Review of Dramaturgical Literature and Annotated Bibliography
Review of Literature
Dramaturgy is a broadly practiced and defined role, due in part to the incredible flexibility required in the position. No one dramaturg follows the same guidelines when working on a project, and no one dramaturgical project requires the same thing. Dramaturgy, once a position that dealt primarily in only the research aspects of theatre, has now blossomed into so much more. There are scholarly dramaturgs and production dramaturgs, and then the kinds of productions range from verbatim theatre, to dance, to even technological productions such as video games. And then within a production there are many different methodologies of dramaturgy; someone working on a Shakespeare production will have a very different experience then someone working on an Ibsen. With so many variables, how can anyone define what a dramaturg is? To put it bluntly, many do not even try.
When looking at source books and literary materials about dramaturgy, nearly every single one starts out the same; they state that “we are not trying to define dramaturgy, just give our opinions on it”. While this is a wise decision given the scope of the job, it does leave newcomers in an odd place. How does someone, a student or new dramaturg, start to come to terms with a position with such a broad range of tasks and interpretations that even the experts cannot define it? Luckily there is plethora of material available for those burgeoning young dramaturgs, written ostensibly by the veterans in the field. Those veterans have also produced a large amount of work aimed at themselves. The issue is that there is no middle ground. When looking at dramaturgical works there is a large amount dedicated to beginners, and a large amount dedicated to practitioners, but there is barely anything written for those in the middle. If a mythical “semi-profession” dramaturg exists they have no recourse but to suffer through material so easy it is almost insulting or grind through nearly indecipherable technical jargon and case studies.
Starting at the beginning, we see a large amount of works clearly meant for students or beginning dramaturgs. Sources in this category include Theories of the Theatre: a Historical and Critical Survey, from the Greeks to the Present by Marvin Carlson, Ghost Light: an Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy by Michael Chemers, The Process of Dramaturgy: a Handbook by Scott Irelan, Dramaturgy in the Making: a User's Guide for Theatre Practitioners by Katalin Trencsényi and Dramaturgy and Performance by Catherine Turner and Synne Behrndt. These books are invaluable materials for students who have no experience in dramaturgy at all, but anyone who is slightly familiar with the territory will experience a severe case of deja-vu once they progress past the first few books.
These books attempt to clarify dramaturgy in a very loose method, mainly aiming at giving a firmer understanding of production dramaturgy. In lieu of a concrete definition they all begin with a section on the history of dramaturgy, from the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen to Brecht. There is quite a lot of Brecht in these sources. Beyond the history section the books start to diversify a bit. This is where they go into the methodology to be a production dramaturg. Most are structured in similar ways; what to do before meeting the production team and director, what to do during production and rehearsals, and what to do afterward. These sections include topics such as researching and editing the script, putting together casebooks for the team and how to interact with them and actors, and how to create lobby displays and other outreach programs for the audience.
This information is incredibly useful for anyone who is wholly unfamiliar with dramaturgy, but as stated above these books are all quite similar. Also, anyone with any experience in dramaturgy will find these books tedious and full of obvious information; granted, some of these sources do have a surprising amount of depth that may be useful for expanding understanding in areas that a dramaturg may not have encountered before.
For any beginning dramaturg Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey, from the Greeks to the Present by Marvin Carlson, Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy by Michael Chemers, and The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook by Scott Irelan should be literary staples. Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey, from the Greeks to the Present is an alarming complete anthology of theatre theory; and as the title states it really does cover everything from the Greeks to present times (by which the book means the 90s with theorists such as Derrida). This book is useful to more than just dramaturgs. Any theatre scholar will find themselves referencing this book for the “greatest hits” in theory for any given period. While this book does not go into great depth for each period, or highlight lesser known or auteur artists, it does give a comprehensive overview of the general theories and theorists of each time period. The lack of intense examination can be forgiven since entire books are written on the era that each chapter covers. If this book mentioned everything noteworthy in all theatre related eras in history it would be monumentally long. For an introduction into theory, and for those already well-versed in theory but looking for a comprehensive compilation of the “important bits” this book is a necessity. The downside is that once read, the history sections in all the other dramaturgical books will become unbearable.
