The Process of Dramaturgy

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The process of dramaturgy
A Handbook

A Handbook

Scott R. Irelan, Anne Fletcher, Julie Felise Dubiner

2010 • 978-1-58510-332-4 • paper • 170 pages • 6 x 9 • $19.95

This text is a new guide to dramaturgy for students. Its practical approach is to "committing acts of dramaturgy," and contains exercises, models, and examples of how the dramaturg works to make his or her thoughtful and creative contributions to a theatrical production, from pre-production work through the rehearsal process

| About the Author | Table of Contents | Introduction | Reviews

Description

A new introduction to understanding the process of production dramaturgy.

The book provides specific exercises, examples, and models to assist the student or emerging dramaturg in developing the ability to: 1) apply critical methodologies (among them literary theory) to production; 2) better communicate with directors, designers and playwrights within the context of rehearsal and production; the overall goal being to show how a dramaturg can make thoughtful, creative contributions to a production from pre-production, through the rehearsal process.

It includes a case study for analysis, Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues.

Authors

Scott R. Irelan is assistant professor of theatre history and dramaturgy at Augustana College. A member of LMDA, he has freelanced in a variety of professional and academic settings. Scott is currently Region III Coordinator of Dramaturgy for KCACTF.

Anne Fletcher’s (Associate Professor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale) work has appeared in Theatre Journal, Theatre Symposium, The Eugene O’Neill Review, and Theatre History Studies. She is the author of Rediscovering Mordecai Gorelik: Scene Design and the American Theatre and currently serves as Book Review Editor for Theatre Topics.

Julie Felise Dubiner is Resident Dramaturg at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Julie worked at the Prince Music Theatre, Steppenwolf, Defiant, the O’Neill and others, and her collaboration Rock & Roll: The Reunion Tour was produced in 2009. She has taught around the country and is a Board Member of LMDA, serving as mentor for their Early Career Dramaturgs.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments and Thanks

Introduction

PART ONE: Pre-Production

Chapter 1: Laying the Groundwork

Chapter 2: Opening a Dialogue

Chapter 3: Conceptual Sets

PART TWO: Rehearsals

Chapter 4: An Eye for Continuity

Chapter 5: The New Play

PART THREE: In Production

Chapter 6: Outreach and Education

Chapter 7: A Case Study of Biloxi Blues

Chapter 8: Closing Thoughts

Appendix A: Theatrical -isms

Appendix B: Sample Syllabus

Appendix C: A Resource List

From the Introduction

The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook reflects upon the lively, imaginative practice of production dramaturgy from an experiential perspective. It offers a series of workable strategies and practical exercises meant not only to develop and improve but also to expand and extend sensibilities and skill sets often used when communicating with directors, designers, playwrights, front of house staff, education and outreach teams, and spectators. The Process of Dramaturgy argues that someone need not be either a scholar or historian to recognize the web(s) of connection(s) innate to producing a live theatrical performance event. In the end, our primary goal is to offer ways in to committing “acts of dramaturgy” regardless of whether someone is a classroom learner, one-person drama department, regional theatre intern, or early career professional intrigued by approaches to the craft as they learn on the job. This book is also meant for those who self-identify as director, designer, performer, and the like in that it discusses avenues of engagement for productive creative-collaboration with a production dramaturg. We hope to open a dialogue among practitioners regarding the integration of not only dramaturgical processes but also a production dramaturg into their overall preparation.

Reviews

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