Find Playscripts, playbills and more
BU Databases
- Asian American Drama This link opens in a new window Asian American Drama contains plays by writers of Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Chinese descent; and of Hawaiian, Indian, Thai, Korean, Persian, and Malaysian ancestry. Also includes selected playbills, production photographs and other ephemera related to the plays. Date coverage: late 19th century - present.
- Black Drama: African, African American, and Diaspora 1850 to Present. This link opens in a new window Black Drama: Second Edition contains plays, including previously unpublished or unperformed ones, by more than 200 playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries. Date coverage: Mid-1800s -present.
- Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Contains page images of virtually every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America and works in English printed elsewhere from 1473–1700
- Eighteenth Century Collections Online This link opens in a new window A comprehensive digital collection that aims to include every significant English-language and foreign-language title printed in the United Kingdom, along with thousands of important works from the Americas, between 1701 and 1800. Consists of books, pamphlets, broadsides, ephemera.
- Latino Literature: Poetry, Drama, and Fiction This link opens in a new window Latino Literature: Poetry, Drama, and Fiction includes more than 100,000 pages of poetry, short fiction, novels, and more than 450 plays. Nearly all of the content is in copyright, and most of the other items are long out of print or have never before been published. The collection also supports the study of American history, ethnic diversity, immigrations issues, and political history.
- Literature Online (LION) This link opens in a new window Drama collections include American Drama (1714–1915) and English Drama (late 13th to early 20th century)
- North American Indian Drama This link opens in a new window Includes plays by American Indian and First Nation playwrights of the 20th century, information about the plays and their production, and biographical data. Also includes issues of the Native Playwrights' Newsletter.
- North American Women's Drama This link opens in a new window North American Women's Drama includes the texts of plays, and information on productions, theaters, and production companies. Date coverage: 1700s - present.
- Theatre in Context Collection This link opens in a new window Works by American, European, Asian, and other worldwide dramatists from the past several centuries. In addition to performances, includes documentaries and interviews about theatre, discussing the history of theatre, acting methods, pioneering dramatists and actors, and more.
- Twentieth Century North American Drama This link opens in a new window Twentieth Century North American Drama contains 2,000 plays—along with detailed information on related productions, theaters, production companies, and more—from the late 1800s to the present by more than 300 playwrights from North America.
Free online resources
- Dramatists Play Service, Inc. (DPS) A major publisherand licenser 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.
- Playscripts Playscripts is also the creator of Findaplay.com, a free service for locating plays in the catalogs of all major play publishers.
- Inter-Play Index to plays included in anthologies or collected works
Monologues & Auditions
Soliloquy! The Shakespeare Monologues by
Over 175 of Shakespeare's finest and most performable monologues taken from all thirty-seven plays are here in two easy-to-use volumes (Men and Women). Selections travel the entire spectrum of the great dramatist's vision, from comedies, wit and romances, to tragedies, pathos and histories.
Location: Mugar Stacks PR2771 .E15 1988Publication Date: 2000
The Methuen Book of Contemporary Monologues for Men by Location: Mugar Stacks PN2080 .M4775 2003Publication Date: 2003
Contemporary Monologues for Women by
THE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES: Helping you select and perform the audition piece that is best suited to your performing skills In this volume of the Good Audition Guides, you'll find fifty fantastic speeches for women, all written since the year 2000, by some of our most exciting dramatic voices. Playwrights featured in Contemporary Monologues for Women include Mike Bartlett, Alexi Kaye Campbell, Caryl Churchill, Helen Edmundson, debbie tucker green, Ella Hickson, Lucy Kirkwood, Rona Munro, Joanna Murray-Smith and Enda Walsh, and the plays themselves were premiered at the very best theatres across the UK including the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Bush, Soho and Hampstead Theatres, Manchester Royal Exchange, the Traverse in Edinburgh, the Abbey in Dublin, and many on the stages of the Royal Court. Drawing on her experience as an actor, director and teacher at several leading drama schools, Trilby James prefaces each speech with a thorough introduction including the vital information you need to place the piece in context (the who, what, when, where and why) and suggestions about how to perform the scene to its maximum effect (including the character’s objectives and keywords). Contemporary Monologues for Women also features an introduction on the whole process of selecting and preparing your speech, and approaching the audition itself. The result is the most comprehensive and useful contemporary monologue book now available. ‘Sound practical advice for anyone attending an audition… a source of inspiration for teachers and students alike’ Teaching Drama Magazine on The Good Audition Guides
