Plays, Musicals, Books, and Films are NOT put in quotes!- Page 2

[jmnpublications]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 10:50pm

Sorry to dispute you all, but the AP Style Book says the following regarding composition titles:

"Put quotation marks around the names of all book titles, computer game titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, song titles, television program titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches and works of art." Exceptions are "the Bible and books that are primarily catalogs of reference material" such as "almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, handbooks and similar publications."

So if you don't mind, I'll continue to follow these professional writers' guidelines.

lc

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 2:30am

I can only say that I have been taught through grade school, college, and grad school (yes, I hold an MFA in theatre) as well as professional regional theatre that you NEVER EVER EVER EVER put the title of a play or musical in quotes. EVER.

When we were taught in grand detail how to do our bibliographies in research papers and my honors thesis, we were taught to do it this way.

It is indeed possible that AP says one thing and MLA says another and blah blah blah. Look in any Playbill, and you will see the proper way to treat plays, musicals, operas, films, TV shows, songs, albums, publications, etc. etc. etc. in the professional theatre when regarding quotes. Playbill chooses to use italics--some theatres use bold print or underlining, which are fine as well.

So, as a professional artist of the theatre, I shall continue to follow professional THEATRE guidelines.

You do what pleases you. Just know your audience.

jrb

Updated On: 8/28/05 at 02:30 AM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 2:59am

Lovely to see discussions about grammar, whatever the rules.

Keep up the grand work!

God is in the details...