strength of this work is its global nature, touching on all kinds of performance, including ritual, public executions, dance, sport, sex shows, the new media, and cyber-theater." (Library Journal review.)