Research by Subject: Theatre: Find Biographies (Playwrights)

Biographical Resources

BIPOC Playwrights Project
A website dedicated to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) playwrights of the 20th and 21st centuries, whose works are in English or with English translations widely available.

Biography (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
This database provides biographies of countless individuals, drawn from over a hundred reference sources covering a wide variety of fields. Contemporary Authors; Contemporary Dramatists; Contemporary Theatre, Film, and Television; International Dictionary of Theatre; and Who’s Who in the Theatre (17th ed.) are among the included resources with relevance for theatre studies.
Biography In Context is built on a foundation of more than 650,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study, including over 4,500 portal pages on contemporary and historical figures. It offers reference content alongside, videos, audio selections, images, primary sources, and magazine and journal articles from hundreds of major periodicals and newspapers.
Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
LRC offers biographical and other background information for research on literary topics, authors, and their works. Its coverage includes all genres and disciplines, all time periods, and all regions of the world. Literature Resource Center's content comes from the Dictionary of Literary Biography, Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism, and more, including full text of selected poems, plays, and short stories.
American National Biography This link opens in a new window
Over 19,000 biographies of significant, influential or notorious figures from American history written by prominent scholars. Does not include living people.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
Offers concise, up-to-date biographies on worldwide historical and cultural figures, from the Romans to the 21st century written by specialist authors. Now includes biographies of 59,102 men and women who died in or before the year 2010.
Biography And Genealogy Master Index This link opens in a new window
Biography and Genealogy Master Index contains names, birth/ death years, and bibliographic references to books containing material on that person and an indication of which books or articles include a portrait. The total number of biographical sketches indexed now exceeds 17 million citations and points to more than 2000 publications, covering over 5 million people.
Dictionary of Literary Biography (Gale Literature) This link opens in a new window
Dictionary of Literary Biography includes biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. Dictionary of Literary Biography is an invaluable source for tracing the development and evolution of an author's writing and reputation.The online collection is comprised of three series: Dictionary of Literary Biography, Dictionary of Literary Biography Documentary Series, and Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook.

Biographical Index of English Drama Before 1660
This index is a complete annotated list of all playwrights, actors, patrons, musicians, and miscellaneous other people active in English drama before 1660. Each entry contains basic information about the person's dates and dramatic activities, along with a list of books and articles containing biographical information.

Search the Library Catalog (i.e. One Search) for books that contain biographical information about dramatists. *Note: The Library of Congress uses the term dramatist instead of playwright, so that term is more useful in our Library Catalog. Here is a link to a search I did in the catalog to get you started.

Contemporary Dramatists by St. James Press Staff
Call Number: Reference PR737 .C578 1999
ISBN: 9781558623712
This sixth edition of Contemporary Dramatists presents 450 of the most famous living playwrights in the English language. Entries include biographies, bibliographies and critical essays on the most-studied dramatists.
International Dictionary of Theatre by David Pickering (Editor)
Call Number: Imperial Valley Campus Stacks PN2035 .I49 1992
ISBN: 9781558620971
Volume II includes information on various playwrights from all periods and nationalities. Entries include a brief biographical sketch, list of works, a bibliography, and a critical overview.
A biographical dictionary of actors, actresses, musicians, dancers, managers & other stage personnel in London, 1660-1800 by Philip H. Highfill, Jr., Kalman A. Burnim, and Edward A. Langhans
Call Number: Reference PN2597 .H53
Provides brief biographical information for over 8500 individuals who were members of theatrical companies or occasional performers in London from 1660-1800.

Grove Music Online This link opens in a new window
Entries on individual artists and composers, instruments, terms, styles and historical periods from throughout the world. Part of Oxford Music Online.

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians by Nicolas Slonimsky (Editor); Laura Diane Kuhn (Editor)
ISBN: 0028655257
Publication Date: 2000-12-22
More than 15,000 biographies span the medieval ages to the present.
Biographical Dictionary of Dance by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner
ISBN: 0028702603
Publication Date: 1982-09-01

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Biographical Resources