Performing Arts Materials on Microfilm: Periodicals
Materials that are published on a periodic schedule -- newspapers, magazines and journals -- contain much valuable information on the performing arts. This page highlights a few of the general and subject specific sources for research in periodicals, and also links to several of our electronic periodical indexes.
What can be found in the Press.
Newspapers contain both advertising and entertainment sections. The advertisements will show the dates and locations of performances and often list the major actors in the show. The entertainment section will include reviews of the performances and often biographical sketches of actors and actresses. There are also trade publications such as the Hollywood Reporter, The New York Clipper, and Variety which will report on the business of show business.
Boston Commercial Gazette, May 16, 1822
Some highlights.
The Boston Public Library has roughly 3,000 Massachusetts newspaper titles on film, with the earliest, the Boston Newsletter, dating back to 1704. We have papers for most Massachusetts towns, although not for all years.
On our electronic reference page we have links to databases to the Boston Globe, New York Times,and London Times, among others.
We have back-files of the [Boston] Ray, 1871-1885 (AN2.M4.B7613); the New York Clipper, 1853-1925 (PN2000.N55); Variety, 1905 +' (PN2000.V3); and the Hollywood Reporter, 1934-1998 (PN1993.H5).
The Alternative Press Collection & the Underground Press Collection contain underground papers from across the nation such as the Boston Phoenix, the Real Paper, and Boston After Dark, primarily from the 1960s and 1970s.
Large Periodical Collectons
As with newspapers, magazines will contain many articles on the theatre.
The American Periodicals Series includes images of the pages of American magazines and journals covering the colonial era to the early 20th century, some indexing is available on our electronic resources page in the "Index o Early American Periodicals." The series has been digitized by its publisher, Proquest, but the digital version is not available at the BPL.
A similar set is "English Literary Periodicals," which includes 341 titles published in Great Britain during the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. Some indexing is available on our electronic resources page in the "Index to English Literary Periodicals."
The "Early British Periodicals" microfilm set contains 160 periodicals dealing with literature, philosophy, history, science, the fine arts, and the social sciences, published primarily in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Indexes like the Reader's Guide Retrospective should also help in finding articles.
- English Literary Periodicals969 microfilm reels
Theatre Collections
- Nineteenth Century Theatre PeriodicalsCall Number: 54 microfilm reels in 3 parts, plus guide54 microfilm reels
Part 1 – Periodicals from 1800 to 1897 housed in the British Library, London
Part 2 – From the British Library Newspaper Library at Colindale, 1880
Part 3 – From the Theatre Museum, London and the Bodleian Library, Oxford, including some 18th Century Periodicals, 1709-1898 - Twentieth Century British Theatre PeriodicalsCall Number: PN2001 .T933 1987x11 microfilm reels, plus guide
- American Theatre Periodicals of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth CenturiesCall Number: PN2000.A553 1999x19 microfilm reels, plus guide
- A guide to the microfilm edtion of film journalsCall Number: PN1993 .G83 1990xPart 1: Journals from the United States and Canada
Part 2: Journals from Great Britain and Australia
Periodical Indexes
- Newspapers @ the BPLThis BPL Libguide will guide you to the microfilmed and digitized newspapers owned by the BPL. The guide also points to indexes for newspapers.
- Index to Early American Periodicals 1700-1799 This link opens in a new window
One of 3 “Indexes to Early American Periodicals” which cover 3 separate time periods from 1700 to 1935 and are thought to include all known periodical publications that had their inception and ending during this time period. The actual periodicals are on microfilm in three microfilm collections of the same names (often referred to as APS I, APS II and APS III). Therefore, when searching the microfilm for a citation be sure to note the appropriate microfilm collection. The name of the microfilm collection is given on the final citation along with reel number and all other information needed to find a citation.
- Index to Early American Periodicals 1800-1850 This link opens in a new window
- Index to Early American Periodicals 1850-1935 This link opens in a new window
- Index to English Literary Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Consists of 233 titles published during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in England. While primarily literary in focus, these periodicals deal with a wide variety of subjects. Of special interest is the English slant on life in America and particularly the American Revolution. Coverage: 1691-1854
- Readers' Guide Retrospective: 1890-1982 (H.W. Wilson) This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States and reflects the history of 20th century America. Covers subjects in Art, Business, Education, Foreign Affairs, Health, History, Journalism, Medicine, Politics, Popular Culture, Religion, Science, Sports, Technology and more. Coverage: 1890-1982.