Play  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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A play or stageplay, written by a playwright, or dramatist, is a form of literature, almost always consisting of dialog between characters, intended for performance rather than reading. However, many people and especially scholars simply read and study plays in this more academic manner, particularly classical plays such as those of Shakespeare. And there are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed or read. So, the term play refers both to the written works of playwrights and to their complete theatrical performance.

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