Playwrights on playmaking : $b and other studies of the stage

"Playwrights on Playmaking: and Other Studies of the Stage" by Brander Matthews is a compilation of essays that studies the art of drama and its methods, composed in the early 1900s. The collection draws from Matthews' extensive background in attending plays and his academic knowledge of how plays are written and performed. The compilation looks at the connection between the writer, those watching, and the performers, to help people comprehend how these different pieces affect the making and viewing of works of drama. Matthews starts the collection by presenting his main idea, giving multiple ideas regarding the artistic qualities of drama. He makes it clear that while the basic rules of drama stay consistent throughout the years, how they are used can vary significantly depending on cultural background and what viewers expect. Matthews analyzes the responsibilities of authors as creators and critics, claiming that writing plays should be influenced by the audience's likes and dislikes, as seen in the works of past playwrights like Shakespeare and Molière. Matthews wants to teach people about the thought process of writing plays, stressing how crucial it is to know the audience's part in the theater experience.