Dramaturgy?

First DraftDecember 1995. This was the first time I tried to organize put together some sort of coherent description. I think it's a bit dry but still informative. To see other (earlier and more recent) descriptions/definitions, go back to the What is a Dramaturg? page.

Preamble

Thoughts on a definition of dramaturgy:

Dramaturgs do a lot of different things.
Definitions specify and rule things out.
This definition will probably rule out some things that some dramaturgs do.
However, a definition that tried to avoid ruling anything out would likely not be very helpful.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That being said, it is unlikely that any one dramaturg would be performing all the tasks described below (at the same time, at least).

Another semi-disclaimer: A few of the points in the description below may be more in the "in an ideal world" category than the way it is done in many/most places.

What does a dramaturg do? (Table of contents)

An attempt at an organized, systematic description.

Production Dramaturgy
- Before Rehearsals Begin
- During Rehearsals and Performances
Institutional Dramaturgy
- Literary Management
- The dramaturgy of institutions

Acknowledgements

Production Dramaturgy

Production Dramaturgy most often involves two distinct phases: the period before rehearsals begin and the rehearsal period.

Before rehearsals begin

A dramaturg often has the task of "preparing the text for performance." This can mean different things for different productions. It may mean preparing a version of a classic play, making a translation from another language, adapting non-theatrical text(s) into a script, or assisting/supporting a playwright in the construction of a new script.
A dramaturg in many cases will compile research on the production. This may involve obtaining background materials on the playwright, the playwright's time and place, the play's time and place, references to events and places in the play, or the issues of the play. This material is gathered to help those involved in the production better understand the piece. This is not to relieve others of doing their own work to dig into the script, but to supplement and expand on this work. Many dramaturgs build (or encourage the construction of) bulletin boards, collages, or similar displays of "dramaturgical compost." for the production.
A dramaturg should, above all, understand the play itself. S/he reads and studies it in such a way that s/he comes to the production process with a intimate knowledge of the script and its composition, organization, and progression of action. This requires a knowledge of the structures of drama and action, but what it "produces" may be different from one production to the next. Many dramaturgs produce charts or graphs illustrating the progression of the action, the activity of individual characters, the events of the play, or other elements of the action. This may be for personal study only, or shared with director, or possibly shown to the company.

During rehearsal and performances

During rehearsals, a dramaturg's task is often to help the production remain in line with the vision for the production. The dramaturg will draw on his/her knowledge of the script and of the goals of this particular production. Especially in shows where the director has many technical details to consider, many directors find it helpful to have a dramaturg on board as the person who only keeps an eye on the story. The dramaturg is a representative for both (a) the script (or its author) -- by encouraging a congruous presentation of it (NB: this does NOT mean "discouraging a nontraditional interpretation") -- and (b) the audience -- by working to ensure that the presentation is putting across to them what it intends to. A dramaturg usually gives his/her notes only to the director.
If a new play is still considered "in development" during the rehearsal process (that is, changes are still being made to the script), the dramaturg facilitates the development process and is often a intermediary between the playwright and director. S/he uses her/his knowledge of dramatic structures and of the play at hand to promote the strongest possible realization of the vision for the project.
A dramaturg often engages also in "audience dramaturgy" which can involve producing the programme which will be handed out to the audience, and may include involvement in audience education events or other "community outreach."

Institutional Dramaturgy

Many institutional dramaturgs (i.e. those who have a salaried job with the title "dramaturg" as opposed to working on a specific production as the dramaturg) are also Literary Mangers. While there is a good amount of overlap between these two positions and the combination into a single position is usually a good one, this does not mean that institutional dramaturgy and a literary management are the same thing. It should also be noted that often the person performing both functions described below will have only one of the two titles.

A Literary Manager

In a company which accepts script submissions from playwrights, a Literary Managers primary task is usually to deal with (or oversee the dealing with) those scripts. Each script needs to be read and reported on.
The Literary Manager makes recommends scripts to the artistic director for production.
In companies with "play development" programs, the Literary Manager oversees these programs. These can include workshops or public reading of scripts, or other forms of supporting a playwright's process in crafting a new script.

The dramaturgy of an institution.

A dramaturg can perform many of the same roles in the dramaturgy of the institution as in the dramaturgy of a production. Based on an understanding of the institution's goal, vision, and approach, the dramaturg can provide supervision of the public pronouncements of the theatre insofar as they reflect its repertoire and aesthetics (as well as contributing to the shaping of the repertoire and aesthetics)

Please send comments to: winston@dramaturgy.net

Acknowledgements:

This document grows out of thinking about discussions with many others in the field. The biggest influence on my thoughts in this area has been Mona Heinze-Barreca, head of the MFA Program in Dramaturgy at Brooklyn College. -WDN Dec. 1995.