The Art of Active Dramaturgy Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action

by Brown, Lenora Inez

• ISBN13: 9781585103515
• ISBN10: 1585103519
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781585104567
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-03-01
• Publisher: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Co.

Summary

The Art of Dramaturgy is a transformative approach to dramaturgical thinking and collaboration. Each chapter includes ways to approach so-called old plays or set texts (think Shakespeare or Pinter or Parks) and then takes it up a notch to show how to use those skills when working on new plays.

Author Biography

Lenora Inez Brown is the former Head of Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism at The Theatre School, DePaul University. She has served as a dramaturg at numerous new-play workshops and festivals including The Sundance Theatre Labs 2000 and 2001, South Coast Repertory's The Pacific Playwright Festival, The Goodman Theatre's New Stages Series, The Bonderman Festival at Indiana Repertory Theatre, and New Visions/New Voices at The Kennedy Center. She helped initiate Madison Rep's new play festival, which included the premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice. She was the dramaturg for the 1999 Tony nominated musical It Ain't Nothing But the Blues. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from the Yale School of Drama.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. xi
The Fundamentals
Beginning the Dramaturgical Process	p. 1
Reflection: The Foundation of Active Dramaturgy	p. 11
The Dramaturg's Art	p. 35
First Encounters
Preparation for Collaboration with the Director	p. 55
Preparation for Collaboration with the Playwright	p. 69
The First Day of Rehersal: Working with Actors	p. 89
The Collaborative Dramaturg
Active Production Dramaturgy	p. 109
Festivals, Workshops, and Post-Play Discussions	p. 139
Capturing the Vision	p. 169
A Dramaturgical Credo	p. 199
Open Questions	p. 201
The Need for a Dramaturgical Contract	p. 207
Bibliography	p. 209
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