Theater and Dance Research Guide 

What's Here

Yale has many sound recordings of plays, as well as voice training materials  There are two major sources:

• CDs and Tapes
• Online

The format currently affects how you find the recording, because not everything is listed in Orbis.

CDs and Tapes

These recording are listed in Orbis. Most of the recording plays are at Sterling Memorial Library or Bass Library; voice training materials are in the Drama Collection at the Arts Library.

These searches will include CDs and cassette tapes.

There are two ways to search for recordings in Orbis: through limits and through an additional Keyword.

Option 1: Seach for Recordings Using Orbis Limits

This is the more comprehensive approach.

1. Search for the keywords (preferably through an Advanced search)
2. Click on the Post Limit button
3. Go to the Item Type section and select "Nonmusical sound recordings"
4. Click the Set Limits button

Remember to clear the limits before you do another Orbis search.

If you use Option 1, it's best to do an Advanced Search, which allows you to restrict a search to a particular field (e.g., author, title or subject).

Option 2: Seach for Recordings Using Keywords

This is easier than the Limit approach, but it will miss the online recordings, since those are considered electronic resources rather than sound recordings.  (Go figure.)  .Do a Keyword search for the author, title or subject, and add the word "sound recording" (with or without the quotation marks) to the Keywords.  "Sound recording" is the generic term for CDs and tapes.

If you use Option 2, a Simple Search for the keywords is usually adequate because the results are immediately limited.  An Advanced Search may nevertheless produce superior results.

Examples and Hints on Orbis Keyword Searches:

In the following examples, "sound recording" is in square brackets to indicate for Option 1, you leave the term out; but include it in Option 2 (don't type the brackets).

For recordings of plays by a specific author:

shakespeare [sound recording]

NOTE: The "Shakespeare" search brings up things like music inspired by the plays rather than the plays themselves. To improve your search, use Advanced Search, limit the playwright's name to the Author field, and put "sound recording" in the second search box. The won't eliminate the extraneous hits but it will reduce them.

For recordings of a particular play:

"romeo and juliet" [sound recording]

For recordings involving a certain actor:

"gielgud john" shakespeare [sound recording]

NOTE: You may need to use the "Long" view in Orbis to see the actor's name in the cast list.

For recordings involving a certain subject:

accents [sound recording]

Recordings Online

These recordings may or may not be listed in Orbis. Eventually they will be. Currently, however, one must search the database directly in order to find what recordings it contains.

Audio Drama: The L.A. Theatre Works Collection -- DUE MAY 2009