This page brings together free online books, topic searches, audiobooks, and Open Access resources related to theater, drama, dance, stagecraft, acting, opera, ballet, performance history, and theatrical traditions. The materials range from older public domain works to modern scholarly studies.
The Topics section below helps readers find books and documents within the huge Internet Archive collection, which includes periodicals and other materials, from older historical works to recent publications. Each topic link generates an Internet Archive search focused on that subject. Browsing the topics and selecting those of interest is usually easier and more effective than searching Internet Archive directly.
Sections below Topics provide links to related audiobooks and modern Open Access books. See those sections for more information.
Topics – Performing Arts Books PDF
The topic links below lead to Internet Archive search results related to the performing arts. Each link opens a books-and-documents search focused on a particular topic.
Search results generally include fully readable books, periodicals, and other documents. For some subjects, Internet Archive also contains other media, such as images, audio, or video files. These can be selected from the media options above the search results. Filters on the left side of Internet Archive pages can help narrow search results by year, language, or related subjects.
Performing Arts Books
Acting Books
Dance Books
Theater Books
Opera Books
Performing Arts Audio Books Free Download MP3
These audiobook links lead to public domain recordings from LibriVox at Internet Archive. The books recorded by Librivox volunteers were nearly all published before 1930. Recordings include plays and books about theater, dance, drama, films, stagecraft, musicals, acting, and actors.
All Librivox audiobooks are free and can be streamed online or downloaded for offline listening.
Free Open Access Performing Arts and Theatre Books PDF Download
The Open Access books and other materials below are modern works made freely available online by universities, academic publishers, the Library of Congress, and other organizations. Many reflect current scholarship and research.
Some works may only be read online, but many can also be downloaded as PDF or EPUB files.
Open Access Performing Arts Free Books & Learning Resources
Performing Arts Books at Doab
Performing Arts Books at OAPEN
Performing Arts Books at OASIS
Performing Arts Books and Learning Materials at OER Commons
Books on Acting Techniques at OAPEN
Books on Dance at OAPEN
Textbooks, Curriculum Materials, Books on Dance at MERLOT
Open Access Theater PDF Books: Technical Skills, Direction & Studies
Books on Theatre Technical and Background Skills at OAPEN
Books on Theatre Direction and Production at OAPEN
Books on Theatre Studies at OAPEN
Textbooks, Presentations, Free Learning Materials on Theater at MERLOT
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