New Electronic Edition of
Library Classic PLAY INDEX
"The preeminent play-finding index," now on WilsonWeb
New York, New York, February 2, 2006
The unique resource that Reference Quarterly calls "the
preeminent play-finding index"--hailed as "invaluable" by
American Reference Books Annual—has just been released as a
WilsonWeb online reference.
Play Index covers virtually every important play ever
written, from the works of contemporary playwrights to classic
and historical plays in today's collections and anthologies.
Users will find working information for some 30,000 plays
published individually or in collections from 1949 to the
present, including links to hand-picked websites which often
feature the full text.
This is an invaluable aid to finding the
perfect plays to match production resources, casts, or course
assignments. Entries for one-act plays, pageants, plays in
verse, radio and television plays, classic drama, and
more--both plays written in and translated into English--bring
users all the most groundbreaking and popular productions.
From the plays of Aeschylus and Euripides, through the works
of George Bernard Shaw and Ibsen, to today's Broadway hits,
this unique resource offers data on the full range of plays in
a single, searchable reference. Entries for more than 500
monologues also deliver an abundance of material for
auditions.
Versatile searching helps users find plays
with precision. Search by title, author, subject (e.g. culture
conflict, marriage), cast type, and more. A dropdown menu lets
you search plays by 24 different styles and genres (e.g.
symbolism, experimental theater, comedy, melodrama, musical).
Users can also limit results to plays with a specific number
of male or female roles, by size of total cast, and propriety
for grades pre-K to 6, 7 to 12, or adult.
Entries include a descriptive annotation
which summarizes the plot, indicates any musical requirements
(chorus, singing, dancing etc.), and the number of sets,
noting whether scenery requirements are interior or exterior.
Links to related Web resources deliver more information about
the play, often including the full text.
Play Index also provides the full
publication details users need to locate the play. For plays
published separately, the publisher, date, pagination, ISBN,
and LC number are given. Plays in collections link to full
bibliographic information.
For more than 50 years, Play Index
has earned reviewer praise as a unique and practical print
resource. VOYA called it "one of the most important reference
sources in the area of dramatic literature....a necessity for
all school and public libraries." For teachers, students,
drama coaches, theater groups, directors, performers,
playwrights, and researchers, Play Index on WilsonWeb
will also be a welcome resource. Free 30-day trials of the new
WilsonWeb edition are available to reviewers and libraries.
