This guide for high school and undergraduate drama students offers quick access to information on 14 significant theatrical works whose themes and form transcend dramatic fads. Covering the
period from 442 BC to the present, plays include classic dramas frequently studied in classrooms, as well as contemporary plays by multicultural, international, and female playwrights. For each
play, there is a concise summary of the plot and characters, a detailed analysis of its themes, and exploration of literary techniques and movements demonstrated in the play, plus b&w
photos of authors and stills from productions. Entries also include background material on the historical context of the play, its critical reception, and the author's life. A new work of
scholarly criticism is included for each play, as well as excerpts from other critical works. Boxes provide information on the play's media adaptations, comparisons between the author's time
and culture and Western culture in the present, and lists works from various genres and authors that complement the featured play. The guide includes a brief literary chronology, and a 34-page
glossary of literary terms. Editor information is not given. Annotation 穢2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
