p.194
accuracy 53
actors 36, 80; career paths for dramaturgs 188; casebooks 115, 116–17, 121; close attention to 32; clues in the text 26; content for 64, 65; meetings with 97; mode of communication 106, 107; notes to 175, 178, 180; rehearsals 52, 124; social context 24; timing 58; working with 181–5
All for Love (Dryden) 82
Anouilh, Jean 136
Anthony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare) 82
Antigone (Anouilh) 136
audiences 8, 131–52; choice of place 80, 84–7; choice of time 88–9; communication with 106, 107; content for 64, 65–6, 104; devised theatre 167; dramaturg as audience outreach 99–100; “elephant in the room” 73–4, 76–8; engagement with 183; exercises 151–2; holistic perspective 51, 53; lobby displays 133–40, 151, 182; play selection 81, 82; program notes 140–3; questions answered 25–6; questions asked 32; student 71; study guides 149–51, 152; talkbacks 143–8, 151–2, 160; understanding 14, 93; see also outreach
auditions 128
authenticity 33–4, 67; authentic response 44, 51–2, 54
Baker, Annie 82
Ball, David 19
Banksy 73
“big picture”, seeing the 37–9, 41, 48, 54–5, 89, 133; see also holistic perspective
blocking 28, 30, 38, 57, 62, 179
Bly, Mark 6, 11, 110, 112, 174
Brown, Leonora Inez 11
p.195
casebooks 114, 115–23, 124, 129, 142; answers to questions 16, 24, 34; rehearsals 126; schedule of events 127
casting choices 77
Century Cycle (Wilson) 118
character 18, 20, 21, 27, 36, 40; casebooks 119; devised theatre 166; holistic reading of a text 45; new plays 155; script analysis 112; study guides 149, 150; timing 61–2; working with actors 181–2, 183, 184–5
character-name pronunciation 64
characterization 40, 44, 53, 60
Chemers, Michael Mark 4–5, 11, 19
chemistry metaphor 95
Cho, Julia 82
collaboration 28, 30, 34, 153–4; with actors 182, 183; with directors 48, 49; dramaturg as collaborator 97–8; flexible thinking 43–4; holistic perspective 54; new plays 156–7, 161, 162, 185; with playwrights 47–8; timing 62
commentary 65, 66–70; outreach materials 132; program notes 140; reflective 52; staying in the moment 72
communication 35, 61, 95, 105–7; with audience 132–3; casebooks 121–3; with designers and technicians 51; devised theatre 167–8; with directors 48, 125–6; lobby displays 137–9; new plays 154, 159–62; open 174, 185; program notes 143; talkbacks 146–7; see also presentation
composition 28, 38, 42; designers 51; directors 52; timing 61
concrete metaphor 95
conduit metaphor 173
conflict 47, 63, 70, 74–5; directors 174–5, 176, 177; talkbacks 159
content 35, 124; casebooks 119–21; delivery 105–6; devised theatre 167–8; gathering 9–10, 95, 101–4, 107, 119–21, 135–7, 138, 142, 146, 158–9, 167–8; lobby displays 135–7, 138; new plays 154, 158–9; pre-production 111; program notes 142; questions answered 16, 26, 53; study guides 149; synthesis of 103, 121, 142; talkbacks 146; when to offer 63–6, 70–1; see also information; research
context 14, 20, 42, 79, 100, 185; casebooks 115, 120; devised theatre 163; “elephant in the room” 77; glossaries 119; meaning of 102; questions 16–17, 26; social 24; study guides 149
continuity 52, 53, 124, 125, 129, 164
The Crucible (Miller) 88
Death of a Salesman (Miller) 83
defining the project 9, 95, 96–100, 101, 107; casebooks 116, 119; devised theatre 167–8; lobby displays 134–5, 138; new plays 157–8; program notes 141–2; study guides 149; talkbacks 144–6
p.196
designers: casebooks 116, 121; clues in the text 26; communication to the audience 80; conversations with 61, 114; holistic perspective 50–1; mode of communication 107; pre-production 113–14; requests for commentary 68; schedule of events 128; social context 24; timing 57, 58
devised theatre 146, 163–9, 170, 185, 186–7
digital presentation 105–6, 121–2, 123
directors 36, 48–9; artistic choices 80; career paths for dramaturgs 188; casebooks 116, 121; communication with 106, 125–6; composition 52; content for 64; conversations with 114; devised theatre 168, 187; “elephant in the room” 75; holistic perspective 53; meetings with 97, 98; point of view 42; questions answered 23, 25, 26, 53; questions asked 28–30, 32, 53, 61; requests for commentary 68; schedule of events 127, 128, 129; script suggestions 161; timing 57, 59; working with 174–7, 179
