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Plays and Playwrights

This guide is intended to help undergraduate students find plays, basic information about plays, and basic information about playwrights. For more information, see Literary Criticism, Essays and Essayists, Theater & Performing Arts Resources. Resources listed as having Electronic Access can be accessed by way of the alphabetical list of databases at http://library.nyu.edu/collections/databases.html.

Librarian for Plays and Playwrights

For questions related to Plays and Playwrights, please visit or call the reference desk on the first floor of the library, or send an email to our Ask-A-Librarian service.

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Citing and Evaluating Your Information

  • Evaluating Information
  • Bibliographic Footnote Style Guide
  • Research and Documentation Style Guide
    (includes how to cite live performances)
  • RefWorks
    A new, entirely Web-based program you can use to organize your research. Enter citations as you work, import references retrieved from online bibliographic databases into your RefWorks database and create bibliographies in a variety of formats using Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. There is no software to load. RefWorks is completely free to NYU community members.

Internet Links

Searching BobCat

Below are some examples of Keyword Searches in BobCat that can be used to find information about plays and playwrights:

By a playwright:

mamet in Author
and plays in Title

If you want all works by a particular author, search only by author. For example,

mamet, david in Author

will retrieve a complete list of works by the author.

About a playwright:

o'neill in Subject Heading
and theater in Subject Heading

If you want all works about a particular playwright, search only by subject. For example,

o'neill, eugene in Subject Heading

About plays:

theater in Subject Heading
and staging in Subject Heading

english drama in Subject Heading
and women in Subject Heading

Finding Plays

  • Play Index. 1949- .
    Bobst REF1 Index Z5781.P53
    Description: Each volume contains several parts, listing plays published during the years covered by that volume, including English-language translations. Coverage includes plays in collections and single plays, one-act plays, full-length plays, radio, TV and Broadway productions.
    Organization: Part I includes an author, title, and subject index with a brief description of the play. Another section provides a cast analysis, with listings of all-female and all-male casts. The final section lists the indexed collections.
  • Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections. B.M. Connor and H.G. Mochedlover, eds. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1988.
    Bobst REF1 Z5781.08 1988
    Description: Covers plays published between 1900 and 1985 in the English-speaking world. Excludes children's plays, one-act plays, radio and television productions.
    Organization: The first section is the main author index, listing the plays and in which collections they appear. The second provides the collections and their abbreviations included in this volume. The third section is a title index, referring back to the author index.
  • Index to Plays in Periodicals. Keller, Dean H. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1979, 1990.
    Bobst REF1 Z5781 .K43 1979 ; 1990
    Description: Lists plays published in periodicals through 1990.
    Organization: Organized in two parts, with an author index and title index.

Play Annuals

Best plays of ... 1894- .
Bobst PN2266 .A2B5
Description: For each season, digests and provides critical comments on select plays. Also has information about the theater in several US cities, with an extensive entry on Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in New York City. Lists the Pulitzer Prize winners and Drama Critics Circle Awards.
Organization: Divided into several sections, with an author, cast and production index for each volume. This series is indexed by Ottemiller's Index to Plays in Collections (through 1985)--see above.

