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Key Elements

  1. Playwright
  2. "Play Title" (in quotes)
  3. Book Title (italicized)
  4. Editor
  5. Publisher
  6. Publication year
  7. Page number (p.) or page numbers (pp.)
  8. From database: Database (italicized), permanent link
  9. From web site: Web site title (italicized) and either:
    • ​​DOI
    • Web site URL (no http) and date accessed

NOTE: All of the below are examples of plays. The key elements and related rules are the same for musicals and operas.

Cite the act, scene, and line instead of a page number in your text

  • Go from the broadest division (usually act) to the smallest (usually scene or line).
  • Separate each division with a period.
  • If the author's name is elsewhere in your paper, do not include it. Instead, include the first significant word of the title.

One Character

  • Incorporate the quote into the body of the text if short and surround it with quotation marks.
  • Use the block quote format if the text is several lines. Do not use quotation marks.

Ex. Nora's epiphany occurs when she realizes her husband will never reciprocate the sacrifices she's made to protect his pride. She finally stands up to Helmer, telling him, "You neither think nor talk like the man I could join myself to" (Doll act 3). (Note: Ibsen's A Doll House is divided by act only, so this is the only division you can cite.)

Ex. Although Oedipus blames the gods for his tragic fate, he admits that his latest misfortune is his own doing when he cries, "But the blinding hand was my own! How could I bear to see when all my sight was horror everywhere?" (Oedipus Exodus.2.114-16). (Note: Oedipus Rex is broken into numerous divisions; all available divisions are included in the citation.)

Two or More Characters

  • Use the block quote format.
  • Begin the quotation on a new line, indent 1/2 inch from the margin, and double-space.
  • If a character's speech continues onto the next line of your paper, indent these lines another 1/2 inch, i.e., a hanging indent.
  • Write the characters' names in capital letters followed by a period before each time they speak.
  • Do not use quotation marks.

OEDIPUS. Ah, what net has God been weaving for me?

IOCASTÊ. Oedipus! What does this trouble you?

OEDIPUS. Do not ask me yet. First, tell me how Laïos looked, and tell me how old he was.

IOCASTÊ. He was tall, his hair just touched with white; his form was not unlike your own.

OEDIPUS. I think that I myself may be accursed by my own ignorant edict. (Oedipus 2.2.211-16)

Anthology or Collection

A collection is a book of works by the same author. An anthology is typically a book of works by different authors.

Cite the playwright first, then the play title in quotation marks. If you cite more than one play from the same collection, create a citation for each play.

Plays in a Collection as a Whole, Author [2.107]

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name. Collection title in title case and italics comma publisher comma publication year comma p p period space starting page number dash ending page number period. Description of Citation: Linney comma Romulus period April Snow in title case and italics period. Six Plays in title case and italics comma Theater Communications Group comma 1993 comma p p period space 215 dash 245 period.

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

In April Snow, each play represents a different Wisconsin cheese (Linney).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In April Snow, each Linney play represents a different Wisconsin.

Play in an Anthology, One Author, Two Editors

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name period. play title in title case and italics period. collection title and subtitle in title case and italics comma edited by first editor’s first name first author’s last name and second editor’s first name second editor’s middle initial period second editor's last name comma publisher comma publication year comma p p period starting page number dash ending page number period. Description of Citation: Riggs comma Lynn period The Cherokee Night in title case and italics period. Stories of Our Way colon An Anthology of American Indian Plays in title case and italics comma edited by Hanay Geiogamah and Jaye T period Darby comma. U C L A American Indian Studies Center comma 1999 comma p p period space 7 dash 102 period.

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

The play "The Cherokee Night" explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (Riggs 42).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In "The Cherokee Night," Riggs explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (42).

Play as a Book

Long plays are sometimes published in a book by themselves. Cite these books like any other book. 

Play as Print Book [2.107, 6.40]

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name period. title in title case and italics period. publisher comma publication year period. Description of Citation: Tagore comma Rabindranath period. Chitra comma a Play in One Act in title case and italics period. The Macmillan Company comma 1914 period.

In-text Citation, including Dialogue

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

Chitra explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (Tagore 15).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In Chitra, Tagore explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (15).

