Theatre
A guide to resources for study and research in Theatre
Indexes to Plays
Additional indexes to plays and drama are located in Central Reference at call number Z 5781.
- The Best PlaysPN6112 .B45 (Central Reference, Waldo Library)
Contains synopses and excerpts from each season's prize-winning plays and production data from all Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions, as well as some data about plays produced elsewhere in the U.S.
Library Search
Use Library Search to Find Play Scripts
- Library Search Advanced SearchClick on the link to go to the Advanced Search in Library Search.
If you know the playwright's name, enter it in the first blank search box and select "as author/creator" from the pull-down choices.
If you know the title of the play, enter it and select "in the title" from the pull-down choices.
If you are unsure about the title, try an "Any" search with words you think are in the title. "Any" searches will also find plays published in some collections (books) of plays.
Online Play Collections
- New Play Exchange This link opens in a new windowThe New Play Exchange is an index of scripts written by living writers. Users can search for plays, playwrights, and theatre-related organizations. Script samples are available for download.
- Asian American Drama This link opens in a new windowFull text of 252 plays by 42 playwrights, with information on related productions, theaters, production companies, and more. Also included: selected playbills, production photographs and other ephemera related to the plays.
- Black Drama (Second Edition) This link opens in a new windowFull text of more than 1,400 plays from the mid-1800s to the present written by 200 African or African-American playwrights. Each play is indexed by keyword and by numerous subjects. Enhanced by reference materials, ancillary information and images.
- Latino Literature (Chadwyck-Healey) This link opens in a new windowContains more than 100,000 pages of poetry, fiction and drama by Chicano, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican and other Latin writers working in the United States. Includes almost 400 plays.
- LitFinder: Primary Sources & Literary Works This link opens in a new windowContains over 125,000 full text poems, and some short stories, essays, and plays. Biographies of the authors are included and over 800,000 more poems are cited.
- Theatre in Context This link opens in a new windowSearch or Browse a database covering all aspects of the Canadian and American Theatre. It includes some 40,000 pages of major reference materials, together with records to approximately 30,000 plays, 57,000 people, 5,400 theatres, 22,000 productions, and 2,500 production companies.
- North American Women's Drama This link opens in a new windowOver 1,500 plays by 330 playwrights, with detailed information on related productions, theaters, production companies, and more. 30% of the plays have not been published before. Also included: selected playbills, production photographs, and other ephemera related to the plays
Related Guides
See these guides for more sources for plays, play reviews, and literary criticism.
Other Online Sources
- Dramatists Play Service, Inc.One of the major publishers and licensers of plays. Use the Playfinder feature to find availability and information about play scripts (librettos), scores, and other publications. Items are for sale but may also be available through interlibrary loan.
- Samuel French, Inc.The other major publisher and licenser of plays and musicals. Scripts, scores, recordings, books, etc. are for sale (some may be requested through interlibrary loan).
- Tams-Witmark Music LibraryLicensing company for musicals.
- Expand the Canon"Expand the Canon is an annual, curated list of excellent and producible classic plays by women and underrepresented genders." -- from the Website.
Monologues
Collections of monologues are at call number PN4305 .M6.