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Drama Library

Begin Your Research



Where you start your research depends on how much you know.

When You are Unfamiliar with a Subject:


General and Drama-Specific Encyclopedias

in the Drama Library

Time Period Title Call Number
M & Co

 Critical survey of drama:English language series PR623. C75 1994 v. 1-7 drref
M & Co Critical survey of drama: foreign language series PN1625. C74 1986 v. 1-6 & suppl. drref
M & Co Dictionary of Literary Biography Series:

Has criticism, biographical information, production history, photographs of productions, & bibliography of sources

PN41. D484 1978 drref

Afro-American writers after 1955 : dramatists and prose writers v.38

Afro-American writers before the Harlem Renaissance v.50

Afro-American writers from the Harlem Renaissance to 1940 v.51

British dramatists since World War II v.13 p.1-2

Elizabethan dramatists v.62

Jacobean and Caroline dramatists v.58

Modern British dramatists, 1900-1945 v.10 pt.1-2

Restoration and eighteenth-century dramatists : first series v.80

Restoration and eighteenth-century dramatists. Second series v.84

Twentieth-century American dramatists v.7 pt.1-2
M & Co Dictionary of Literary Biography Series:Tennessee Williams

Has criticism, production history, biographical information, photographs of productions, & bibliography of sources

PS129 .D48 1982 v.4 drref
Cl & M Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo

Covers theater, motion pictures, opera ballet, vaudeville, etc. Signed essays discuss performers, directors, writers, as well as genres, themes, and historical and technical subjects. Many entries conclude with bibliographies; illustrated.

PN1625. E7 v. 1-9 drref
Cl, M & Co McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama

Includes criticism, photographs of productions, information on first productions, lists of plays written, original title, English translation of title, date wrote and first production date

PN1625 M3 1984 v.1-5 drref
Cl The Reader's Encyclopedia of Shakespeare PR1892 C3 drref

Legend for table:

  • Cl: Classical
  • M: Modern
  • Co: Contemporary


When You Know a Little About the Subject:

The above sources provide basic information on your subject and will help you begin your research. However, most research should iclude resources which have more indepth information than an encyclopedia or a dictionary can provide.

One way to find additional resources is to check the sources in Section A above to see if they have a bibliography.

  • A bibliography lists books and articles the author used to write the entry.
  • The books listed in a bibliography offer more indepth information than encyclopedias and dictionaries.
  • If the encyclopedia or dictionary entry has footnotes, that means specific information was borrowed or quoted from a source

Back to Research Index


Last modified: Thursday May 28, 2009 (weaver)