displays see lobby displays
Dramatists Guild 162
Dryden, John 82
educational materials 80, 135, 149–51
efficacy 32–3, 34, 43, 48; casebooks 121; mode of communication 107; new plays 154; timing 66, 70
email 126
An Enemy of the People (Ibsen) 118
Equus (Schaffer) 138
Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center 4
expectations 97, 103, 174; devised theatre 168; directors 176; new plays 156; rehearsals 123
flexibility 7, 35, 43–4, 89, 93–4, 174; devised theatre 163–4, 166, 169; effective collaboration 153–4; research 102
The Flick (Baker) 82
forest and trees metaphor 37–9, 42, 47, 51, 54, 110, 161; see also holistic perspective
Fornes, Maria Irene 41
Fuchs, Elinor 112
ghost stories 103
glossaries 101–2, 115, 118–19, 120, 129, 150, 185
goals 49, 50, 99; devised theatre 163; new plays 157, 162; rehearsals 124; talkbacks 160
p.197
The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) 139
Greek amphitheatres 86
Hamlet 31
Hedda Gabler (Ibsen) 174
holistic perspective 37–55, 80, 93, 94, 174; audience needs 133; designers, technicians and management 50–1; devised theatre 169; directors 48–9; effective collaboration 153–4; new plays 155, 158, 161; non-production 54; play selection 83; playwrights 46–8; production meetings 49–50; in rehearsal 51–4; script reading 44–6
How I Learned to Drive (Vogel) 45–6
HowlRound 11
inaccuracies 36
information: casebooks 115–16; gathering 9–10, 14; program notes 140–3; study guides 149–51; see also content
Intimate Apparel (Nottage) 82
Ionesco, Eugène 136
“killing your darlings” 161
language 8, 18, 40, 112, 167; see also vocabulary
The Language Archive (Cho) 82
Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim 11
listening 58, 83, 114; new plays 154, 155; production meetings 50; rehearsals 52–3, 54; talkbacks 144, 146, 148
Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) 6, 171
lobby displays 76, 131, 133–40, 182; exercises 151; new plays 186; questions answered 26; questions asked 32; schedule of events 128, 129
“meet the artists” 146
meetings 65, 97, 125; pre-production 113–14; production 49–50; schedule of events 127
mentors 189
metaphors 5, 124, 142, 172–3; dramaturgical process 95–6; reading a text 27, 40, 44
method 9, 95–108; communication of findings 105–7; defining the project 96–100; exercises 107–8; gathering content 101–4; tasks of a dramaturg 110
mindset 4, 5–6, 80, 89–90; approach to the material 40; asking questions 14, 28, 34, 35; commentary 67; content offered 66; definition of dramaturg 7; devised theatre 165; dramaturg as practice 93, 94; holistic perspective 37, 38, 43, 46, 54; non-production 54; reading the text 17–18, 21; tasks of a dramaturg 110, 115; timing 56–7, 58, 71, 78; understanding audiences 14
modes of communication 106–7, 122–3, 137–9, 142–3, 168
p.198
Morgan, Anne 189
movement 27
Mud (Fornes) 41
music 23, 179; authenticity 33–4; holistic perspective 39; working with playwrights 46–7
navigational metaphors 114, 172
need-based questions 24
new plays 144, 154–62, 169, 185–6
non-production 54
notes 53, 59, 66, 175, 178, 180; see also program notes
online resources 102, 105–6, 121
Oregon Shakespeare Theatre 4
outreach 26, 76, 80, 131–3; deadlines 58; dramaturg as audience outreach 99–100; exercises 152; play selection 83; questions asked 32; see also lobby displays; program notes; study guides; talkbacks
Parks, Suzan-Lori 82
performance dates 57
place 20, 27, 40; choice of 79–80, 84–7, 89; holistic reading of a text 45; location information in glossaries 119, 185
play analysis 113
play selection 79–80, 81–3, 89
playwrights: advocating for 53, 160, 162, 174; career paths for dramaturgs 188; casebooks 115, 117–18; communication with 61; devised theatre 164, 166; “elephant in the room” 75; meetings with 97; new plays 154, 155, 156–62, 185–6; play analysis 113; pre-production 111; program notes 141; reading the text 17–18; rhythm 56; study guides 149, 150; women 82; working with 30, 46–8, 155
politics 180
posters 139
pre-production 57, 60, 65, 111–15, 124, 127
