Research Guides: Theatre Arts: Books & eBooks

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Finding Plays

Plays are generally published either individually or in collections.

Individual plays may be searched by title, by author, or a combination of both elements.

Example: "Tropic of Capricorn" by Henry Miller
Example: "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles, ed. by...

Collections of plays by a single author are best searched by the author's name.

Example: Checkhov, Anton. "Short plays"
Example: Moliere. "One-act comedies"

Collections of plays by multiple authors are generally cataloged by the title of the published collection.

Example: "Humana Festival 2009: The Complete Plays"
Example: "New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 1999"

Plays can also be searched by "genre" type (subject). Examples:

comedies
drama - 20th century
Greek drama (tragedy)
monologues
one-act plays
plays - collections
tragedies

Key Theatre Arts Information Sources

The Drama Dictionary
Print book, published 1988
Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion
A three-volume survey of clothing, costume and fashion, presented through 640 essays, arranged alphabetically. Coverage includes the origins of clothing and body adornment, the development of fabrics and technologies, and the social meanings of dress, as well as representative costumes from a wide range of historical eras.
An International Dictionary of Theatre Language
Print book, published 1985
International Dictionary of Theatre Series
Annotation International and historical in scope, this three-volume set covers the theatre from the festivals of ancient Greece to the productions, plays, players, directors and designers of the modern stage. The 3 volumes comprise 1500 entries, selected by an international advisory board.
The Oxford Companion to American Theatre
Print book, published 2004
The Oxford Dictionary of Dance
"This new dictionary by two leading and authoritative writers on dance provides the information necessary for dance fans to navigate the diverse modern dance scene. With an emphasis on performance the dance we see in theatres today - readers will find both fact and analysis on a wide range of subjects from dancers and choreographers to dance styles and technical terms." "Readership: General dance fans, as well as dance students and teachers."--Jacket.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre & Performance
The Oxford Encyclopedia of theatre and performance is an unparalleled resource, providing comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date information about theatre and performance from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London, Paris, New York, and around the globe. Written in accessible language, it will appeal broadly to readers interested in theatre and performance, from occasional playgoers to newspaper critics, students, and scholars.
The Performing Arts: A Guide to the Reference Literature
Print book, published 1994
The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre
Volumes 1-6 availalble in print, Volume 4 available online.
Motley Collection of Theatre and Costume Design
The Motley Collection of Theatre and Costume Design is a valuable source of documentation on the history of theatre and is housed in The Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Illinois. It is a rare collection of original materials on the theatre comprising over 5000 items from more than 150 productions in England and the United States. These materials include costume and set designs, sketches, notes, photographs, prop lists, storyboards, and swatches of fabric.

Find Plays in Collections & Journals

The following resources are useful for locating plays in collections and journals.

Monologues: Published collections of monologues may be found in the Library of Congress classification: PN2080. These and additional monologues may be search in the HPU Libraries catalog with the subject "Monologues," narrowing search results further by topic qualifiers (see left hand column of screen display).

Inter-Play
An index to plays in published collections.
Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections: An Author and Title Index to Plays Appearing in Collections Published since 1900
Representing the largest expansion between editions, this updated volume of Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections is the standard location tool for full-length plays published in collections and anthologies in England and the...

Find Books & Other Materials

Browse library shelves in the following call number ranges

GT 510 Costume	PN 2171-2179 Renaissance theater
GV 1580-1799.3 Dancing	PN 2181-2193 Modern theater
PN 2000-3307 Dramatic representation. The theater.	PN 2219.3-3030 Special regions or countries
PN 2061-2071 Art of acting	PN 3035 The Jewish theater
PN 2071 Monologues	PN 3151-3171 Amateur theater
PN 2085-2091 Stage and accessories. Stage design.	PN 3175-3191 College and school theatricals
PN 2131-2145 Ancient theater	PN 3203-3299 Tableaux, pageants, "Happenings," etc.
PN 2152-2160 Medieval theater	TT 507 Costume Design