Moving on to the next most relevant book for beginners The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook will answer any question a burgeoning dramaturg may have. It truly is a handbook; each section is filled to the brim with case studies, variations on how something may be achieved, and even exercises for each step in the production process. It really does give out a lot of information, even going as far as to have checklists for what you should have in a casebook and example emails for your first contact with a show’s director. For someone working on their very first production, they need only flip to the specific chapter dealing with whatever they are working on at the moment to see what they could do, how others tackled it, and try their hand at the exercises listed to complete the production stage that they are stuck on. It feels more like a study guide or workbook that an instructor would handout; one must resist the urge to fill in the exercises while reading as if they were back in grade school completing worksheets. This book is quite unique in this regard. One of the main issues with this book is that it may hoist upon young dramaturgs the idea that the only correct way is the way showcased within the book. This is a dangerous mindset, since there are so many kinds of productions one could find oneself on, and so many different methods to complete the same tasks. It is understandable that someone with absolutely no experience would find a definite answer comforting, but what will happen when that person comes across a director or production team that expects the casebook to be done a certain way? What if the promotional material will only be accepted by the recipient (school, blog, radio station, website, what have you) in a format that is not mentioned in this book and therefore unknown to the dramaturg? This book is a very good starting point, and very useful to a student or incredibly new dramaturg, but it is essential that any dramaturg learn to explore different methods outside of what this book suggests to not stagnate as a practitioner.
This leads us to Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy by Michael Chemers. This book is quite close to that mythical middle ground, due to the fact that Chemers is a veteran dramaturg. While very clearly meant for beginning dramaturgs there is a fair peppering of theory and anecdotal insight that could be useful to those looking for more than just introductory level information. Ghost Light, much like The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook, includes exercises that a student will find useful (though not to the extent or extreme degree that the previous books does). The latter sections of Ghost Light are what cater to the younger dramaturgs, and this is where the majority of exercises can be found. These sections deal with building casebooks, working with the production team, and community outreach; all standard fair in these beginner level books. What sets this one apart from its brethren is the theoretical exploration done in the first section. While it does go over the history of dramaturgy it takes time to focus on lesser known figures (such as Hrosvita). It also delves into styles of theatre, which is a topic that is not touched on outside of Brecht’s contributions (post-colonialism is even mentioned). Chemers includes case studies of productions he has worked on, but not to strengthen exercises such as how The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook but to give critical analysis on the nature of a dramaturg and why certain decisions were made in the production. This manages to give concrete examples of how to handle instances in a production without framing it as the be-all-end-all answer to that situation; by explaining the reasoning and methodology of the choices Chemers starts to foster the analytical skills needed so a dramaturg can face any issue without freezing up because it does not match the framework they are used to. If only that section was not one third of the book it would fit in the mythical middle ground.
The sources for veteran dramaturgs fall primarily into two categories, books for scholars and books for practitioners. There is a slim margin between these two groupings, but sources for practitioners focus on case studies and anecdotes about various productions while the scholarly sources focus on theory and critique of dramaturgy as a concept. Another level of differentiation between these and the materials discussed previously is that the productions, case studies, and anecdotes mentioned stray into fields of theatre that have not previously been explored. The materials meant for beginners focus on “standard” plays, and the most that they separate them is by stating the difference between productions in academic settings and productions in independent theatrical (company) settings. Meanwhile, the kinds of productions mentioned in these higher tier books can range from industrial theatre to verbatim to dance, with no small number of outliers.
Scholarly sources include “Informing the New Dramaturgy: Critical Theory to Creative Process” by Paul Castagno, Great Reckonings in Little Rooms: on the Phenomenology of Theatre by Bert O. States, and “Mimetic Theory: Rivalry, Violence, Scapegoat—Theatre and Drama through the Lens of René Girard” by Matthew Yde. These books and articles focus on the theory of dramaturgy and theatre and contain many references of academic writings and essays.
Of these sources Great Reckonings in Little Rooms: on the Phenomenology of stand out as a complete, coherent works that will add new layers of critical thought and understanding to any practicing dramaturg, though this may be due to the fact that these sources are books instead of just articles. Bert O. States crafts a deeply thought-provoking conversation about the nature of theatre itself. While it may stray a bit from the purely dramaturgical, its exploration of what makes theatre phenomenal (or something that can have a person see “art” instead of a collection of items that may have symbolism but are still rooted in reality) is invaluable to any dramaturg who wishes to work alongside the production team in crafting a breathtaking production; one that has symbolism and meaning but also serves its purpose as art that can make an audience forget that they are simply sitting in a room observing a show. Bert O. States takes his time exploring one very specific theory of theatre, going over every facet of it and how it relates to a production, from the text to the staging to the actors themselves. However, this book is very much designed for the seasoned theorist. A young dramaturg or student will find themselves running to the internet to look up the definitions and figures that are brought up and referenced without much background; for it assumed that the reader would already be intimately familiar with them.
