Performance Reviews
Reviews only
(arranged by dates covered, most recent first)
National Theatre Critics' Reviews. Woodside, NY: Critics' Theatre Reviews, 1995-96.
New York Theatre Critics' Reviews, 1940-1994. New York, Critics' Theatre Reviews, Inc.
New York Times theater reviews
-- Most reviews published since 1996 & for other selected shows dating back to 1905.The New York Times Directory of the Theater. New York: Arno Press, [1973]
-- Reviews published between 1920 and 1970How to Locate Reviews of Plays and Films: A Bibliography of Criticism from the Beginnings to the Present. By Gordon Samples. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1976.
Other sources containing performance reviews
(arranged by dates covered, most recent first)
Academic Search Premier (1867 to present)
search tip: Select the "Advanced Search" tab. Enter "THEATER — Reviews" and select "Subject" as the field to search.
Readers' Guide (1890 to present)
-- general and more "popular" magazines and newspapers
search tip: Select "Readers' Guide Retro" & "Readers Guide Full Text;" in the "Document Type" box, choose "Theater review".
Humanities and Social Science Index (1907 to present)
-- English-language American journals
search tip: Select "Humanities & Social Science Retro" & "Humanities Full Text;" in the "Document Type" box, choose "Theater review".
Ethnic NewsWatch (1959 to present)
-- covers "ethnic, minority, and native press"
search tip: Select the "Advance" tab. Click "More Search Options" and in "Document type" pull down to select "Theater Review."
Lexis/Nexis (1973 to present)
search tip: Select the "News" tab. Pull down the "Select Source" box and select "Book, Movie, Music, Play,and Video Reviews"
Humanities Index Complete (1975-present)
-- covers journals, many of which cannot be found in other reference works (so-called "little" magazines).
search tip: For reviews, select "Advanced Search" & search "theater reviews" as a subject.
Factiva (2000 to present).
-- global news and business
search tip: To limit to items about theater, including reviews, premieres & listings, click "Subject," enter "theater" in the "Find a Subject" box and select "Theater" from the results.
Periodicals Contents Index 1665 to 1995.
-- humanities & social sciences.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers
- Chicago Defender (1905-1975)
- Chicago Tribune (1890-1945)
- Los Angeles Times (1881-1986)
- New York Times (1851-2004)
- Washington Post (1877-1972)
search tip: Select the "Advance" tab. Click "More Search Options" and in "Document type" pull down to select "Review."
19th- & early 20th-centuries
British Periodicals (1690-1930)
19th-Century Index (1790-1919)
-- American & British journals, newspapers, etc.
19th Century Masterfile (Poole's Plus) (1802-1906)
-- covers British and American periodicals that widely circulated in the United States.
search tip: Cannot limit searches to reviews. Do a keyword search for the author's name and/or title of the work