Drama Texts Collection - TH141 - Acting One - LibGuides at Millikin University

Finding Plays and Monologues using the Drama Texts Collection Database

Drama Texts Collection This link opens in a new window
A foundational collection of dramatic texts for any institution wanting to teach the basics of drama. With over 13,000 plays, Drama Texts Collection spans nearly a millennium of dramatic writing, covering the core works of the Western canon alongside their important yet forgotten contemporaries—works that are necessary to any literary or theatrical education.

Accessing the Database

1. Start out at the library’s homepage, http://www.millikin.edu/staley

2. Click on the link for “Find Articles, Audio, Video, and Images” under the Research section of the homepage.

or click on the “Staley Library Databases” link in My.Millikin.edu

3. That will take you to the database page. Under “Databases by Subject” click on Theatre.

4. The Drama Texts Collections will be listed in the "Play/Script Resources" list, click on it.

Here’s the main page of the database:

The collection's search function is broken up into two parts:

Browsing, so that you can browse lists of what is available by title, playwright, genre, or subject.

And a search/advanced search portion which allows you to do searches for specific plays, authors, etc.

Advanced Searching in Drama Texts Collection

1. To search for a monologue and play in this database, click on "Menu."

Then, click "Disciplines- Music & Performing Arts- Theatre."

2. On the next screen, click "Advanced Search."

You will see the following search form:

Since you need to find a monologue that fits the age range 16 - 25, we can start by doing a search for a play with characters that meet your requirements.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the advanced search screen until you see "Person Details." Click "Show Person."

Select the gender you'd like to represent.

4. Click on "Show Occupation"

Click "Select All" to uncheck all the options. Then browse the occupation options and choose an occupation(s) from the list someone your age might do, or that you're interested in. (For example, "scholar," or "actor")

5. Click "Show Nationality" and/or "Show Race" and select the options you desire.

6. Scroll upwards until you see the date limit options below. If your monologue needs to be after 1950, type in 1950-2020 (or current year) into the date written/released boxes.

7. Scroll further up to see the option labeled "Character/Role."

Click on "Select terms," to the right of the search box. Scroll through the options and select any that seem relevant (for example, "student" and "students"). Click "Add Terms."

8. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Search." A list of results that meet your criteria will come up.

9. Look on the left side of the screen for the section labeled "Refine Your Search." Under "Format," click "Text." Under "Content Type," click "Play."

10. Click on the linked play titles to find out more about the play and its characters.

Other things to try:

*Do a keyword search on the main screen.

*Browse by people, plays, genres, etc. (below the search box on the main page) and see what you can find!

*Select one of the specific play collections on the main Drama Texts Collection screen (for example, Asian American Drama, Black Drama, etc.) and browse contents.

Additional Play Databases

American Drama (1714–1915‎) This link opens in a new window
American dramatic writing in all its richness and diversity - over 1,500 dramatic works from the early eighteenth century up to the beginning of the twentieth.
Asian American Drama This link opens in a new window
252 plays by 42 playwrights, with detailed information on related productions, theaters, production companies, and more.
Black Drama (3rd Edition) This link opens in a new window
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. 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.
Contemporary World Drama This link opens in a new window
This collection examines the richness and diversity of contemporary theatre and drama from a global context. Contemporary World Drama brings together new work from our existing playwright partners alongside work from up-and-coming playwrights from around the world, including recently produced world premieres, previously unpublished works, etc. from every continent.
English Drama This link opens in a new window
A unique collection of more than 3,900 plays in verse and prose tracing the development of drama in English from the medieval mystery cycles to the comedies of Oscar Wilde.
Latin American Drama This link opens in a new window
Plays written by Latin American playwrights in the 19th-21st centuries. Besides serving as a rich resource for literature scholars, the collection also supports the study of American history, ethnic diversity, immigration issues, and political history.
North American Indian Drama (2nd Edition) This link opens in a new window
256 plays by 49 Native American playwrights.
North American Women's Drama (2nd Edition) This link opens in a new window
Contains 1,517 plays by 330 playwrights and brings these writings the attention they deserve, by publishing the full text of plays written from Colonial times to the present by more than 100 women from the United States and Canada. Many of the works are rare, hard to find, or out of print. Almost a quarter of the collection consists of previously unpublished plays. The plays themselves have been selected using leading bibliographies and with the assistance of our editorial board
Twentieth Century Drama (1891-2008) This link opens in a new window
Bringing together an unparalleled collection of the most important works from the last century from the English-speaking world, Twentieth-Century Drama features plays from over 300 noted playwrights and lesser known dramatists.
Twentieth Century North American Drama (2nd Edition) This link opens in a new window
1,905 plays by 419 playwrights, and more than 150 of the plays are published here for the first time, including a number by major authors. This collection offers a unique window into the economic, historical, social, and political psyche of two countries. Scholars and students who use the database will have a new way to study the signal events of the twentieth century—including the Depression, the role of women, the Cold War, and more—through the plays and performances of writers who lived through these decades.

TH141 - Acting One: Drama Texts Collection

Finding Plays and Monologues using the Drama Texts Collection Database

Additional Play Databases