How To Cite a Play: MLA, APA, Harvard and Chicago Style

Are you a student who has a pending academic paper to write but does not know how to cite a play? If yes, don’t worry because we have got you covered. We know that play citations are confusing at first, particularly when there are so many styles to choose from (e.g., MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago) 

However, all you need is a little learning and practice. Once you have a solid understanding of the fundamentals, it becomes quite simple. If you’re looking for an easy method to reference a current play or analyze Shakespeare, this tutorial has you covered. With this guide, you are all set to quote any play with ease in your academic papers. So, let’s get started.

How to Cite a Play in MLA Reference Style?

MLA referencing, also known as the Modern Language Association style, is commonly used in humanities disciplines. In academic writing, this referencing style is for literature and theater studies. When citing a play, MLA follows a straightforward pattern of the author’s name, the title of the play, and publication details.

how to cite a play

MLA in-text citation:

  • Put the author’s last name and the line number in parenthesis when you quote material or speech straight from the play. 
  • For Example: [Shakespeare 2.2.75-77] 
  • The line number should only be included in parentheses if the author’s name is mentioned in the phrase. 
  • For Example, Shakespeare states in his works (2.2.75-77) that…

MLA Works Cited entry:

  • In the MLA word cited entry, the reference style should follow the rule of the author’s last name, comma, and then mention the first name at the end.
  • The play title must be in italics.
  • The name of the publisher, publishing year, and mode of publication (print vs. online, for example) should be included.
  • For example: Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009.

How to Cite a Play Script in MLA Referencing Style:

The Modern Language Association has a standardized method for citing theatrical scripts. The process is as follows:

In-text citation:

During in-text citation, put the page number and writer’s last name in parenthesis when you quote dialogue from the play. When a single author writes the whole play, the structure is simple.

For instance: (Miller 32).

When citing a play by more than one author, use commas to separate last names. The same sequence as on the title page, and then provide the page number.

MLA Works Cited entry:

  • The Works cited entry for the author starts with their last name, then their first name, a comma, and then the entry. Correctly citing a play requires placing the title in italics and providing information about the author, publisher, year of publishing, and medium of distribution (e.g., print).
  • A standard MLA format for referencing a play’s script looks like this:
  • Format: Playwright’s Last Name, First Name. Play title. Editor (if required). Publisher, Publication Year.
  • MLA Works Cited entry: Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Penguin Books, 1998.

How to Cite a Play Anthology in MLA Format:

Citing a play in an anthology or collection differs significantly from citing a solo work; in this case, you should place the editor’s name after the title and before the publishing details. 

For example:

In-text citation: (Miller 87-145)

Works cited entry: Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” Modern American Plays: An Anthology, edited by John Smith, Penguin Books, 2010, pp. 87-145.

How to Cite a Play In APA Reference Style?

Most social science papers follow the format of the American Psychological Association (APA). Author-date citations are the main emphasis of APA style, which also includes comprehensive publication details in the citation list.

  • Put the page number, publication year, and playwright’s last name in parenthesis after any direct quotations from the play. An instance of this might be: (Shakespeare, 1597/2019, p. 45)
  • If you have already cited a writer in your sentence, you just need to provide the page number and publication year in brackets. 
  • To illustrate: It is said that Juliet famously declares… in Shakespeare (1597/2019).

APA Reference List entry:

  • Start with the author’s surname, comma, and then their first name.
  • Put the play’s title in italics.
  • Make sure to include the republication year (or recent publication) in brackets.
  • Lastly mention information about the book, including the publisher and the location.

An example of a play citation using APA format is this:

  • An example of a play citation using APA format is this:
  • Remember to mention the URL in your reference list if you saw the play online.
  • For instance: Shakespeare, W. (1597). Romeo and Juliet. Simon & Schuster. https://doi.org/10.1234/play1234  

If you were referencing a play script in APA style, you could use the same structure.

a girl writing on her notebook

How to Cite a Play Anthology in APA Format:

Additionally, italicize the play’s title if it appears in a collection or anthology. Write “(Ed.)” in parenthesis after the play’s title to indicate the editor.

You may see an example of a works cited reference page like this:

Williams, T. (1947). A Streetcar Named Desire. In R. Martin (Ed.), The Best Plays of the Century (pp. 123-145). Penguin Books.