“Informing the New Dramaturgy: Critical Theory to Creative Process” by Paul Castagno, and “Mimetic Theory: Rivalry, Violence, Scapegoat—Theatre and Drama through the Lens of René Girard” by Matthew Yde are very similar in that they take theatrical productions and use them to explain complex theoretical concepts. While doing so does explain these concepts in a way that is simpler than just coming at the reader right out of the gate with the theory, this method is only useful if the reader already has knowledge of the plays themselves; a slight familiarity with the concept would also help. Once again newcomers will find themselves drowning in technical jargon and references that they are expected to know. A student would probably find an explanation about “New Dramaturgy” as defined by Castagno (which is a title he has given to the works produced by a small number of contemporary playwrights who are taking text and dialogue into new realms) quite fascinating and useful, but unless they have a firm understanding of Russian Formalism (a concept that was practiced from the 1910s to the 1930s) they will find an already heady topic even more impenetrable. Same with Yde’s work in mimetic theory. Mimetic theory is a concept that is taught in academia, but to comprehend the points made in this article one must understand it, René Girard’s work, and the surrealist and absurdist plays of Martin McDonagh. Any of these concepts take a while to wrap one’s head around, and by combining them together the message is clear; veterans only, newcomers keep out.
For materials dealing with in-depth productions there is The Art of Active Dramaturgy: Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action by Lenora Brown, “Verbatim Theatre and a Dramaturgy of Belonging.” by Sarah Peters, “Dramaturgy: Conceptual Understanding and the Fickleness of Process.” by Jon Rossini, “Industrial Theatre as a Negotiated Dramaturgy.” by Gary Mersham and Gavin Baker, and “How to Tell a True War Story: The Dramaturgy and Staging of Narrative Theatre.” by Jill Taft-Kaufman. These sources definitely have a lower bar for entry then those listed above; case studies are useful to any practicing dramaturg and one does not have to hone their craft for years to read them (fully comprehend their intricacies, possibly). The issue arises in that the productions that are referenced herein are all non-typical kinds of theatre, at least to those who have just entered the field. A detailed account of how a piece of narrative theatre was staged and produced is all well and good, as long as the reader knows what narrative theatre is.
Mersham and Baker’s, Peters’, and Taft-Kaufman’s articles deal with situations like this; Peters discusses verbatim theatre and how the uniqueness of the artform affects dramaturgy. She uses a few different productions as case studies to further her explanation of how the dramaturg must adapt to fulfill their role within a different kind of production. Taft-Kaufman takes a different approach, giving only one anecdote but going into immense detail. She discusses how she created a narrative production, beginning with choosing the material to base the play upon and going all the way to open night. Mersham and Baker take a look at another under-represented form of theatre, that of industrial theatre. This form of production is often used in corporate environments to explore workplace occurrences and issues of ethics. To gain a greater understanding of this uncommon theatrical form, reference is made to Brecht’s epic theatre (everything comes back to Brecht) and Boal’s forum theatre. While a student undoubtedly will be familiar with Brecht, Boal’s forum theatre may not be as well explored; and as stated previously using various theories to explore the main topic of any work is only useful when those supporting theories are well understood. This is especially important when dealing with uncommon (and for students and new dramaturgs, completely unknown) forms of theatre.
The Art of Active Dramaturgy: Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action and “Dramaturgy: Conceptual Understanding and the Fickleness of Process.” are different in that they do not necessarily deal with kinds of theatre, but more so conventions within theatre itself, such as being an active participant in productions and seeing dramaturgy as more than just research. Brown’s The Art of Active Dramaturgy: Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action focuses heavily on how to think like a dramaturg; unlike the books geared towards beginners which give out concrete answers Brown discusses (much like Chemers’ Ghost Light) the why and how of the decisions that are made. In that sense it is a highly elevated version of Ghost Light, where the exercises and explanation are replaced with anecdotes exploring the theory of dramaturgy as an active, participating member of any production team. Going off this Rossini’s article “Dramaturgy: Conceptual Understanding and the Fickleness of Process.” aims to change the perception that dramaturgy is research that can help theatre; rather he states that dramaturgy is an integral part of theatre that just so happens to involve research. He uses a case study to explain how when a dramaturg acts as part of the production staff (as an active dramaturg, if you will) even the thorniest pieces can be elevated and understood. He states that a dramaturgs job is to provide clarity and understanding of the piece to all involved; this includes cast, crew, and the audience. These pieces are not as indecipherable to the newcomer as the other production oriented sources, and as such they are the “easiest” of the “advanced” materials; however the incredibly technical and advanced actions advised and discussed in these sources would be certain to terrify a new dramaturg with the thought that they have to do the immense amount of work prescribed in order to succeed. As much as the simplified sources could lead to an inflexibility in young dramaturgs, they will at least not paralyze them with a massive amount of work and variations on methodology.
