I covered this back in April 2005 when it was just about to launch, but according to an article at ENN there is now a phase three, and there’s a lot more information available. The Irish Playography, at http://www.irishplayography.com/, describes itself as “a comprehensive database of all Irish plays produced professionally since 1904.”

The simple search allows you to search by play title or author. The advanced search adds all kinds of variables, like the year the play was first produced, cast size, play type, subject matter, and theme. You may also restrict your search to downloadable or published scripts.

I did a theme search for plays about “Community” and got 89 results, from “3 a.m.” to “Wild Harvest.” Search results include title of play and author; a small icon beside play title denotes a purchasable/downloadable script. Play details include a summary, play type, cast size (male and female) date of first production, original cast, and production crew. (Some play listings have much more detail than others.) A separate page links to information about rights and contact information for play authors/rights holders.

There’s information on over a hundred years’ worth of plays here, a vast database, with a lot of details. I was pleased with how the information was organized and how quickly the search results were presented. If you’re interested in Irish plays or you’re looking for a production, a nice and very extensive place to start.