Ex Libris
Shoot-from-the-hip book reviews with an emphasis on historiography.
Someday, all of theater history will be online. Until then, you’re gonna need some books. Here are some titles that we’re reading. In a few cases, we’ve linked to some already published reviews to give you a sense of what readers are saying (you may need institutional access to get to some of these reviews). But what we’re really interested in is your two cents (firewall-free): What are you using in your classes? What’s your go-to book for theory and methodology? If you’d like to share your quick take on these or other titles in the field, please submit your review.
James Fisher, ed. “We Will Be Citizens”: New Essays on Gay and Lesbian Theatre. McFarland, 2008.
- Jill Dolan. “We Will Be Citizens”: New Essays on Gay and Lesbian Theatre (review). Theatre Journal, Volume 62, Number 1 (March 2010), pp. 136-137. Available online. [may require subscriber login.]
- Roberta Mock. “Robin Bernstein, ed. Cast Out: Queer Lives in Theater Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006. 234 p. £21.50. ISBN: 0-472-06933-0; James Fisher, ed. ‘We Will Be Citizens’: New Essays on Gay and Lesbian Theatre Jefferson; London: McFarland, 2008. 224 p. £35.50. ISBN: 978-0-7864-3418-3.” New Theatre Quarterly, Volume 26, Issue 4 (November 2010), p. 398. Available online. [may require subscriber login.]
Sharon Friedman. Feminist Theatrical Revisions of Classic Works: Critical Essays. McFarland, 2008.
- Candace M. Joice, “Feminist Theatrical Revisions of Classic Works (review).” Theatre Journal, Volume 62, Number 1 (March 2010), pp. 138-139. Available online. [may require subscriber login.]
- Annika C. Speer. “Feminist Theatrical Revisions of Classic Works (review). TDR: The Drama Review, Volume 54, Number 4 (Winter 2010), pp. 232-234. Available online. [may require subscriber login.]
Harvey Young. Embodying Black Experience: Stillness, Critical Memory, and the Black Body. University of Michigan Press, 2010.
- Kevin Byrne. “The Amalgamation Waltz: Race, Performance, and the Ruses of Memory. By Tavia Nyong’o. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2009; pp. 248. $67.50 cloth, $22.50 paper. Embodying Black Experience: Stillness, Critical Memory, and the Black Body. By Harvey Young. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010; pp. 272. $80.00 cloth, $32.50 paper.” Theatre Survey, Volume 52, Issue 2, pp. 348-351. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Ric Knowles. “Embodying Black Experience: Stillness, Critical Memory, and the Black Body (review).” Theatre Journal, Volume 63, Number 1 (March 2011), pp. 138-139 Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Aimee Zygmonski. “Embodying Black Experience: Stillness, Critical Memory, and the Black Body. By Harvey Young. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010. Pp. xii + 259. £71.50/$80 Hb; £26.95/$29.95 Pb. No Safe Spaces: Re-casting Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality in American Theater. By Angela C. Pao. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010. Pp. xii + 305. £71.50/$80 Hb; £26.95/$29.95 Pb.” Theatre Research International, Volume 37, Issue 1, pp. 96-97. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Tracy C. Davis. The Cambridge Companion to Performance Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
- Jonathan Hicks. “Linda Ben-Zvi and Tracy C. Davis, eds. Considering Calamity: Methods for Performance Research. The Yolanda and David Katz Faculty of the Arts, Tel Aviv University: Asaph Books, 2007. Henry Bial, ed. The Performance Studies Reader. 2nd edn. London and New York: Routledge, 2007. Tracy C. Davis, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Performance Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.” Cambridge Opera Journal, Volume 21, Issue 1, pp. 89-99. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Alan Read. “The Cambridge Companion to Performance Studies.” Contemporary Theatre Review, Volume 19, Issue 3 (2009), pp. 375-377. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Scott Magelssen and Ann Haugo, eds. Querying Difference in Theatre History. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2007.
- Brian T. Carney. “Querying Difference in Theatre History (review).” Theatre Journal, Volume 61, Number 4 (December 2009), pp. 660-662 Available online. [may require subscriber login.]
Michal Kobialka, ed. Of Borders and Thresholds: Theatre History, Practice, and Theory. University of Minnesota Press, 1999.
- Harry J. Elam, “Of Borders and Thresholds: Theatre History, Practice, and Theory. Edited by Michal Kobialka. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999, pp. 311. Hardbound $54.95. Paper $21.95.” Theatre Survey, Volume 40, Issue 2, pp. 122-124. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Harley Erdman. “Of Borders and Thresholds: Theatre History, Practice, and Theory (review).” Theatre Journal, Volume 53, Number 1 (March 2001), pp. 175-176. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Charlotte Canning and Thomas Postlewait, eds. Representing The Past: Essays in Performance Historiography. University of Iowa Press, 2010.
- Melissa Dana Gibson. “Representing the Past: Essays in Performance Historiography (review).” Theatre Journal, Volume 64, Number 1, (March 2012), pp. 129-130. Available online. [may require subscriber login].
- Marlis Schweitzer. “Theater Historiography: Critical Interventions. Edited by Henry Bial and Scott Magelssen. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010; pp. 302, 8 illustrations. $85.00 cloth, $28.95 paper. Representing the Past: Essays in Performance Historiography. Edited by Charlotte M. Canning and Thomas Postlewait. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2010; pp. 428, 19 illustrations. $29.95 paper, $29.95 e-book.” Theatre Survey, Volume 53, Issue 1, pp. 127-130. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Laurence Senelick. “Representing the Past: Essays in Performance Historiography (review).” Modern Drama, Volume 54, Number 4, (Winter 2011), pp. 567-570. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Christopher B. Balme. The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
- Simon Shepherd. “Christopher B. Balme The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 231 p. £14.99. ISBN: 978-0-521-67223-8. Robert Leach Theatre Studies: the Basics London; New York: Routledge, 2008. 194 p. £11.99. ISBN: 978-0-415-42639-9.” New Theatre Quarterly, Volume 25, Issue 4, p. 422. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Daphne A. Brooks, Bodies in Dissent: Spectacular Performances of Race and Freedom, 1850-1910. Durham: Duke University Press, 2006.
- Barbara Lewis. “Bodies in Dissent: Spectacular Performances of Race and Freedom, 1850–1910. By Daphne A. Brooks. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2006; pp. 488, 23 illus. $94.95 cloth, $25.95 paper.” Theatre Survey, Volume 49, Issue 2: pp. 316-318. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Sinéad Moynihan. “Daphne A. Brooks, Bodies in Dissent: Spectacular Performances of Race and Freedom, 1850–1910 (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2006, £16.95). Pp. 475. isbn 0 8223 3722 3.” Journal of American Studies: Volume 42, Issue 1, p. 153. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Deborah Elizabeth Whaley. “Bodies in Dissent: Spectacular Performances of Race and Freedom, 1850-1910 (review).” American Studies, Volume 48, Number 4 (Winter 2007), pp. 153-153. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
Joseph Roach, Changing the Subject: Marvin Carlson and Theater Studies. University of Michigan Press, 2009.
- Martin Meisel. “Changing the Subject: Marvin Carlson and Theatre Studies, 1959-2009 (review).” Modern Drama, Volume 54, Number 1 (Spring 2011), pp. 112-115. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
- Edward Ziter. “Changing the Subject: Marvin Carlson and Theatre Studies, 1959–2009. Edited and with an introduction by Joseph Roach. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2009; pp xii + 356. $80.00 cloth.” Theatre Survey, Volume 52, Number 2 (November 2011): pp. 386-388. Available online. [may require subscriber login]
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