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2014
Classical Monologues: from Aeschylus to Bernard Shaw by
Sure to become a mainstay of any actor's shelf, Applause is pleased to present the first two volumes of Leon Katz's monumental monologue collection. Covering the full scope of Western Drama, from the Greeks to the 20th Century, these two volumes contain over 250 monologues from sources other than Shakespeare's plays. The works range from the famous to the little-known, covering over 2,000 years of theatrical history. Katz provides an introduction to each monologue that provides an informative and critical context for actors, directors, students and teachers, but are also of relevance to general readers. Each volume is organized into Tragedy/Drama and Comedy divisions, and the monologues are helpfully arranged by period as well as chronologically. Also, the monologues are fully footnooted afor unfamiliar references and definitions and the bibliography provides exhaustive listings of sources for all the plays from which the monologues have been drawn. Simply put, these two volumes are a must for actors, directors, teachers and students of classical theatre!
Location: Mugar Stacks PN2080 .C58 2002Publication Date: 2002
Blackeyed: plays and monologues by
Blackeyed is a collection of plays and monologues. The topics covered in the book include housing and foreclosure, suicide, assault, mental health, the Black male experience, and more. The book intersects with critical race theory because the majority of this work positions race at the center of the experiences of the fictional or fictionalized characters. Embedded in these chapters are the interweaving of personal and ancestral stories, news reports, informal conversations, observations, interviews, and online research expressed in language unapologetically Black, critical, reflexive, and proud.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2015
Auditions: the Complete Guide by
Auditions are an integral part of every performer's life. From getting into drama school through to a successful career in an overcrowded industry, Auditions: The Complete Guide offers crucial advice, resources and tried and tested techniques to maximise success before, during and after each audition. Written by an established casting director and former actor, with over 35 years of experience on a wide range of productions, this book offers a wealth of personal and professional insights, covering: drama and theatre schools showcases amateur and professional auditions contemporary, classical, physical and musical theatre television and commercial castings, movie screen tests and self taping voice-overs and radio drama networking recalls and workshops handling job offers, and rejection From training to triumph, nerves to networking and camera to casting couch, Auditions: The Complete Guide is an entertaining, accessible and indispensable read for every performer. Richard Evans CDG has cast a wide variety of productions in all media since 1989 and, prior to this, worked as an actor for 10 years. He has devised and presented audition and career development workshops at many top drama and theatre schools worldwide, and at the Actors Centre, London and has written Auditions: A Practical Guide (Routledge, 2009) and 'A Casting Director s Perspective' for The Actors Yearbook, 2005. He is a member of The Casting Directors Guild of Great Britain and Ireland. www.auditionsthecompleteguide.com"
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2014
Get the Callback: the art of auditioning for musical theatre by
All great auditions require preparation and practice, but what's the secret to securing a callback? What are the best ways to prepare for that pivotal moment? And once you're in front of the casting director, what does it take to make the most out of your moment in the spotlight? In this second edition of Get the Callback: The Art of Auditioning for Musical Theatre, Jonathan Flom provides practical advice on the many facets of preparation, including selection of songs and monologues to suit your voice and the audition, organizing and arranging your music, working with the accompanist, and presenting yourself to the casting team. The book gives a detailed description of the actual audition performance and even offers advice on how non-dancers can survive a dance audition. In addition to extensively revised chapters on the audition process and how to build a repertoire book, this guide also features updated chapters on headshots, resumes, and cover letters; voice training techniques from Matthew Edward; advice from musical director Joey Chancey; and a foreword by casting director Joy Dewing. Aimed at professionals as well as young artists, this second edition of Get the Callback is a must-have for both seasoned and aspiring musical theatre performers.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2016
