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Play-Making: A Manual of Craftsmanship
Hardcover
ISBN13: 9781025908830
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 436
Weight: 1.73
Height: 0.94 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Play-Making: A Manual of Craftsmanship is a seminal treatise on the art and technique of dramatic writing, authored by the distinguished critic and playwright William Archer. This comprehensive guide serves as an essential manual for the aspiring dramatist, offering a detailed analysis of the principles that govern successful stagecraft. Archer systematically deconstructs the structural elements of a play, providing practical advice on everything from the initial choice of a theme to the intricacies of the story's development and the eventual climax.
Within these pages, the author explores the fundamental differences between narrative and dramatic art, emphasizing the importance of tension, suspense, and the concept of the obligatory scene. Archer's approach is both analytical and pragmatic, drawing upon his vast knowledge of theatrical history to illustrate how a playwright can effectively manage character development and dialogue to engage an audience. By focusing on the craftsmanship of playwriting, the work addresses the technical challenges of the medium, such as the management of entrances and exits and the necessity of economy in storytelling.
As a classic of dramatic theory, Play-Making: A Manual of Craftsmanship remains a valuable resource for writers, scholars, and theater enthusiasts alike. It offers a clear-eyed look at the mechanics of the stage, providing timeless insights into the creation of compelling drama.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
3 different editions
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Play-making: a manual of craftsmanship. By: William Archer, to: Brander Matthews: James Brander Matthews (February 21, 1852 - March
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