A Theater Criticism/Arts Journalism Primer ― Refereeing the Muses

Writing for aspiring arts critics (and aspiring theater critics in particular), Abelman (communication, Cleveland State U.) and Kushner (journalism and mass communication, Kent State U.) explore the skill set associated with being a critic; describe the history, evolution, and future directions of professional criticism in the United States; and present advice on the practices of producing arts criticism. This naturally includes attention to the practice of theater in itself, including storytelling conventions and the roles of different theater figures (e.g., playwright, artistic director, actors, etc.). Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Bob Abelman (PhD, The University of Texas-Austin) is a Distinguished Professor of Communication at Cleveland State University where he teaches arts journalism and media criticism. He is also an award-winning theater critic for the daily News-Herald, a produced playwright, and a former professional actor with New York credits. He was a 2010 National Endowment for the Arts fellow in Arts Journalism and is the recipient of three Excellence in Research awards from The International Mensa Education and Research Foundation for his work on media/arts literacy and artistic giftedness.
Cheryl Kushner (MA, Kent State University) is Assistant Professor at Kent State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is a former entertainment editor at The Plain Dealer, as well as New York’s Newsday, where she directed coverage resulting in a 2002 Pulitzer Prize for criticism. She was a fellow with the National Arts Journalism Program, where she studied theater and creative writing at Northwestern University. Ms. Kushner is also the author of four romance/women’s fiction novels.