Live performance - dance or theatre


You may need to consult more than one section of Re:cite to accurately represent the source used. Your citation may look different depending on the number of authors it has. Check the About Chicago A page for further advice.


Live performances - dance or theatre may include (but is not limited to) theatre, dance, music theatre or spoken word performances. For live music performances, refer to live performance - music.

Footnote template

Footnote number. Title of Performance, [by] Author, [directed/performed by] Director(s)/Performer(s), Venue, Place of Performance, Month Day, Year [of performance].

Footnote example

First entry:

4. The Mountaintop, by Katori Hall, directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos, Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, December 4, 2013.

Second and subsequent entries:

17. Mountaintop.

Bibliography

Bibliography template

Citations of live performances can generally be omitted from the bibliography, however they should be included if they form a critical part of your research, or if they are frequently cited. Check with your lecturer if you are unsure.

Title of Performance. [By] Author of Script. [Directed/Performed by] Director(s)/Performer(s). Venue, Place of Performance, Month Day, Year [of performance].

Bibliography example

The Mountaintop. By Katori Hall. Directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos. Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, December 4, 2013.

Tips for this reference type

  • See Manual 14.166 and Turabian 19.5.1.
  • As live performances are ephemeral and cannot be consulted (unlike recordings), they generally do not require a bibliographic entry.
  • Cite recordings of live performances as per the recorded medium (i.e. DVD, online video, sound recording). Relevant examples are at 14.163, 14.164, and 14.165.
  • Include the names of additional performers or contributors as appropriate.
  • If citing a specific part of a larger work, include the title in quotation marks as per a book chapter (i.e. "Agony," Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim…) see Manual 8.196
  • If the performance of an individual is important to your research, list that person's name before the title of the work (i.e. Cate Blanchett, actor, Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov…)
  • Second and subsequent entries should include enough information to distinguish them from other entries.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)