Of course, there are always a few outliers, and these fall into two categories; new research that has barely been touched upon, and the mythical middle ground. Innovation, Technology and Converging Practices in Drama Education and Applied Theatre by Michael Anderson, “The Theatre of the Selfie: Fictive Practices of the Instagram Artist.” by Sara Sylvester, and “Rise Again Digitally: Musical Revivals and Digital Dramaturgy on Broadway.” by Bryan Vandevender are examples of not often discussed research; these sources focus on performance and dramaturgy in the technological sphere. There is precious little done on these topics. Of all of them Michael Anderson’s book is the most complete, being an anthology of essays in the field of technology in theatre. There is a wide array of topics covered because it is just a collection of articles. This is good because one can see as much of the field as one can, but there are no deep investigations to be explored. There is quite a lot to read, but it is all surface level. At this point in time, the field of theatre in technology is so new that there have not been any in-depth explorations yet. Attempts are being made, such as Sara Sylvester’s “The Theatre of the Selfie: Fictive Practices of the Instagram Artist.”, which is quite an interesting interpretation of the effects of social media and the use of false personas and fictive artists as a method of self-performance and self-dramaturgy. What research that is done in this field is quite interesting; if only there were more of it.
Finally, Dramaturgy in American Theater: A Source Book by Susan Jonas, out of all the sources discussed so far, is that closest to the mythical middle ground that one can get. It is an anthology of essays about dramaturgy, dealing with a multitude of topics. It covers topics seen in the beginner books, such as history of dramaturgy and collaborative practices, but also has theoretical essays that would be comfortable in the erudite groups, such as dramaturgical sensibilities and how American dramaturgy/ dramaturgs differ from what is seen in other countries. The book is organized in a logical manner as prescribed by Jonas, but in the appendices, there are alternate organization methods, which can give the book different contexts. The essays housed within have a level of detail that would keep the interest of any veteran in the field but is based on topics that would interest beginners. It is not boring, and it is also not indecipherable. This is the book of those who are familiar with dramaturgy but have not mastered it yet.
It is a shame that out of all of the sources dealing with dramaturgy there is only one book that caters to this hitherto ignored niche; those who are practiced enough to no longer need the hand-holding beginner materials, but are no practiced enough to be intimately familiar with all of the technical jargon, theorists, and minutia in the advanced materials. This is not the only area where dramaturgical research is lacking. As technology grows more and more advanced it is beginning to permeate the hallowed halls to theatre, and practitioners have no choice but to incorporate it or to fall into antiquity. This is another niche that is begging for in-depth exploration and research.
The community needs to diversify dramaturgical research, so that people of all levels, specialties, and inclinations can find the materials that they need; that is what my review of the dramaturgical literature has found.
Annotated Bibliography
Allain, Paul. “Thick Description/Thin Lines: Writing about Process in Contemporary Performance.” Contemporary Theatre Review, vol. 26, no. 4, 2016, pp. 485–495., doi:10.1080/10486801.2016.1216409.
Thick Description/ Thin Lines is an article from Dr. Paul Allain, describing the struggles of researching contemporary theatre companies and still living artists. The term “Think Description” refers to broad research of a topic, without critical analysis. “Thin Lines” refers to lines that can be crossed in the course of researching a particular topic. Allain provides three case studies explaining the concepts of contemporary research, authorial voice, and censorship. The first two case studies are of theatre companies, the Gardzienice Theatre Association, the Tadashi Suzuki’s Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT), and a critique from Clive Barker who at the time was the co-editor of the New Theatre Quarterly. It is important to note that all these case studies ended badly, though Allain remembers them as learning experiences.
The case studies involving the two theatre companies deal with Allain trying to publish research on them, and both companies asking him to not do so due to their beliefs that the research would hinder their reputation. This is the main question posed in this article, “Should you only publish broad research that will not offend the contemporary subject matter, or should you cross lines in order to report truthfully?” The third case study involves the editor of a publication refusing to publish Allain’s work since it seemed to not be in-depth enough. In this instance the reliance on only using a thick description hindered the work. This article is important for anyone interested in research, as it gives real world examples of the pitfalls that come from publishing on still living artists and institutions.
Anderson, Michael, et al. Innovation, Technology and Converging Practices in Drama Education and Applied Theatre. Routledge, 2015.
