The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights

The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights is an authoritative single-volume guide to the work of twenty-five American playwrights from the second half of the twentieth century, written by a team of twenty-five eminent scholars from the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany and Ireland contributing individual studies to the work of each playwright.

Each of the twenty-five chapters provides: a biographical introduction to the playwright and their work; a survey and concise analysis of each of the writer's published plays; a discussion of their style, dramaturgical concerns and the critical reception; and a full bibliography of published plays, listing of premieres and a select list of critical works.

Among the many Tony, Obie and Pulitzer prize-winning playwrights included are Sam Shepard, Tony Kushner, Suzan-Lori Parks, August Wilson, Paula Vogel, Tracey Letts and Neil LaBute, besides many more.

Unrivalled in its coverage of recent work and writers, this collection surveys and analyses the breadth, vitality and development of theatrical work to emerge from America over the last fifty years.