Extending the London Stage Database

FAIN: HAA-300527-24

University of Oregon (Eugene, OR 97403-5219)
Mattie Burkert (Project Director: December 2023 to present)

Continued development and revitalization of the London Stage Database, an online resource that brings together multiple sources documenting the history of British theater.

Launched in 2019 with Level II DHAG funding, the London Stage Database (londonstagedatabase.uoregon.edu) has been hailed as “field-changing” for eighteenth-century theater studies. This open-access database of nightly playhouse offerings 1660-1800 has also resonated beyond academe, logging upwards of 130,000 page views from more than 13,500 unique visitors and garnering high-profile media attention. Today, this vitally important piece of digital humanities infrastructure is ripe for upgrades that will leverage newly digitized materials and cutting-edge technologies to meet the emerging needs of a growing audience. We propose to extend the project’s reach, utility, and longevity by migrating to a more sustainable web hosting architecture; improving data discovery and interoperability through linked open data; enhancing the user experience with new content and features; deepening collaborative relationships with user communities; and building DH research capacity at the host institution.