Department of English

This course will examine the functions and methods of the dramaturgy--the person in the theatrical process who advises the artistic collaborators on (among other things) new play development, the structure of the script, the playwright's biography and other writings, the play's first production and its subsequent production history, and the historical and regional details of the period depicted in the play's action. We will study the history of the dramaturgy in the American theatre and discuss contemporary issues relating to the dramaturgy's contribution to theatrical production (including the legal debates about the dramaturgy's contribution to the creation of Rent). And, in creative teams, the class will create dramaturgical portfolios for a season of imaginary (and, potentially, a few actual) theatrical productions.