This book is an anthology of essays and articles about how technology is changing applied theatre. The book’s short length is a testament to how little research is done in the new field of technology integration with theatre. There are only 8 articles, not counting the introduction from the editors. The main focus of all the articles is using technology to enhance the learning aspects of theatre; from having children in school gain access to theatre productions that they would not see otherwise, to improving the theatre experience for those in physical attendance with the help of technology (how online resources can provide supplemental information to deepen the background of a piece), to helping train teachers and theatre practitioners. They even discuss how technology itself can be considered a theatre venue (twitter blogging, online news outlets, recorded theatre, and even video games). This book showcases the new avenues that technology can bring to theatre, and this anthology is a good starting point for anyone interested in conducting further research.
Beal, Ara G. “Dramaturgy and Performance.” Theatre Topics, vol. 19, no. 1, 2009, pp. 110–110., doi:10.1353/tt.0.0059.
This review of Turner and Berhndt’s book, Dramaturgy and Performance, neither sings the books praises nor condemns it. It states that the book can be useful for the starting dramaturgs, since it has a good overview of what a dramaturg should do in various scenarios, has a variety of examples, and even touches upon the hardly explored topics of dance dramaturgy, but the author posits that this book will not be very useful to practicing dramaturgs. The historical aspects of it are well known (they are not giving us new info). The connections between practitioners (such as Brecht and David Edgar) are not explored with much depth, and the section on “Millennial Dramaturgy” (dance and video games) is quite brief. For seasoned dramaturgs and scholars, the interesting topics in this book are not explored thoroughly enough, and what is explored is information that is already well documented.
Brown, Lenora Inez. The Art of Active Dramaturgy: Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action. Focus Pub., R. Pullins Co., 2011.
Brown’s book is ideal for practicing dramaturgs who are interested in expanding the theory of the craft. There are three sections, “Fundamentals”, “First Encounters”, and “The Collaborative Dramaturg”. The first section focuses on the thought process of an active dramaturg, and what skills are needed. Noted amongst the chapters are reading text free of biases, analyzing it critically , and how to create thought provoking “open” questions. Being an active listener and seeing the play how the playwright intended is touted as essential skills. The second section “First Encounters” gives examples, through case studies and anecdotes, on how to forge relationships with production staff, and actors. It gives advice on how each part of a company should be dealt with, and how to do this while still maintaining the duties of a dramaturg. The last section, “The Collaborative Dramaturg”, is devoted to connecting what a dramaturg does with the theory and reasons behind why. Chapters focus on rehearsals, readings, and even casebooks. More emphasis is placed on the why then the what, and it is stated that a dramaturg should know the theory behind the choices, not just what to do.
Carlson, Marvin A. Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey, from the Greeks to the Present. Cornell Univ. Press, 2000.
This book is a massive collection of theatre theory, how it was portrayed during various time periods and how it has changed over the ages. The book starts at the literal beginning with Aristotle and the Greeks, and ends with multiple sections breaking down the 20th century. The most recent contributions are from the 90s with such names as Blau and Derrida. While the book does not spend much time on each section, it does hit the high points of each category. To be fair, each category could be the subject of its own book. The purpose of this book is not to give all examples of theory that was produced in each time frame, it is to give a general overview of these periods so that someone who has never studied theatre theory can get the “greatest hits” of each.
The book focuses exclusively on Western theatre and sticks to the classic figures and theories of the time. Those who have any schooling in theatre theory will find this book to be rehashing information that they already know. However, as a resource for quick reference, and as a place where the vast majority of theatre history is compiled, this book is invaluable. For those who have no background it will present vital information, without the nuanced facets of theory that would make it confusing and dense. And for those already familiar, it will serve as a one-stop-shop of major theories, and a way to refresh your memory of the main points of any given time period before diving deeper with other sources.
Castagno, Paul C. “Informing the New Dramaturgy: Critical Theory to Creative Process.” Theatre Topics, vol. 3, no. 1, 1993, pp. 29–42., doi:10.1353/tt.2010.0065.
This article takes a look at what is described as “new dramaturgy” by dissecting works by four playwrights and looking at their plays through the tenants of “Russian Formalism” in order to explain this new dramaturgy. Most of what is described is textural, with all of these playwrights having done new things with the written word. As such they are part of the “new dramaturgy” and so a framework that is known, Russian Formalism, is used as a clarifying tool. What is described as dramaturgy is closer to convention, technique, and theme then what we would know as production dramaturgy. This article is closer to the creative process (the processes of these plays) then dramaturgy.
Chemers, Michael M. Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy. Southern Illinois University Press, 2010.
