LibGuides: .Theatre Arts Subject Guide: Musical Theater

Websites

Internet Broadway Database (IBDB)
The official database for Broadway theatre information. Provides records of productions from the beginnings of New York theatre until today.
New Musical Theatre
Dedicated to the distribution and promotion of a new generation of musical theater writers who self-publish their own digital sheet music. Goal is to create a direct connection between the people who write music and the people who want to perform and listen to it. It provides an affordable and legal one-stop shop to discover and share the work of self-published writers.
Show Music on Record database - Library of Congress
Provides an extensive list of commercially-released show music recordings, starting with those captured on early cylinders in the late 19th century and continuing through compact disc productions of the early 21st century.
MTI - Music Theatre International
A leading dramatic licensing agency handling musicals. Website provides an online catalog that provides information about the shows for which they control rights.
Rodgers and Hammerstein
A leading dramatic licensing agency handling musicals. Website provides an online catalog that provides information about the shows for which they control rights.
Musical Theatre Talk
The creation of performer/composer, Patricia Causey, a.k.a., trish, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Features interviews with musical theatre actors, composers, teachers, and other professionals on a variety of topics.

Opera

The Aria Database
Includes translations for many arias and aria texts for those in the public domain. Also provides access to operatic sound files and information about scores and records available for purchase. Covers the complete operatic aria collections of Mozart, Verdi, Berlioz, Wagner, and Puccini as well as the partial collections of over 50 other composers.
The Metropolitan Opera
Includes news, performance calendar, links to free live audio streams of performances, online video options and more.
World of Opera - NPR
A weekly program that covers current opera productions staged by major companies. Website provides background information for productions featured on the show, but not recordings of full operas.

Reference books

Broadway: an encyclopedia of theater and American culture
Call Number: Reference PN2277.N5 B62 2010
The New Broadway song companion by David P. DeVenney
Call Number: Reference ML128.M78 D48 2009
An annotated guide to musical theater literature by vocal range and song style. Helpful for selecting songs to perform for auditions or lessons.
A Chronology of American musical theater by Richard C. Norton
Call Number: Reference ML1711.8.N3 N67 2002, vols. 1-3
Publication Date: 2002
A year-by-year history (1850-2000) of musical theater productions on first-class stages in New York City, with selected productions appearing from 1750-1850. Opening dates, number of performances, production credits, and information on songs and dances within each scene. Indexes for show titles, songs, and persons.
American song: the complete musical theater companion by Kenneth Bloom
Call Number: Reference ML128.M78 B6 1996 vols. 1-2
Publication Date: 1996
An alphabetical listing shows between 1877-1995, encompassing all Broadway, off- and off-off-Broadway productions, touring shows, nightclub shows, straight plays with original songs, and vaudeville and burlesque shows. Includes production credits and lead cast, the source of the story, and its songs.
Show tunes: The songs, shows and careers of Broadways' major composers by Steven Suskin
Call Number: Reference ML128.M78 S86 2000
Publication Date: 2000
A survey of 36 musical composers from whole twentieth century.
Ganzl's book of the musical theatre by Kurt Ganzl and Andrew Lamb
Call Number: Reference MT95 .G2 1989
ISBN: 0028719417
Publication Date: 1989
Act-by-act plots of operas and musicals from Great Britain, France, the United States, Austria, Germany and Hungary, and Spain. Names of songs placed within the story outline.

The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology

A great source for material to use for auditions or voice lessons. Includes piano/vocal score and accompaniment recordings on CD for songs selected from standard Broadway musical repertoire. All songs are complete and in their original keys. Accompaniment CD's include software that permits transcription to alternate keys.