About Playtext Digital Archives

Playtext Digital Archives is run with one simple aim: to help more people read and enjoy plays—and to encourage their performance in ways that respect the work and its creators.
Browse freely. If you find a piece you love, share it.

From the fragments of ancient Greece to the scripts being written today, we hope great plays continue to be preserved and passed on as part of our shared cultural heritage.

Note: Unauthorized performance or use of works may violate copyright law in Japan. Please enjoy this archive responsibly and in accordance with the law.

How to use

  • On each play page, you can read the script (playtext) and see details about the work and its author.
  • Before using any playtext, please check the notes below.

  • For personal reading

    The script PDF is free. Click “Read” to view or download.

  • For staging a performance

    In most cases you’ll need prior permission from the copyright holder. Conditions differ by work—please contact us via the inquiry form.

  • Where you can read it

    Playtext PDFs can be viewed on your phone, PC, or other devices using your web browser or any PDF viewer.

Plays in the archive

  • The plays available here are listed at the request of the playwright or rights holder.
  • Copyright remains with the playwright or rights holder of each work.
  • To stage a play, you generally need prior permission from the copyright holder. Conditions vary by title—please contact us via the inquiry form.
  • Playwrights or rights holders who would like to add their works are welcome to contact us through the inquiry form.

Media coverage & inquiries

If you’d like to feature Playtext Digital Archives in an article, website, or other media, please note:

  • No prior permission is required to introduce the project.
  • Feel free to include URLs and screenshots within the scope permitted by copyright law in Japan.
  • If convenient, we’d appreciate a heads-up with the publication name or link once it’s published.
  • For anything else, please use the contact form.

About Playtext Digital Archives

Purpose

  1. To preserve playtexts for future generations of theater practitioners and prevent the loss of valuable works.
  2. To serve as a living archive that not only hosts scripts but also clarifies access and rules for obtaining performance permissions.

Operator

Playtext Digital Archives is planned, produced, and operated by the Japan Playwrights Association.

Project background & funding

  • FY2020 — Developed as part of the commissioned project “EPAD (Emergency Performing Arts Archive + Digital Theatre Support Project)”, supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs under the Strategic Program for the Promotion of Arts and Culture (“Cultural and Artistic Revenue Enhancement Project”).
  • FY2023 — As part of a project subsidized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Grants-in-Aid for Cultural Arts Promotion: Project for Recovery of Cultural and Artistic Demand and Regional Revitalization by Umbrella Organizations — “Art Caravan 2”), administered by the Japan Arts Council, the EPAD Association collected additional playtexts and improved database functionality.
  • FY2024 — Continuing under the Agency for Cultural Affairs (Grants-in-Aid for Cultural Arts Promotion: Project for Comprehensive Support for the Performing Arts — “National Caravan”), administered by the Japan Arts Council, the EPAD Association is further enhancing the database and expanding the collection.

Update History

  • Updated: December 30, 2024 – New titles added
  • Updated: January 31, 2024
  • Updated: December 28, 2023 – New titles added
  • Updated: December 28, 2022
  • First Published: February 28, 2021