Michael Chemers, a practicing dramaturg himself, provides a well-balanced book for beginners and veterans alike with Ghost Light. The book’s three sections, Philosophy, Analysis, and Practice cover a wide range of topics that can appeal to a dramaturg at any point of their careers. Chemers begins with the history of dramaturgy, the nature of a dramaturg, and critical theory models of the past century that have shaped dramaturgy (such as post-colonialism). Historical figures that are rarely mentioned enjoy their moment in the spotlight, such as Hrosvita. The next two sections deal more with beginning dramaturgs, as the book shifts towards how to read and analyze plays, recognize and subvert standard structure, collaboration with production staff and directors, and even how to craft casebooks, and engage in community outreach (such as lobby displays). For the veteran dramaturg, Chemers’ use of case studies from his own life will serve to spice up what would normally be a dry re-reading of what is already known. Ghost Light is helpful as a tool for beginners with its multitude of exercises and appendices, but it has enough history, theory, and critical analysis to be interesting for already practicing dramaturgs.
Connelly, Stacey. “Brecht in Practice: Theatre, Theory and Performance by David Barnett.” Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, vol. 32, no. 2, 2018, pp. 165–167., doi:10.1353/dtc.2018.0014.
This article is a review of David Barnett’s Brecht in Practice: Theatre. Theory, and Performance. It goes over how Brecht is constantly misaligned and misunderstood, even though his advancements in staging and collaborating with actors are used nearly daily in the modern theatre world. The book is described as being jargon-free and easy for students to pick up. However, the author of the article points out that Barnett misaligns Stanislavsky in much the same way that he says the world misaligns Brecht. Barnett claims that Brecht is relegated to only staging and “political theatre” then relegates Stanislavsky to the purely psychological. The conclusion states that Barnett’s exercises in the book fall short, proving how hard it is to capture Brecht in practice, but also shows that taking a Brechtian approach towards text (stating that Brechtian methods aren’t political theatre, they’re about making theatre political, collaborating with actors, getting society to distance themselves from what is seen as false empathy (meaning both capitalist and/or Marxist) and finding a stark realism in what is portrayed on stage) can be rewarding.
Devlin, Daniel. “Dramaturgy in the Making: A User’s Guide for Theatre Practitioners by Katalin Trencsényi.” Theatre Topics, vol. 26, no. 3, 2016, pp. 372–373., doi:10.1353/tt.2016.0064.
This article is a review of Trencsényi’s book, and it gives a thorough dissection of the sections. The analysis reached is that, while the book is useful for undergrads and burgeoning dramaturgs (with its inclusion of interviews, case studies, and solutions to common problems) the information within is obvious and unhelpful for practicing dramaturgs. While industry veterans may find use in the case studies, the books lack critical analysis or new theories that would interest anyone who has practiced the craft for a while. This book is a useful starting point for those wishing to start their journey in dramaturgy.
Giguere, Amanda. “The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook, and: The Art of Active Dramaturgy: Transforming Critical Thought into Dramatic Action.” Theatre Topics, vol. 21, no. 2, 2011, pp. 209–211., doi:10.1353/tt.2011.0029.
This article is comparing the book The Process of Dramaturgy with The Art of Active Dramaturgy. In regard to Scott Irelan’s book, Giguere praises it for its approachability and the way that the exercises can be useful for beginning dramaturgs and/or professors starting a dramaturgy course. She points out that the exercises and different sections appear without a solid introduction, and their usefulness can sometimes be suspect. Brown’s book is lauded for being more theoretical and geared for a veteran audience. Brown, a practiced dramaturg, peppers the book with case studies and anecdotes. While this book does not give step-by-step instructions like what is seen in Irelan’s book, it gives advice based on the spirit of the dramaturgy and their qualities. Both books help clarify dramaturgy; one aimed at beginners with concrete answers and exercises, and one aimed at veterans with thought provoking inquiry and anecdotes.
Inchley, Maggie. “Applied Theatre: International Case Studies and Challenges for Practice” (Second Edition) Edited. by Monica Prendergast and Juliana Saxton. “Critical Perspectives on Applied Theory Edited by Jenny Hughes and Helen Nicholson.” Contemporary Theatre Review, vol. 27, no. 1, 2017, pp. 129–130., doi:10.1080/10486801.2016.1268784.
This article is a review of the two above stated collection of essays, Applied Theatre: International Case Studies and Challenges for Practice edited by Monica Prendergast and Juliana Saxton, and Critical Perspectives on Applied Theory edited by Jenny Hughes and Helen Nicholson. The article compares and contrasts the essays found within and finds that the central theme in both collections are; what is applied theatre, how it is achieved, who is responsible for achieving it, and who will take it forward. Applied Theatre is described as more entry level friendly, while Critical Perspectives is more scholarly, yet covers a wider range of topics. The article advocates for reading the collections in tandem as a way to deepen understanding of the underlying questions. It is presumed that these books are aimed at burgeoning practitioners, since the essays included involve theories/ case studies of productions from around the world and what can be gleaned from it.