Resources about Playwrights

  • Contemporary Authors. 1962- [165+ volumes]
    Contemporary Authors New Revised Edition. 1981- [70+ volumes]
    Bobst REF1 PN771 .C58 & Bobst REF1 PN771 .C582
    Electronic Access available via Literature Resource Center
    Description: Includes most writers who have published in the US within the last 35 years. Contains basic biographical facts about writers, with notes on the writers' works and quotes from reviews. Entries include lists of Writings and Biographical/Critical Sources. More extensive information is available in the New Revised Editions.
    Organization: Each volume is arranged alphabetically by surname. Consult the cumulative index to find out which volume(s) have entries on a particular writer. Cumulative indexes are located at the end of the bookcase containing these series.
  • Contemporary Dramatists. K.A. Berney, editor. 6th Ed. Chicago, IL: St. James Press, 1999.
    Bobst REF1 PR737.C57 6th Ed.
    Description: Provides information for over three hundred living dramatists who publish in English. Entries include a brief biography, list of publications and professional activities, and a critical essay about the dramatist and his or her work. No reprints or revivals are included.
    Organization: Alphabetical by playwright, with a title index.
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography [DLB].
    For print edition, consult the DLB index at the REF1 Desk or at the end of the bookcase containing the Contemporary Authors series, then check BobCat for call number location(s) of specific volume(s).
    Electronic Access available via Literature Resource Center (does not include images available in print edition)
    Description: Volumes contain lengthy articles about writers. Entries focus on literary aspects of writers' lives, including biographical information. All entries are illustrated and have a bibliography of works by the writer covered.
    Organization: The cumulative index is located at the first floor reference desk (REF1) or at the end of the bookcase containing the Contemporary Authors series. This index will indicate which volume(s) have an entry on each writer, and the call number(s) of the volume(s).
  • International Dictionary of Theatre. Edited by Mark Hawkins-Dady. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991.
    Bobst REF1 PN2000.I474 1991 vols. 1-3
    Volume II: Playwrights
    Description: Volume II includes information on 485 playwrights from all periods and nationalities, selected for inclusion by an academic advisory panel. Entries include a brief biographical sketch, list of works, a bibliography, and a critical overview with cross-references to Volume I [see below] where appropriate.
    Organization: Alphabetical by playwright, with a title index.
  • Performing Arts Biography Master Index. 2nd ed. B. McNeil & M. C. Herbert, eds. Detroit, MI: Gale, 1982.
    Bobst REF1 PN1583.M37 1982
    Description: Lists citations to biographical reference sources in the performing arts (e.g., biographical dictionaries, encyclopedias), including theater, film, television, dance, music, puppetry and magic.
    Organization: Listings are alphabetical by name as used in the cited source.

Resources about Plays

General Information

  • Contemporary Literary Criticism [CLC]. 1973- [100+ volumes]
    Bobst REF1 PN771 .C59
    Electronic Access available (does not include all entries from print edition)
    Description: Extracts from books and journal articles about present-day writers, with a list of principal works. Entries on a writer can appear in more than one volume.
    Organization: Each volume is arranged alphabetically by surname. Consult the indexes to find out which volume(s) have the required information. A cumulative Author Index can be found at the back of the last volume of the CLC set, while a cumulative Title Index can be found at the end of the bookcases containing this series.
  • Critical Survey of Drama. Frank N. Magill, editor. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.
    English Language Series, Revised Edition: Bobst REF1 PR623.C75 1994 v. 1-7
    Foreign Language Series: Bobst REF1 PN1625.C74 1986 v. 1-6
    Description: Information about individual dramatists, dramatic works, and overview essays concerning trends in drama.
    Organization: Alphabetical by author. Last volume includes a title index, author index, and subject index to the series.
  • Drama Criticism. Lawrence J. Trudeau, editor. New York: Gale Research, 1991- .
    Bobst REF1 PN1601.D59
    Electronic Access available via Literature Resource Center (does not include all entries from print edition)
    Description: Based on the series Contemporary Literary Criticism [see above], Drama Criticism concentrates on individual dramatists, from the classical period to the present. Under each author heading, the entry includes biographical information, a list of major works, critical reception, and commentary on individual plays.
    Organization: There are 8-10 entries per volume, arranged alphabetically by author. Use the last volume for a cumulative author, title and nationality index.
  • International Dictionary of Theatre. Edited by Mark Hawkins-Dady. Chicago: St. James Press, 1991.
    Bobst REF1 PN2000.I474 1991 vols. 1-3:
    Volume I: Plays
    Description: Volume I includes information on over 600 plays (concentrating on English-speaking world), selected for inclusion by an academic advisory panel. Entries include dramatist, date of first publication and production, translations into English and a bibliography relating to the piece. Also provides a critical essay with plot summary.
    Organization: Alphabetical by title.
  • Theatre World. 1944- .
    Bobst REF1 PN2277.N5 A17
    Description: An illustrated yearbook, with production photographs, of the American theater, listing productions performed each season. Includes cast, production credits, dates of run, brief performer bios and obits, with a list of awards. Emphasizes New York City, but also includes information on other cities and traveling productions.
    Organization: Lists plays chronologically by opening date, with sections on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Professional Regional Theater, and touring companies.

