The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance Print and e-reference editions available

From ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in stage design, from the trance-dances of Sumatra to an extensive biography of the legendary actor-manager Eleonore Duse, the Encyclopedia provides unrivaled information across the broad sweep of theatrical activity.
The Encyclopedia's inclusive approach encompasses opera and film, dance and radio, and para-theatrical, non-dramatic performances including circuses and carnivals, and parades and public executions--providing truly extensive coverage from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London,
Paris, New York, and around the globe. The Encyclopedia pays special attention to non-Western styles through articles on theatre and performance throughout the many countries and traditions of Asia and Africa. Numerous biographical entries cover the lives and work of major figures: actors,
playwrights, directors, designer, company managers, and critics. A unique feature of the Encyclopedia is the series of articles on concepts, theories, and critical approaches, ranging from short definitions of terms like catharsis and monologue to more lengthy considerations of farce and tragedy.
Race and theatre, the nature of acting, censorship, safety, special effects, and media and performance are all debated. In all, the 4,300 entries by renowned contributors remain accessible in language and approach and take advantage of the theoretical and historiographical developments in the field.

The combination of rich detail and accessible language and style make The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance the resource of choice for readers interested in theatre and performance, from occasional playgoers to newspapercritics, students, and scholars.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance is an unparalleled resource, providing comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date information about theatre and performance internationally, through history and in the present in an accessible format. Available in print and as an e-reference text from Oxford's Digital Reference Shelf, the 4,300 entries total well over a million words and are complemented by over 100 illustrations. Coverage ranges from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London, Paris, New York, and around the globe. The Encyclopedia pays special attention to non-Western styles through articles on theatre and performance throughout the many countries and traditions of Asia and Africa, often written by practitioners or critics from those areas. Dance, opera, performance art, radio, film, and television are covered at length. The Encyclopedia also embraces para-theatrical, non-drammatic, and popular performance, including ritual, carnivals, parades, the circus, and public executions. Biographical entries cover the lives and work of major figures from the past and present: actors, playwrights, directors, designers, and critics. Innovative entries on cities and regions place performance in its local social and political context. A particular feature of the Encyclopedia is the series of entries on concepts, theories, and critical approaches to theatre and performance, from short definitions of terms to lengthy considerations of genres, and from detailed discussion of movements such as feminism and psychoanalytic criticism to discussions of semiotics and post-colonial studies. While remaining thoroughly accessible in language and approach, the Encyclopedia takes advantage of the theoretical and historiographical developments in the field, using signed entries by the best scholars and writers available.

Volume 1; Preface and principles; Acknowledgements; Thematic Table of Contents; List of Illustrations; Editors and Contributors; THE OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE A-K; Volume 2; Key to Contributor Initials; Note to the Reader; THE OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE M-Z; Timeline; Further Reading; Index of Dramatic Works; Picture Acknowledgements

Dennis Kennedy is Samuel Beckett Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies, and head of the School of Drama, at Trinity College, Dublin. Previously he was Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of Pittsburgh and Associate Professor of English at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He has held distinguished visiting professorships at the Salzburg Seminar, McMaster University, the University of Victoria, and the University of Wisconsin, and was Senior Fulbright Lecturer at the University of Karachi in Pakistan. His publications include Granville Barker and the Dream of Theatre (CUP, 1985), Plays by Harley Granville Barker (CUP, 1987), Looking at Shakespeae: a visual history of twentieth-century performance (CUP, 1993, 2nd edn 2001), Foreign Shakespeare (CUP, 1993). His own plays have been performed in New York, London and at regional theatres in the US.