Irelan, Scott R., et al. The Process of Dramaturgy: A Handbook. Focus Publishing, R. Pullins Company, 2010.
This book is a must have for any dramaturg. It is more of an interactive guide than a book, giving detailed examples from other productions on what worked and what did not, having a multitude of lists and questions to base casebooks around, and even having exercises to complete in order to deepen one’s knowledge. It starts at the beginning with initial research into a production and even why a production should be chosen. It covers how to first contact a director and how to foster the collaborative process, not just with the director but also the production team. Attending production meetings, rehearsals, how to maintain continuity (a unification of director’s vision/ theme/ clarity/ time/ tone/ etc), how to deal with both public domain plays and new works (and how to collaborate with a playwright), and how to handle outreach and education (before, during, and after a production) are delved into in concise, easy to digest chapters. One can go to any section of this book to see a good framework/ starting point for where they are in the production process. This book ends with a case study of a production of Biloxi Blues and everything that went into the production, from initial research to closing outreach. This book is an essential tool for any dramaturg, but specifically students or new dramaturgs who do not have the muscle memory built up yet of what is best to do at any given point in the dramaturgical process. If any snag is reached during the entire production process, all a dramaturg need do is flip to the corresponding chapter in this handy-dandy guide to see the best way to move forward.
Jonas, Susan. Dramaturgy in American Theater: A Source Book. Harcourt Brace, 1997.
This source book is an anthology of essays all written on the topic of dramaturgy, and as such it contains a scope that is hard to find for this subject. The book’s essays are split into five categories, “Precedents and New Beginnings”, “Toward a Dramaturgical Sensibility”, “Modes of Collaboration”, “New Contexts”, and “Developing New Works”. Each section houses essays that pertain to the specific heading, although some essays overlap in subject and the editors point out alternate categorization methods that differ from the book. This way the reading could theoretically rearrange the reading order to find new connections and reach new conclusions. The essays cover many important topics; from the history of dramaturgy, to pioneers in the field (from Brecht to Bogart), to the aspects that are unique to American dramaturgy and American dramaturgs, to the role of dramaturgy and even dramaturgy programs in institutions like Yale. The fact that this anthology is just a compendium of research lets the reader see both how far dramaturgy has come and what has yet to be looked at.
Marranca, Bonnie, and Marvin Carlson. “Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey from the Greeks to the Present.” Performing Arts Journal, vol. 10, no. 1, 1986, p. 116., doi:10.2307/3245578.
This brief article gives an overall impression about Carlson’s book Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey from the Greeks to the Present, which is that the massive amount of work that was undertaken is greatly appreciated and useful to those who are starting to explore theatre theory. While no “new” insights were explored, outlier discussed, or points drawn to non-Western theatre (such as Asian or Indian theatre) it is an invaluable resource for those unfamiliar with or just starting to learn about Western theatre theory.
Mersham, Gary, and Gavin Baker. “Industrial Theatre as a Negotiated Dramaturgy.” South African Theatre Journal, vol. 16, no. 1, 2002, pp. 92–119., doi:10.1080/10137548.2002.9687744.
This article discusses industrial theatre (theatre used by corporations in order to bring awareness to issues within the corporation) and its ties to negotiated dramaturgy. Negotiated dramaturgy is defined as a combination of what we would refer to as production dramaturgy and “negotiation”, which refers (in this context) to an industry term, meaning the way that stakeholders, managers, or instigating parties communicate with the workers/ people the theatrical piece is meant for. The article describes the steps of negotiated dramaturgy in much the same manner as a production dramaturg would be accustomed too; initial meeting, pre-production, rehearsals and staging, dramaturgy integrating with performance, and final feedback. However, all of these steps are done through the lens of industry and trying to achieve an understanding in the workplace. To further understand industrial theatre, the article makes references to Brecht’s “Epic Theatre” and Boal’s “Forum Theatre”. The article itself is meticulously researched and offers an interesting insight on how dramaturgy is used in other fields. Industrial theatre is an interesting topic, and when layered with the concepts of dramaturgy it becomes a riveting read.
Peters, Sarah. “Verbatim Theatre and a Dramaturgy of Belonging.” Australasian Drama Studies, no. 74, 2019, pp. 39-63, 341. Proquest, http://www.libproxy.wvu.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2229865604?accountid=2837.
