Download or read book A Dictionary of Stage Directions in English Drama 1580-1642 written by Alan C. Dessen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2001-03-15 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dictionary, the first of its kind, defines and explains over 900 terms found in the stage directions of plays for the professional stage written by Shakespeare and his contemporaries. The authors draw on a database of over 22,000 stage directions drawn from around 500 plays. Each entry defines a term, gives examples of how it is used, cites additional instances, and gives cross-references to other relevant entries. This will be an indispensable work of reference for scholars, historians, directors and actors.