Reviews

  • Readers' Guide To Periodical Literature.
    Electronic Access available via Wilson's OmniFile Full Text Mega, 1982 to date
    Electronic Access available via Readers' Guide Retrospective, 1890-1982
    Description: Provides citations to articles, including theater reviews.
    Organization: Articles can be found any of the following ways: by entering the playwright's name as a "Subject," by entering the name of the production as a "Work," and/or by selecting "Theater Review" as the "Document Type."
  • Guide to Critical Reviews, by James Salem. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1979 ; 1984.
    Bobst REF1 Z5782.S34 1984 parts 1-3
    Description: Provides critical reviews of Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway production from 1909-1982.
    Organization: Arranged alphabetically. Part 1: American Drama, 1984 - indexed by playwright; Part 2: The Musical, 1909-1974 - indexed by title; Part 3: Foreign Drama, 1909-1974 - indexed by title with a supplement from 1963-1980.

Complete Reprints of Reviews

  • Theatre Record. 1981 to date. Bi-weekly. Titled London Theatre Record from 1981 to 1990.
    Bobst REFl PN2596.L6L66 (1981 on microfiche in Microforms Center--MF5)
  • New York Theatre Critics' Reviews. 1958 to 1996. Weekly. Titled National Theatre Critics' Reviews from 1995 to 1996.
    Bobst REF1 PN1601.N4 (1940-1957 on microfilm in Microform Center, LL2--titled Critics' Theatre Reviews from 1940 to 1942.)
  • New York Times Theater Reviews. 1870 to 2000. Published every two years
    Bobst REFl PN1581.N38 - N42n
    Electronic Access available via Historical New York Times, 1851 to three years previous

Regional Reviews

Electronic Resources

  • America: History & Life.
    Description: America: History & Life contains citations, with abstracts in English, to social science and humanities literature on all aspects of U.S. and Canadian history, culture, and current affairs from prehistoric times to the present. Covers books, dissertations and articles from over 2,000 journals published world-wide. Since 1988, also contains reviews of films and videos.
  • Arts and Humanities Citation Index.
    Description: A&HC covers over 1,150 of the world's leading arts and humanities journals in a broad range of disciplines. Also covers individually selected, relevant items from over 5,000 of the world's leading science and social sciences journals.
  • Contemporary Literary Criticism - Select.
    Description: CLC - Select is an electronic version of the print CLC series [see above]. The electronic version includes only partial coverage of the printed series. Additions are to be made as new volumes are published. Each entry contains a short biographical essay, a list of the writers' major works, critical essays or extracts from books and journals, and a bibliography of additional reading.
    Coverage: This resource covers novelists, poets, playwrights, short story writers, and other writers now living or who died after 1959.
  • International Index to the Performing Arts.
    Description: IIPA draws its current content from more than 130 international performing arts periodicals from 9 countries, and also indexes feature performing arts articles and obituaries appearing in The New York Times and The Washington Post.
    Coverage: IIPA covers nearly all aspects of the world of the performing arts, from the most scholarly studies to current trends. Many of the titles include extensive retrospective coverage. Most IIPA records in the current coverage (1998 forward) contain an abstract.
  • MLA Bibliography. 1963- .
    Description: Useful for finding critical works about a writer and his/her work. Does not include reviews.
    Coverage: Indexes journal articles, books, collections and festschriften, audiovisual materials, reference works, conference papers and proceedings on literature, language, linguistics, folklore and film. Covers sources in many languages, 1963-present.
  • ProQuest.
    Description: This is a good source for finding contemporary reviews. To find reviews of a performance or publication, do an Advanced search, enter the play's name and/or author, and specify "Review" as the "Document type."
    Coverage: Offers citations and some full-text articles from a wide range of English language academic journals and news magazines, including New York Times and the Village Voice among others. Years of coverage vary.
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