presentation 9, 10, 58, 105–7, 112; casebooks 121–3; devised theatre 168; lobby displays 137–9; program notes 142–3; study guides 150; see also communication
production history 115, 118, 141, 150
production team 36, 89; “elephant in the room” 73–5; meetings 49–50, 97, 113–14, 125, 127; questions answered 16, 22–5; questions asked 31–2; study guides 150; talkbacks 145–6; see also actors; designers; directors; technicians
Proehl, Geoffrey 11
program notes 58, 131, 133, 140–3; “elephant in the room” 76, 77; questions answered 26; questions asked 32; schedule of events 128
project definition see defining the project
pronunciation 64, 65, 101–2, 118, 119
questions 13–35; answering 14–15, 16–26, 34, 35, 69, 80; asking 13–15, 26–35, 42, 66, 80, 94, 187; audiences 25–6, 32; devised theatre 165; directors 28–30, 53; new plays 158, 161; production team 22–5, 31–2; rehearsals 52, 53, 126; rules for 32–5; talkbacks 146, 147; texts 17–22, 27–8, 33; timing 59–63, 72
references 119
reflective commentary 52
rehearsals 26, 123–7, 177–8; devised theatre 163, 168–9; dramaturg as audience advocate 132; “elephant in the room” 75–6; holistic perspective 51–4; questions asked 31; schedule of events 128, 129; timing 57; working with actors 182
relationships 14, 28, 58, 59–60, 174, 175, 190
research 9–10, 101–4, 119–21; dramaturg as researcher 98–9; pre-production 111; production meetings 50; questions 25; scenarios 102; schedule of events 127; see also content
p.199
revelation, moments of 178
Rhinocéros (Ionesco) 136
role 3, 5, 6; active verbs 173; definition of 9, 10; dramaturg as collaborator 97–8; new-play dramaturg 154–5; rehearsals 123–4
Romanska, Magda 11
Ruined (Nottage) 145
rules: holistic reading of a text 45, 46; for life 189–91; for questions 32–5; questions asked from the text 17, 18, 19, 22, 113
schedules 57–9, 62, 70–1, 72, 78, 127–9, 165
scripts: devised theatre 163, 164, 165; directors’ suggestions 161; holistic reading of 44–6; new plays 155, 158; play selection 82; practice reading 170; questions answered 16, 17–22; rehearsals 124; schedule of events 127, 128; script analysis 18, 19, 22, 31–2, 40, 111–13, 114, 126; script development 47; see also texts
season planning 81
The Second Shepherds’ Play (Wakefield Cycle) 85
selection of play 79–80, 81–3, 89
self-reflection 9
Shaffer, Peter 138
Smith, Anna Deavere 85
sound design 39
staged readings 156
story 18, 19, 22, 27, 133; devised theatre 163, 166; holistic reading of a text 45, 46; new plays 155
structure 18, 19–20, 22; devised theatre 164; holistic reading of a text 45, 46; new plays 155; rhythm 56; transitions 184
study guides 58, 131, 133, 149–51, 152
synthesis of content 103, 121, 142
talkbacks 131, 133, 143–8; “elephant in the room” 76, 77; exercises 151–2; new plays 159–60; prompts for 64; questions answered 26; schedule of events 129
tasks of a dramaturg 5, 10, 12, 109–10; casebooks 115–23; lobby displays 133–40; pre-production 111–15; program notes 140–3; rehearsals 123–7; study guides 149–51; talkbacks 143–8
texts: devised theatre 164, 168; holistic reading of 44–6; questions answered 17–22, 33; questions asked 27–8, 33; see also scripts
time 18, 20, 21, 27, 40, 173–4; casebooks 120; choice of 79–80, 87–9; holistic reading of a text 45–6
timing 56–78, 80, 174; asking a question 59–63; devised theatre 165–6, 169; “elephant in the room” 73–8; lobby displays 136; new plays 155, 157, 158; rehearsals 125; schedule of events 127–9; sharing of content 71; staying in the moment 71–2; talkbacks 147–8; when to offer commentary 66–70; when to offer content 63–6, 70–1
Topdog/Underdog (Parks) 82
p.200
Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 (Smith) 85
usage 43
verb, dramaturg as a 3–11, 93–4, 110
vision 44, 53; commentary 67; directors 28, 29, 48–9; new plays 159
visual imagery 65, 101; casebooks 115; devised theatre 163, 165, 167; program notes 143
visual landscape 42, 85, 89, 111
vocabulary 20, 113, 114; devised theatre 167; glossaries 119; new plays 159; program notes 142; script analysis 44; see also language
Vogel, Paula 45
Wakefield Cycle 85
way of seeing, dramaturgy as a 153, 172
websites 132
Williams, Tennessee 118
women playwrights 82