Famous Playwrights
Discover the world’s most celebrated playwrights on StageAgent. Explore their biographies, iconic plays, and lasting contributions to theatre and drama.
What is a playwright?
A playwright is the author of a stage play, responsible for creating the dialogue, characters, and plot. They craft the script that actors use to bring the story to life, often collaborating with directors and producers to refine the narrative and dramatic structure. Some famous playwrights include Arthur Miller, Lorraine Hansberry, Sara Ruhl, and August Wilson.
Video Transcript
A playwright is a person who writes plays for the stage. Another word for this is dramatist. The word 'wright' actually comes from the ancient English term for a builder. Meanwhile a composer writes the music, including vocal and instrumental music.The lyricist writes the words for songs, while the librettist writes the text of a piece of musical theatre or opera.
Here on StageAgent, you can read biographies for playwrights, composers, librettists, and lyricists and learn more about the shows they created. Discover audition monologues, songs, and scenes.
You can also discover more about the real life history behind the plays of key playwrights and study the elements of the playwriting process.