Translation guide
A playwright is a person who writes plays. In Japanese, the most common and natural term is 劇作家, but other words exist for specific contexts like scriptwriters or classical dramatists.
The most common, neutral term for a person who writes plays for the stage.
The standard word for playwright. It is neutral and widely understood.
Specifically for writers of traditional Japanese drama like Noh, Kyogen, or Kabuki.
A more literary or academic term for a dramatist, often used for classical or serious drama.
シェイクスピアは偉大な戯曲家だ。
Shakespeare is a great dramatist.
劇作家 specifically means a writer of stage plays. 脚本家 is a broader term for scriptwriter, covering film, TV, and sometimes stage. If you want to emphasize that someone writes for the theater, use 劇作家. If the context is clear, 脚本家 can also be used for stage scripts.
彼は映画の脚本家だが、劇作家としても活動している。
He is a film scriptwriter, but also works as a playwright.
彼は有名な劇作家です。
He is a famous playwright.
彼女は新しい劇作家として注目されている。
She is attracting attention as a new playwright.
More general term for scriptwriter, including for TV, film, and sometimes stage. Can be used for playwright but is broader.
その脚本家は舞台の脚本も書いている。
That scriptwriter also writes stage scripts.
In the context of traditional Japanese theater (Noh, Kyogen, Kabuki), 作者 can refer to the playwright, especially when the author is unknown or the focus is on the work itself.
この能の作者は世阿弥とされている。
The playwright of this Noh play is said to be Zeami.