The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance, and Musical Theater

Claude J. Summers edited The Queer Encyclopedia of Music, Dance, and Musical Theater as a comprehensive reference work covering LGBTQ figures and themes across these performing arts. The book is organized as encyclopedia entries on individual artists, broader topics, specific works, and historical periods.

The contributors are a wide group of scholars, critics, and writers from across the field. The entries vary in depth, with major figures getting longer treatments and broader topics getting overview-style essays.

For researchers, students, or general readers wanting a starting point on LGBTQ contributions to these performing arts, the book is one of the more comprehensive references available. The entries provide solid orientation and direct readers toward more specialized scholarship for deeper work.

The book is a few years old now, and contemporary entries necessarily reflect the moment of publication. For most subject matter, the historical and biographical material remains current and useful as a research starting point.