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INTRODUCING THE ERA.

The Era CD ROM project is of major importance to both academic theatre research and family historians with entertainer ancestors.

First published in 1837 and thus preceding The Stage and Variety by many years, The Era occupies a unique place in the theatrical history of the English-speaking world. Appearing weekly until 1939, and intended for members of the profession or those with a serious interest in matters theatrical, it constitutes a unique, detailed record of the evolution of all aspects of popular entertainment, and represents an unrivalled source of information in such fields as:

theatrical developments:  e.g.  Victorian ‘spectacular’ theatre, melodrama, music hall/vaudeville, operetta and musical comedy, classical and contemporary drama, grand opera and dance;

 

cultural studies:  e.g.  entertainment as a reflection of social, economic and political change;

 

local history:  e.g.  opening of new theatres in London, New York, etc.; and the provincial towns of Britain and Ireland, and ongoing reports and reviews of programmes;

 

genealogy and family history:  ‘engagements wanted’ notices, etc.; reports of international tours illustrate the cross migrations of artists from and to the British Isles, North America, Australasia and southern Africa  -  invaluable aids to locating actor ancestors and tracing their careers.°

Extant copies of The Era are extremely rare, substantial holdings being confined to a mere handful of research libraries. Subject to a sufficient number of orders being received, Keero Microforms will make available on CD/ROM at an early date all issues of The Era published during the decade 1890 to 1899. Utilizing the collection in the Birmingham Central Library, England, this will involve the reproduction and conversion to disc of over 15000 pages of text. Subject to continuing interest, CD/ROM reproductions of further decades will follow at approximately six-monthly intervals until the entire collection has been reproduced in the new format.

The discs for each decade will be issued in a hard imitation-leather case especially designed for storage in library or home. 

°For information on the use of The Era in family history please see Paul Newman's site entertainer-genealogy where you will also find a list of UK Libraries holding The Era. Questions concerning the use of The Era in family research may be mailed here but please keep your question general in nature.

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E mail barrie@the-era.fsnet.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: March 02, 2002