Seeking something different to watch this summer? The Graduate Center subscribes to several alternative video/media databases.

+ Digital Theater Plus offers a wide variety of full-length theatrical productions from the UK, as well as interviews with actors and other theater professionals. There are 365 offerings you can peruse – a wide Shakespearean selection, as well as more modern works (A Blues for Nia, Black Magic). Under the “Theory and Criticism” tab, you will find a growing selection of other resources, including Biography, Study Guides, and Interviews.

+ On the Boards is an organization that films live performances of dance, music, and theater events and “delivers full-length, high quality contemporary performance films.” A sampler of their eclectic titles includes: Bronx Gothic (“an unflinching look into the exquisite turbulence of one woman’s memory”), Electric Midwife, and When the Wolves Came In (inspired by jazz drummer Max Roach’s We Insist Freedom Now). The user-friendly interface makes these appealing visuals immediately accessible “to your TV, desktop or mobile device.”

+ Seeking a quiet respite from the noise of the city? Try a silent film – Silent Film Online offers hundreds of options, including the era’s stars – Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Clara Bow, and more! – as well as works by notable directors such as Fritz Lang (Metropolis), F. W. Murnau (Nosferatu), and Dorothy Arzner (Blood and Sand). The database is searchable by keyword, and also includes transcripts of each film.

Finally – if you’re an opera fan, check out Metropolitan Opera On Demand! Many of the 500+ performances were recorded in HD (high-definition), bringing a truly lifelike quality to these immersive productions.
[Note: due to access limitations, only 5 users from the Graduate Center can access this resource at a time]

Feel free to explore all of the Graduate Center’s streaming video collections here.

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