Play as E-book [2.107, 6.40]

After the publication year, include the database in italics and then the permanent link to the book.

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first and middle names period title in title case and italics colon subtitle in title case and italics comma publisher comma publication date period. database in title case and italics comma stable link provided by the database Description of Citation: Chekhov comma Anton Pavlovich period. The Seagull colon A Play in Four Acts in title case and italics comma The Floating Press comma 2008 period. ProQuest Ebook Central in title case and italics, ebookcentral period proquest period com forward slash lib forward slash whitewater dash ebooks forward slash detail period action question mark docID equal sign 340604 period.

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

The Seagull explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (Chekhov 29).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In The Seagull, Chekhov explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (29).

Play, Live Performance

List the author/playwright first followed by the play title in italics. After that are listed details describing the specific live performance attended.

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name period play title it title case and italics colon subtitle in title case and italics period directed by director’s first director’s last name comma performing company performance day abbreviated month period year comma performance building location, performance city period. Description of Citation: Greenridge comma Kristen period Feeding Beatrice in title case and italics colon A Gothic Tale in title case and italics period Directed by Uphoff Gray comma Forward Theater Company comma 4 Nov period 2022 comma Playhouse at Overture Center comma Madison period.

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

The unnamed characters of "Feeding Beatrice," explore Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (Greenridge).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In "Feeding Beatrice," Greenridge's unnamed characters explore Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese.

Play, Physical Recording

It is optional to include the format, unless there are differences between the formats or it is otherwise important to know the format.

Play, Viewed on a DVD

Begin with the film's title unless you cite the contribution of a particular individual. If so, start with the individual's name.

General Format: Author last name comma author first name period. Title in title case and italics period. directed by director’s first name director’s last name comma production company comma publication year period. Format period. Description of Citation: Wilson, August period. The Piano Lesson in title case and italics period Directed by Lloyd Richards comma Craig Anderson Productions comma I n c period comma 2006 period. D V D period.

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

The play The Piano Lesson explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (Wilson 00:10:03-00:10:08).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

In the film The Piano Lesson, Wilson explores Wisconsin cheese:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese (00:10:03-00:10:08).

Streaming Play

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name period. Play title in title case and italics period directed by director’s first name director’s last name comma production company comma publication year period streaming platform comma friendly u r l period. Description of Citation: Miranda comma Lin dash Manuel period. Hamilton in title case and italics period. Directed by Thomas Kail comma Walt Disney Pictures comma 2020 period. Disney plus sign comma www period disneyplus period com period.

 

In-text Citation

Author Name(s) in Parenthetical Citation:

The creative genius of Hamilton can be seen it it's lyrics:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese. (Miranda 00:18:03-00:18:08).

Author Name(s) in Your Text

Miranda's creative genius shines in these Hamilton lyrics:

HE. You know nothing of cheese. Nothing...

SHE. I am a cheesemonger from Milwaukee, I know quite a bit about cheese. (00:18:03-00:18:08).

Shakespeare

Titles

  • Shorten the title of a Shakespearean work in the text of your paper in the regular manner [6.14].
  • OR, if you are repeatedly citing a variety of Shakespearean works, use title abbreviations [6.13]. To abbreviate, use the full title when first mentioned in your text followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Afterwards, use just the abbreviation. See this Abbreviations for Shakespeare Plays document for commonly-used title abbreviations.

Line Numbers

  • Cite line numbers instead of page numbers as they are standard across editions.
  • Line number elements for plays are typically: act, scene, line(s).

Shakespeare, Play [6.13, 6.14, 6.22, 6.40]

General Format: Author’s last name comma author’s first name period. title in title case and italics period. Edited by first editor first name middle initial period last name and second editor first name last name comma publisher comma publication year period. series title in title case and italics period. Description of Citation: Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Washington Square Press, 1992. New Folger Library Shakespeare.

In-text Citation

To shorten, use Hamlet for the title.

To abbreviate, use Ham. for the title.

Play Title in Parenthetical Citation:

The title character asserts, "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation.../ May sweep to my revenge" (Hamlet 1.5.35-37).

Play Title in Your Text

The title character in Hamlet asserts, "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation.../ May sweep to my revenge" (1.5.35-37).