LibGuides: THEA 143: Theatre Appreciation: Finding Plays

Finding Playscripts

Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

To search for plays in the WSU Libraries:

Search the online catalog through the "Advanced Search" option. Click HERE to search.
Enter the title of the play in a single search field. This option will try to locate the play as a single book, or within a larger collection, when the catalog record lists the contents of the anthology.
If you are searching for an older play that does not show up in your previous search, please consult one of the indexes (begin with Ottemiller's Index to Plays, as listed below in "Helpful Resources."
If you are searching for a recently published play, you may want to consult the Worldcat database or the Wichita Public Library to confirm that the play is published and to loan the item from another institution (see the "Can't Find it in Our Library? box below).

Find playscripts online in these databases:

Asian American Drama This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Asian American Drama is an online text collection that brings together more than 250 plays, along with related biographical, production, and theatrical information. The collection begins with the works of Sadakichi Hartmann in the late 19th century and progresses to the writings of contemporary playwrights, such as Philip Kan Gotanda, Elizabeth Wong, and Jeannie Barroga. Terms of Use
Black Drama This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Black Drama, now in its third edition, contains the full text of more than 1,700 plays written from the mid-1800s to the present by more than 200 playwrights from North America, English-speaking Africa, the Caribbean, and other African diaspora countries. Many of the works are rare, hard to find, or out of print. James Vernon Hatch, the playwright, historian, and curator of the landmark Hatch-Billops Collection, is the project’s editorial advisor. More than 40 percent of the collection consists of previously unpublished plays by writers such as Langston Hughes, Ed Bullins, Willis Richardson, Amiri Baraka, Randolph Edmonds, Zora Neale Hurston, and many others. Terms of Use
Contemporary World Drama This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Contemporary World Drama examines the richness and diversity of contemporary theatre and drama from a global context, bringing together new work from established and up-and-coming contemporary playwrights from around the world, including recently produced world premieres and previously unpublished works from every continent. At completion, the collection will include 1,000 contemporary plays, from 2000 to present day. Terms of Use
Drama Texts Collection This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
With over 7,500 plays, the Drama Texts Collection is the supplemental text companion to North American Women's Drama, North American Indian Drama, and Asian American Drama. Terms of Use
Theatre & Drama Premium This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Theatre and Drama Premium provides everything you need to bring the spectacle of theatre and drama to your students, from interviews with giants like Arthur Miller or James Earl Jones to previously unpublished play manuscripts from the genius of Ed Bullins and Jeannie Barroga. Terms of Use

Internet Movie Script Database
This site provides a huge collection of movie scripts freely available on the web.
American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment 1870-1920
Includes 334 English and Yiddish language playscripts from 1870-1920.
Project Gutenberg: One Act Plays
Playscripts for one act plays in the public domain.

Performances

Broadway HD This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Upon completion, this exclusive collection, available worldwide for educational streaming only from Alexander Street, will include streaming access to 25 premium performances of plays and musicals from the New York theatre scene. Terms of Use
National Theatre Collection This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
National Theatre Collection brings the stage to life through access to high definition streaming video of world-class productions and unique archival material offering significant insight into theatre and performance studies. Through a collaboration with the U.K.'s National Theatre, this collection offers a range of digital performance resources never previously seen outside of the National Theatre’s archive.
Paid for by the National Theatre Collection for University Libraries.
Royal Shakespeare Company Collection This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
High-quality Shakespeare productions are always in demand. Recordings are accompanied by production images, teacher packs, and study notes to enhance student understanding of these important plays. Includes performance and supplemental material for the following plays: Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's Lost, Love's Labour's Won ("Much Ado About Nothing"), Henry V, The Merchant of Venice, Othello, Hamlet, King Lear, Cymbeline, and The Tempest. Terms of Use
Theatre & Drama Premium This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Theatre and Drama Premium provides everything you need to bring the spectacle of theatre and drama to your students, from interviews with giants like Arthur Miller or James Earl Jones to previously unpublished play manuscripts from the genius of Ed Bullins and Jeannie Barroga. Terms of Use

Ablah Library holds DVD, Blu ray, and some VHS titles of dramatic performances. Note: Staged versions of musicals are found in the Music Library, while cinematic versions are found in Ablah Library. All videos are are listed in the Libraries' online catalog: http://libcat.wichita.edu

THEA 143: Theatre Appreciation

Your Librarian

Can't Find It In Our Library?

Ask-A-Librarian

Finding Playscripts

Performances