A Monologue Is an Outrageous Situation!: How to Survive the 60-Second Audition by
A Monologue is an Outrageous Situation! How to Survive the 60-Second Audition explains how to successfully tackle the "cattle call" acting audition with a sixty-second monologue. Through Q&As, tips, director's notes, and a glossary full of outrageous actions meant to inspire the actor into truly connecting with the piece, this book shows actors where and how to find a monologue, edit it, and give the best audition possible.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2016
Musical Theatre Auditions and Casting: A Performer's Guide Viewed from Both Sides of the Audition Table by
Musical theatre is a tough and over-crowded industry. Yet, despite the huge competition, many performers find auditioning difficult with little knowledge of what the directors, creative teams and producers are looking for, or how to win the panel over with their unique talent. As a leading international casting director, Neil Rutherford has seen thousands of hopefuls audition over the years. Uniquely, he also understands what it is like to audition from his years as a professional actor in musical theatre.This book provides a unique perspective on the musical theatre audition process and how to improve the chances of landing a role. With wit, humour and insight, Neil Rutherford guides the reader through the crucial elements of musical theatre auditions, opening up the process of casting and auditioning to the thousands of hopefuls trying to secure work in this industry every year, as well as anyone involved in musical theatre. With a foreword by Tony-award-winning director Bartlett Sher, the book also contains contributions from some of the world's leading directors and musical directors, including Sir Richard Eyre and Jerry Mitchell, adding further valuable insight from those at the centre of the musical theatre world. This book is a vital tool for anyone hoping to improve their audition chances and survive in the world of musical theatre.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2014
The Casting Handbook : For Film and Theatre Makers by
Casting is a crucial creative element of any production - and yet the craft and skills needed to put together a successful and exciting cast are often overlooked. The Casting Handbook explains the casting process from beginning to end and covers everything producers and directors needs to know - as well as proving a fascinating and illuminating read for actors. The book explores: how to prepare a breakdown where to source actors how to prepare for a casting session how to make casting decisions how a cast is put together how deals are done ethics and the law, with special reference to casting children how a casting director contributes to the initial development of the script how the casting works from fringe theatre to Hollywood blockbusters The Casting Handbook considers actors', producers', agents' and directors' relationship with a casting director, the day to day work that is casting, and how approaching it in a professional and informed manner can make the difference to the final product. Including interviews with actors, agents, directors, casting directors and producers; case studies; exercises; and a fact file of useful templates and contacts, this book offers a thorough induction into the casting process, suitable for students and early career professionals in any media.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2013
Featured Anthologies
Contemporary Plays by African American Women by
African American women have increasingly begun to see their plays performed from regional stages to Broadway. Yet many of these artists still struggle to gain attention. In this volume, Sandra Adell draws from the vital wellspring of works created by African American women in the twenty-first century to present ten plays by both prominent and up-and-coming writers. Taken together, the selections portray how these women engage with history as they delve into--and shake up--issues of gender and class to craft compelling stories of African American life. Gliding from gritty urbanism to rural landscapes, these works expand boundaries and boldly disrupt modes of theatrical representation. Selections: Blue Door , by Tanya Barfield; Levee James , by S. M. Shephard-Massat; Hoodoo Love , by Katori Hall; Carnaval , by Nikkole Salter; Single Black Female , by Lisa B. Thompson; Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine , by Lynn Nottage; BlackTop Sky , by Christina Anderson; Voyeurs de Venus , by Lydia Diamond; Fedra , by J. Nicole Brooks; and Uppa Creek: A Modern Anachronistic Parody in the Minstrel Tradition , by Keli Garrett.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2015
Theatre of the Avant-Garde, 1950-2000: A Critical Anthology by
This critical anthology assembles an international selection of influential avant-garde plays from the second half of the twentieth century. Supplemented by essays by major theater practitioners, the book approaches the recent avant-garde as a non-linear, pluralistic phenomenon, includes collaborative constructed scripts, and highlights the complex dynamic between avant-garde text and performance.
