1. The first place to look is in the MCC Online Catalog. Type in the playwright's last name as the AUTHOR. Plays by the author will be listed. Also try searching for the name of a specific play as a basic keyword search. Either the play as a single book or a list of books containing that play (a collection) will appear.

2. Plays by different authors are often collected and published together as an anthology. The following sources give the titles of books which contain particular plays:

How to Find Play Reviews

1. New York Times Index - In Reference in the LeRoy V. Good (LVG) Library; look under "theater," then the name of the play. The New York Times is also indexed online; from the Libraries' website (www.monroecc.edu/go/library), click on Find Articles and Online Databases, then choose Academic Search Premier, or Custom Newspapers. Search under the play's title or the author's name and "theater review."  If off-campus, click "Access from Home" and follow directions to log-in to EZproxy.

2. Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature - On the Index tables in Reference in the LVG Library; search under the author's last name. Also indexed online; from the Libraries' website (www.monroecc.edu/go/library), click on Find Articles and Online Databases, then choose Reader's Guide Retrospective. Search under the play's title or the author's name and "theater review." If off-campus, click "Access from Home" and follow directions to log-in to EZproxy.

3. The New York Times Directory of the Theater (Ref PN 2227.N5)
   This index covers all the theater reviews printed in the New York Times
   during the period 1920-1970.

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How to Find Drama Criticism and Interpretation

  1.   For some playwrights, there may be entire books of critical and/or
        explanatory  essays discussing the author's work. To find these, search
        MCC's Online Catalog on the author's name and "criticism and
        interpretation" (ex., O'Neill and criticism and interpretation).

  2.   Look under the author's last name or the title of the play in:

• Drama for Students (Ref PN 1601 .D595) - Includes a discussion of
  meaning and theme, critical essays and the placement of the play in its historical context.

• Critical Survey of Drama, English Literature Series (Ref PR 623 .C75) - Entries include critical essays and bibliography of a playwright's work as
  well as some biographical information.

• Shakespeare for Students (Ref PR 2987 .S47) - Entries provide an
  extensive examination of all of Shakespeare's work.

• Contemporary Literary Criticism (Ref PN 771 .C59) - Includes criticisms
  of works by playwrights as well as other creative writers.

• American Writers (Ref PS 129 .A55 and City Ref PS129 .A55) - Includes biographical and critical information, as well as a bibliography, on certain American writers.

• British Writers (Ref PR 85 .B688) - Includes biographical and critical information, as well as a bibliography, on certain British writers.

  3.   Search for the author's last name or the title of the play in one of the online
        databases. From the Libraries' website (www.monroecc.edu/go/library),
        click on Find Articles and Online Databases, then choose one of the
        following. If off-campus, click "Access from Home" and follow directions to
        log-in to EZproxy.

Any questions? Ask the librarian at the Information/Reference Desk for help.

L Annesi, Revised 3/2008, http://www.monroecc.edu/go/library

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