International Dictionary Of Theatre Playwrights

A dictionary of playwrights which contains 485 entries, each of which includes biographical information on the playwright, complete lists of published works (with dates of performance) and a bibliography of critical studies on the playwright.

This volume includes actors, directors and designers and contains 300 entries, each of which includes biographical information on the individual, a complete list of roles and/or theatre productions, and a bibliography critical books and articles about the entrant.

The Methuen Drama Dictionary of the Theatre is an essential reference tool and companion for anyone interested in the theatre and theatre-going. Containing over 2500 entries it covers the international spectrum of theatre with particular emphasis on the UK and USA. With biographical information on playwrights, actors and directors, entries on theatres and theatre companies, explanation of technical terms and theatrical genres, and synopses of major plays, this is an authoritative, trustworthy and comprehensive compendium. Included are: synopses of 500 major plays biographical entries on hundreds of playwrights, actors, directors and producers definitions of nearly 200 genres and movements entries on over 100 key characters from plays information about more than 250 theatres and companies Unlike similar products, The Methuen Drama Dictionary of the Theatre avoids a dry, technical approach with its sprinkling of anecdotal asides and fascinating trivia, such as how Michael Gambon gave his name to a corner of a racing track following an incident on BBC's Top Gear programme, and under 'advice to actors' the sage words of Alec Guinness: 'First wipe your nose and check your flies', and the equally wise guidance from the master of his art, Noël Coward: 'Just know your lines and don't bump into the furniture.' As a companion to everything from the main stage to the fringes of theatrical fact and folklore, this will prove an irresistible book to all fans of the theatre.

Shakespeare's Theatre consolidates the author's forty years of experience in studying and staging Shakespeare's plays. Under an alphabetical list of relevant terms, names and concepts, the book reviews current knowledge of the character and operation of theatres in Shakespeare's time, with an explanation of their origins. Coverage includes the practices of Elizabethan actors and script writers: methods of characterization; gesture, blocking and choreography, including music, dance and fighting; actors' rhetorical interaction with audiences; and use of costumes, stage props, and make-up. The author makes use of scripts and scholarship about original stagings of Shakespeare and suggests how those productions related to modern staging. Much of this material has developed as a result of the recent increased interest in the significance of performance for interpreting Shakespeare, including the recovery of the archaeological evidence about the original Rose and Globe Theaters. The book contains current bibliographies for each topic and consolidates these in an overall bibliography for Shakespeare and his theaters.

The Oxford Dictionary of Plays provides essential information on the best-known, best-loved, and most important plays in world theatre. Each entry includes details of the title, author, date of writing, date of first performance, genre, setting, and composition of cast; there is also a summary of the play's plot, and a brief commentary. Genres covered include: burlesque, comedy, farce, historical drama, kabuki, masque, melodrama, morality play, mystery play, No, romantic comedy, tragicomedy, satire, and tragedy. The perfect guide for students and scholars of drama and literature, theatre professionals, and directors looking for plays for performance.

International and historical in scope, this three-volume set covers the theatre from the festivals of ancient Greece to the productions, plays, players, directors and designers of the modern stage. The 3 volumes comprise 1500 entries, selected by an international advisory board.

This new paperback edition provides a unique examination of theatre in Asia and the Pacific and is written by leading experts from within the countries covered. Its far-reaching scope and broad interpretation of theatre (to include all types of performance) set it apart from any other similar publication. Entries on 33 Asian countries are featured in this volume, preceded by introductory essays on Asian Theatre, Theatre in the Pacific, History and Culture, Cosmology, Music, Dance, Theatre for Young Audiences, Mask Theatre and Puppetry. The volume contains approximately 300,000 words and includes national essays of up to 25,000 words each. The countries include: Afghanistan * Australia * Bangladesh * Bhutan * Brunei * Cambodia * India * Indonesia * Iran * Japan * Kazakhstan *Kirghizia * Laos * Malaysia * Myanmar * Mongolia * Nepal *New Zealand * Pakistan * Papua New Guinea * PhilippinesNew Zealand * Pakistan * Papua New Guinea * Philippines *Singapore * South Korea * South Pacific * Sri Lanka * Tadjikistan * Thailand * Turkmenistan * Vietnam