Location: Mugar Stacks PN6112 .T43 2011 and OnlinePublication Date: 2011
The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Drama by
This anthology is the first to survey the full range of modern Japanese drama and make available Japan's best and most representative twentieth- and early-twenty-first-century works in one volume. It opens with a comprehensive introduction to Meiji-period drama and follows with six chronological sections: "The Age of Taisho Drama"; The Tsukiji Little Theater and Its Aftermath"; "Wartime and Postwar Drama"; "The 1960s and Underground Theater"; "The 1980s and Beyond"; and "Popular Theater," providing a complete history of modern Japanese theater for students, scholars, instructors, and dramatists. The collection features a mix of original and previously published translations of works, among them plays by such writers as Masamune Hakucho (The Couple Next Door), Enchi Fumiko (Restless Night in Late Spring), Morimoto Kaoru (A Woman's Life), Abe Kobo (The Man Who Turned into a Stick), Kara Juro (Two Women), Terayama Shuji (Poison Boy), Noda Hideki (Poems for Sale), and Mishima Yukio (The Sardine Seller's Net of Love). Leading translators include Donald Keene, J. Thomas Rimer, M. Cody Poulton, John K. Gillespie, Mari Boyd, and Brian Powell. Each section features an introduction to the developments and character of the period, notes on the plays' productions, and photographs of their stage performances. The volume complements any study of modern Japanese literature and modern drama in China, Korea, or other Asian or contemporary Western nations.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2014
Seven Contemporary Plays from the Korean Diaspora in the Americas by
Showcasing the dynamism of contemporary Korean diasporic theater, this anthology features seven plays by second-generation Korean diasporic writers from the United States, Canada, and Chile. By bringing the plays together in this collection, Esther Kim Lee highlights the themes and styles that have enlivened Korean diasporic theater in the Americas since the 1990s. Some of the plays are set in urban Koreatowns. One takes place in the middle of Texas, while another unfolds entirely in a character's mind. Ethnic identity is not as central as it was in the work of previous generations of Asian diasporic playwrights. In these plays, experiences of diaspora and displacement are likely to be part of broader stories, such as the difficulties faced by a young mother trying to balance family and career. Running through these stories are themes of assimilation, authenticity, family, memory, trauma, and gender-related expectations of success. Lee's introduction includes a brief history of the Korean Peninsula in the twentieth century and of South Korean immigration to the Americas, along with an overview of Asian American theater and the place of Korean American theater within it. Each play is preceded by a brief biography of the playwright and a summary of the play's production history.
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2012
Short Arabic Plays: An Anthology
It is only in fairly recent times that Arab writers have turned their hands to the theater. This collection of nineteen short plays is evidence of the remarkable strides made as numerous playwrights have come to grips with the problems and potential involved with this genre. The essence of the collection is its sheer variety. The subject matter ranges from the horrors of a political prison camp to the comic tribulations of furtive lovers trapped in a minefield, from historical fable to the world of official bureaucracy, while dramatic treatments range from the conventional to the highly experimental, some using surreal techniques--now disturbing, now hilariously amusing. Many of the plays use humor or pungent satire to address distinctively Arab issues and problems, whether these have their source outside or inside the Arab world itself. The collection gives a valuable insight into a fast-changing and increasingly distinctive area of modern Arabic literature.Featured authors and plays:Yusuf al-'Ani -- Where the Power LiesFateh Azzam and others -- AnsarSamia Qazmouz Bakri -- The AlleyMahmoud Diyab -- Men Have HeadsAhmad Ibrahim al-Fagih -- The Singing of the StarsAlfred Farag -- The PersonTawfiq al-Hakim -- Boss Kanduz's Apartment BuildingTawfiq al-Hakim -- War and PeaceJamal Abu Hamdan -- Actress J's Burial NightWalid Ikhlasi -- Pleasure Club 21Riad Ismat -- Was Dinner Good, Dear Sister?Raymond Jbarra -- The TravelerSultan Ben Muhammad al-Qasimi -- The Return of Hulegu'Ali Salim -- The Coffee BarMamduh Udwan -- The MaskMamduh Udwan -- Reflections of a Garbage CollectorSa'd al-Din Wahba -- The Height of WisdomSa'dallah Wannus -- The Glass CaféSa'dallah Wannus -- The King's Elephant
Location: Mugar Stacks PJ7694.E5 S56 2003Publication Date: 2004-09-01
