Department of English

This course will examine the functions and methods of the dramaturg--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 plays action.  We will study the history of the
 dramaturg in the American theatre and discuss contemporary issues relating to
 the dramaturg's contribution to the theatrical production (including the legal
 debates about the dramaturg'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.