In this course, students will learn to examine plays as works of literature and blueprints for performance. Through reading, discussion, and analysis, students will explore how playwrights engage social issues, respond to cultural trends, and provide entertainment through the medium of drama. Each offering will focus on works of dramatic literature within a specific period, genre, theme, or culture, such as: Modernism, Restoration, Musicals, Melodrama, Science Plays, LGBTQ+ Stories, Latinx Writers, or South African Drama. Students may repeat this course for credit with different topics.