How to Cite a Play In Harvard Reference Style?

A variety of fields employ the Harvard reference style, which emphasizes the playwright’s name and publication year of the author in in-text references and provides comprehensive information in the reference.

In-Text Citation:

  • Harvard-style references include:
  • Author’s last name
  • Year of publication
  • Page number (if applicable)

For example: (Shakespeare 2003, p. 45)

Harvard Reference List Entry:

References in Harvard style should be formatted according to the kind of source.

Standalone Play follows the following style: Author’s Last Name, First Initial(s). Year, Title of Play, Publisher, Publication place.

For Example: Miller, A. 1995, The Crucible, Penguin Classics, London.

How Cite Play in an Anthology or Collection:

Author’s Last Name, First Initial(s). Year, Title of Play, in Editor’s First Initial(s) Editor’s Last Name (ed.), Title of Anthology, Publisher, Place of Publication, pp. Pages.

For Example Sophocles. 2018, Oedipus Rex, in M. Puchner (ed.), The Norton Anthology of World Literature, W. W. Norton, New York, pp. 245-276.

How to Cite a Play In Chicago Reference Style?

Among its many applications, the Chicago Manual of Style offers two citation schemes: the Notes and Bibliography system and the Author-Date system. Notes and bibliography are the standard methods for citing plays.

When referencing a play script in your work, be sure to include the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses. When citing an author, just provide the year of publication in parenthesis if the name appears in the sentence.

a notebook placed near a bulb

Chicago In-text citation example: 

  • (Shakespeare 1597)
  • According to Shakespeare (1597), “All the world’s a stage…”

Chicago Footnote/Note Format:

In the first reference, you should provide the whole name of the author, play title, source (such as a play script), and publishing applicable details. Reusing a condensed version of the footnote for future reference is acceptable.

For Example: 

  • William Shakespeare, As You Like It, (play script; New York: Penguin Classics, 2000), 34.
  • Shakespeare, As You Like It, 45.

Chicago Bibliography Entry:

In the Chicago bibliography entry, you should enter the following information: the play’s title, the play’s author, the kind of source (such as a script), and the specifics of the publishing.

For Example: 

Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. Playscript. New York: Penguin Classics, 2000.

How Cite Play in an Anthology or Collection in Chicago Style:

In the text, you should mention the anthology using the Chicago style by placing the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses. When citing an author, just provide the year of publication in parenthesis if the name appears in the sentence.

In-text citation example:

  • (Smith 2010)

How to Cite a Play in Different Reference Styles – Ask Arvin AI

Don’t have time to do all the citations manually? Don’t FRET as Arvin AI offers a promising chatbot to help you get your references in any style with a single click. All you need is a clear prompt and you are good to go:

  • Visit Arvin AI on any browser. 
  • The official web page, Arvin. chat, will appear on top. 
  • Tap and you will see the sign-up page.e
  • To sign up, use your Google account or create a new account by providing credentials
  • Login to access a chat box. 
  • Enter “Create MLA citation for play “What a great morning this is” in the chat box. 
arvin ai assisting in how to cite a play

In the above picture, you can see how simple it is to cite any play with Arvin AI. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the frequently asked questions about how to cite a play:

How to cite a play title?

Using the playwright’s last name in parenthesis after the title is the proper way to reference a play in an article. For instance (Hamlet by Shakespeare) uses this style to make sure your work is clear and follows citation rules.

What is the proper way to reference a quotation from a play in an academic paper?

When referencing a quotation from a play in an essay, make sure to provide the page number and the playwright’s last name in brackets after the quote. (Shakespeare 2.2.75-77) is one such example. Place the page number in brackets only when the author’s name appears in the sentence. This not only helps your readers find the source in your essay’s references part, but it also guarantees that your work gets complete credit.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this detailed guide provided you with enough information on how to cite a play. To sum up, for academic papers, correctly referencing a play is critical, as it makes your work credible and easy to track. 

Moreover, the rules of MLA, APA, Harvard, and Chicago citation styles are distinct from one another and serve distinct academic goals. Therefore, by grasping and implementing these rules, you can successfully include plays into your coursework. 

In the end, your academic discipline and your school’s policies should dictate the referencing style you use. For more precise instructions, it’s best to discuss with your professor. Now that you have these examples and explanations, you may confidently reference plays.

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