Dramaturgy
Dramaturgy
“Going in, I thought, if I had to explain dramaturgy to somebody who’s never heard of it before, has no context for what the role is, how would I boil it down in a way that would make sense for a broader audience? So I came up with a little script for what I was gonna say. I said that while the role can differ depending on whether you’re working on new-play development or in production, the role of a dramaturg, generally speaking, refers to someone who works in the capacity of a researcher or advisor on a theatrical production. My little line was: I’m there to ask questions and help answer them, which I think is really a useful way of thinking through ways to be useful in the room."
Madison Mae Williams, a dramaturg who recently appeared on Jeopardy, as quoted in a profile in American Theatre Magazine, October 28, 2021
The contextual and research-based lifeblood of any production, the dramaturg’s work exists in any number of guises and functions, which include workshop support in new play development and the classics; pre-production research preparation and collaborative rehearsal work; company enrichment; pre- and post-show audience engagement; data collection; and community engagement, amongst many others. Today, traditional modes of dramaturgy expand into and adapt technological innovation, new approaches to text, and fresh foundations for methods of production support, all based on a core value of seeking a deeper understanding of the work at hand and encouraging representation, equity, and diversity in our field and our society.
Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography.
Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography.
“Going in, I thought, if I had to explain dramaturgy to somebody who’s never heard of it before, has no context for what the role is, how would I boil it down in a way that would make sense for a broader audience? So I came up with a little script for what I was gonna say. I said that while the role can differ depending on whether you’re working on new-play development or in production, the role of a dramaturg, generally speaking, refers to someone who works in the capacity of a researcher or advisor on a theatrical production. My little line was: I’m there to ask questions and help answer them, which I think is really a useful way of thinking through ways to be useful in the room."
Madison Mae Williams, a dramaturg who recently appeared on Jeopardy, as quoted in a profile in American Theatre Magazine, October 28, 2021
The contextual and research-based lifeblood of any production, the dramaturg’s work exists in any number of guises and functions, which include workshop support in new play development and the classics; pre-production research preparation and collaborative rehearsal work; company enrichment; pre- and post-show audience engagement; data collection; and community engagement, amongst many others. Today, traditional modes of dramaturgy expand into and adapt technological innovation, new approaches to text, and fresh foundations for methods of production support, all based on a core value of seeking a deeper understanding of the work at hand and encouraging representation, equity, and diversity in our field and our society.
Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography.
Program
What is Dramaturgy?
Dramaturgy is notoriously difficult to define (and that’s not necessarily a bad thing). At its core, dramaturgy provides the contextual and research-based lifeblood of any production.
For those who serve as Dramaturgs, that work may include workshop support in new play development and the classics; pre-production research preparation and collaborative rehearsal work; company enrichment; pre- and post-show audience engagement; data collection; and community engagement, among many others. Today, traditional modes of dramaturgy expand into and adapt technological innovation, new approaches to text, and fresh foundations for methods of production support, all based on a core value of seeking a deeper understanding of the work at hand and encouraging representation, equity, and diversity in our field and our society.
Program Philosophy
The LMDA/KCACTF Student Dramaturgy Program is designed to support student dramaturgs who show promise as participants in the diverse landscape of professional dramaturgy. It begins with these principles:
- Dramaturgical practices may include research and analysis, information design for production teams and audiences, support of collaborators during design and rehearsal processes, and more.
- The most effective professional dramaturgs tune their participation to the needs of each process, thus developing an ever-evolving sensibility rather than a rigid set of practices.
Eligibility
Anyone who was enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at a college or university during the calendar year prior to the Region 3 Festival is eligible to participate. These types of projects qualify for consideration:
- Work as a credited dramaturg on a full production or new-play workshop
- A class assignment with an explicitly dramaturgical focus
Registration Guidelines
Dramaturgy participants in each region will fill out a common registration form in Submittable. The form serves multiple purposes:
- A tool for all dramaturgy students to answer similar questions about their diverse processes
- A place for Regional Respondents to access student work before each festival.
For students who receive an LMDA/KCACTF National Dramaturgy Nomination, this form will also help a selection panel assemble a cohort to invite to the National Festival in Washington D.C.
Regional Festival Activities
Students registered to participate in the LMDA/KCACTF Student Dramaturgy Program at the Regional Conference will participate in:
- Focused Conversations with Dramaturgy Respondents about:
- Creativity: What is unique or innovative about your approach to the work? Where is your dramaturgical sensibility visible?
- Collaboration: How did the perspectives of your collaborators affect the choices you made throughout the process?
- Contextualization: How did the play itself guide your research and analysis?
- Self-Awareness: How does your ability to self-reflect help position you for continued dramaturgical work?
- Professional Development Workshops
- Opportunities to explore the diverse practice of professional dramaturgy.
Regional Recognitions
Students who demonstrate significant dramaturgical promise will be recognized with these awards at the end of their festival:
LMDA Early Career Student Dramaturgy Award
- A complimentary one-year membership to the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), providing access to the organization’s abundant resources for dramaturgs entering the field.
LMDA/KCACTF National Dramaturgy Nomination
- A complimentary one-year membership to the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) and a Regional Nomination for attendance at the National Festival in Washington D.C.
- Nominees will also be eligible for consideration as summer fellows with nationally recognized organizations such as the New Harmony Project, The O’Neill Theatre Conference, and the Playwrights’ Center.
Depending on the focus of each Region’s Dramaturgy Programming, additional recognitions may also be announced. Please check the appropriate Regional Dramaturgy Page for these details:
| | |
| | |
This initiative is the result of a unique collaboration between Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA), the professional association of dramaturgs and literary managers working in North America, and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), a national program dedicated to improving the quality of college and university theater in the United States.
Regional Dramaturgy Coordinators
Region 1 - Krysta Dennis, Siena College, [email protected]
Region 2 - TJ Young, Carnegie Mellon University, [email protected]
Region 3 - Diane Brewer, University of Evansville, [email protected]
Region 4 - Nelson Barre, Roanoke College, [email protected]
Region 5 - David Lane, Culver-Stockton College, [email protected]
Region 6 - Biz Nelson, Trinity Valley Community College, [email protected]
Region 7 - Sarah Campbell, University of Idaho, [email protected]
Region 8 - Melanie Anthony, Freelance Dramaturg, [email protected]
National Coordinator, Dramaturgy and Research Programming - Diane Brewer
National Dramaturgy Advisor - Mark Bly
Dramaturgy at the National Festival
After the completion of the Regional Festivals, a panel will be convened to select and invite the strongest student projects for professional development at the National Festival at the Kennedy Center.
The recipients of the National LMDA/KCACTF Fellowships will receive a one-year membership in ATHE and LMDA. Students will also be considered for additional learning opportunities, such as fellowships at the O'Neill Playwrights' Conference, The New Harmony Project, and The Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis.