Biographies in Databases
- Biography in ContextFull text biographies on approx. 220,000 people from published biographical reference works and magazines, with web links. Allows you to search by name, occupation, nationality, birth place or death place. Biographical results include lists of further readings for more information.
Here is a list of databases that include biographical information about playwrights and other noteworthy individuals. If you cannot find the person you are looking for in one resource, try a different one. Sometimes it is difficult to locate full-length biographies on contemporary individuals. Remember that there might not be a ton of written information about every person you are researching. Sometimes biographical information must be pieced together from a variety of sources.
- Biography Reference BankBiographical information on over 500,000 people from antiquity to present, including full text of Current Biography. Allows you to search by name, with the option to limit by occupation, or to results that include images, among other things. Biographical results include lists of further readings for more information.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new windowIn addition to including the full, searchable text of hundreds of reference books, GVRL, in the Advanced Search option, allows you to select Biography as a limiter. That way, when you do a search for a person, you will be assured that you are getting primarily biographical results. Most results will include lists of further readings on your topic.
Biographies in Books
Asian American playwrights: a bio-bibliographical critical sourcebook by ISBN: 0313314551Available in print and as an e-book. Click the title above to access it in electronic format.
If you are checking to see if a full-length biography exists for a specific person, do a keyword in subject search for the person's name. That way, you will get books about that person instead of books by them.
There may not be entire books written about the person you are researching. Try looking in general biographical works such as the ones below. I found these by searching for the words dramatists and biography in a keyword in subject search in CUNY+. Dramatists is the preferred term over playwrights. Some of the others were found by searching for performing arts and biography.
Notable women in the American theatre : a biographical dictionary by Call Number: PN2285 .N65 1989ISBN: 0313272174Available in the reference collection on the 4th floor of the main library.
The gay & lesbian theatrical legacy : a biographical dictionary of major figures in American stage history in the pre-Stonewall era by Call Number: PN2286.5 .G38 2005ISBN: 047206858XAvailable in the reference collection on the 4th floor of the main library.
Scenic design on Broadway : designers and their credits, 1915-1990 by Call Number: PN2096.A1 O94 1991ISBN: 0313265348
