THEATRE 101: Acting for Non-Majors

As you select something to perform, you might get ideas for exciting, contemporary work by looking at recent award winning plays, lists of frequently-produced plays, and recent reviews.

When you're looking to find a play or monologue that suits you or your group, having access to synopses, or plot summaries, of the plays is very important. Also important is knowing what the cast requirements are and details like whether the play calls for period costuming, etc. The sites that theatre professionals use to buy copies of the play and to pay the performing rights to perform the play often organize the plays in ways that are helpful to performers looking for repertory.

Once you've identified titles that might be useful, return to Search@UW to locate a copy you have access to.

• Drama Online - We don't have full access to this database, but the available monologue search allows you to identify plays with good monologues passages containing specific keywords. Then you can look those plays up in the library.
• StageAgent.com - Search plays, monologues, scenes, etc. Full text of scenes is only available with a paid membership, but it's useful for identifying works to look for in the library.
• Broadway Play Publishing - Search by title and author, filter by number of cast members required, gender distribution, run-time, and costume requirements.
• Dramatists Play Service - Search by title and author, with the added ability to limit by number of cast members required & the gender distribution.
• Dramatic Publishing - Search by title and author, with the added ability to limit by number of cast members required & the gender distribution.
• Playscripts - Search by title, etc
• Samuel French - Search by title and author.