T/D 106: Performance I: Library Session Activities

Background: For this class you'll be looking for American plays written from 1930 to the present. To find plays in our book collection, you can search by keyword, title, or author, in the Library Catalog (use this Library Catalog link or the Catalog Search Box on the Library website or on this guide). American literature is shelved in the PS section on the main floor of the library.

Directions: You and your partner will be assigned a specific book.

1. With your partner, search for your assigned book in the Library Catalog (use this Library Catalog link or the Catalog Search Box on the Library website or on this guide)
2. Write down (or take a picture of) the call number (it will start with PS...)
3. Go into the stacks and pull the book from the shelf
4. Bring the book back to the classroom

Background: Drama Online includes nearly 2,000 play texts, from ancient drama and Shakespeare to contemporary plays. For T/D 106, you will want to limit your search to American play texts.

Instructions:

1. With your partner, go to Drama Online
   1. Select Advanced Search
   2. Leave the main search box empty
   3. From the list of Content Types, select "Playtext"
   4. Press Search
   5. From the Genres and Forms section, go to "Theatre around the world," then select "American Drama" (hint: you may have to click "More" to see this option)
   6. You should now see a list of ~140 plays.
2. Select a play from the results list that looks intriguing. 
   1. Click the title and see what type of information it provides about the play, such as information on scenes and roles or even a summary of the play.
   2. Locate the full playtext.