This article is about verbatim theatre, where one interviews a group of people and uses those interviews (and other similar material, such as documentaries) as the basis for the play, often without changing the text. The author of this article, Sarah Peters, says that the key to this kind of theatre is to make the audience feel integral to the piece, or to “belong”. Since these plays are based on interviews, which are usually the work of a dramaturg, the audience itself becomes akin to a dramaturg. Much has to be done to get the audience to connect or belong. With staging, the audience can feel as if they are the ones giving the interview, or as if they are the confidants to the characters. Doing so involves the dramaturg making the audience feel like dramaturgs themselves. The author argues that people can naturally fall into this state because people have a propensity to engage in stories that they feel that they are actively participating in. If the audience belongs in the narrative, then they will become engaged in it; the same as a dramaturg would in the course of a production.
Rossini, Jon D. “Dramaturgy: Conceptual Understanding and the Fickleness of Process.” Mapping Landscapes for Performance as Research: Scholarly Acts and Creative Cartographies, by Shannon Rose. Riley and Lynette Hunter, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, pp. 237–243.
This is a chapter of the book Mapping Landscapes for Performance and Research. This chapter starts with articulating the point that dramaturgy is not just a form of research, but that dramaturgy is an essential part of theatre that just happens to involve research. In order to do this, a dramaturg must shift from performing activating (like policing scripts) and serve as a creative collaborator. To illustrate the point, Rossini discusses his dramaturgical work on a production of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline. He states that the characters of Cymbeline were infused with an inability to perceive, and this made it difficult for the actors. The theme of being “imperceiverant” (which refers to being unable to perceive, and the characters in Cymbeline both use this term to describe each other and suffer from it themselves) was carried through the piece, and the actors inability to understand their characters is what allowed them to embody them. Rossini’s’ point is that one cannot see dramaturgy as a kind of research that involves theatre. If you do so, you will never understand the process of it (dramaturgy and theatre). This is why the chapter is title “Conceptual Understanding and the Fickleness of Process”.
States, Bert O. Great Reckonings in Little Rooms: on the Phenomenology of Theatre. University of California Press, 1985.
Bert O. States discusses the paradox that theatre exists in; it is at once semiotic (or full of “sign-ness” where observing the objects of theatre allows one to know what the objects represent in the real world) and phenomenal (or having the ability to make one feel something outside of the reality of the object). This is achieved through the stage (and the various forms that the stage has taken throughout history) and the actor (and how through text and audience they bring the characters and play into its own reality outside of its own respective parts).
Both the actor and the stage take the play from being a collection of items, albeit with meaning and representation, to the phenomenal where the play becomes a microcosm of life that the audience can view, both in a voyeuristic sense where they observe a life in miniature encapsulated on stage, and in the sense of co-conspirator where they are another character inside the play itself, contributing to its liveliness.
Sylvester, Sara. “The Theatre of the Selfie: Fictive Practices of the Instagram Artist.” Body, Space & Technology, vol. 18, no. 1, 2019, p. 61., doi:10.16995/bst.315.
This article describes the use of social media to create “fictitious artists” as a public persona. This is paired with Goffman’s theory of dramaturgy and self-dramaturgy. His theory states that any given person is themselves an actor, and that their presence is a branding of themselves; a performance where they show a fictitious version of themselves to, and interact with, an audience. This curation of a performance, whether self-performance or not, makes these self-actors into self-dramaturgs. This phenomenon is explored through the medium of social media, and mostly focuses on selfies. This article is a rare example of technology integrating with performance, and as such deserves a read. The article also goes in-depth about how this affects gender stereotypes, who is more likely to engage in self-dramaturgy, and why people feel the need to brand themselves as “fictitious artists” in both our current society and further back through history. While the main topic of this article is not production dramaturgy, the theories it raises are applicable; especially considering how technology in theatre is a new and promising field.
Taft-Kaufman, Jill. “How to Tell a True War Story: The Dramaturgy and Staging of Narrative Theatre.” Theatre Topics, vol. 10, no. 1, 2000, pp. 17–38., doi:10.1353/tt.2000.0007.
This article is an interesting case study, detailing how a novel The Things They Carried (a novel about the Vietnam War written by veteran Tim O’Brien) was turned into a piece of narrative theatre. Narrative theatre, in this article, is defined as theatre adapted from a piece of literature into a stage performance; different from reader’s theatre in that it is staged, blocked, and acted out instead of just being a glorified staged reading. The author in this piece was the adapter and the director, and as such also acted as a dramaturg for this new production. She describes how she had to reorganize the novel to keep a continuity of theme, and to keep a single tone a narrative easily recognizable. Novels, not being written for the stage, have to be heavily edited to make the jump; the author states that location, action, time, and point-of-view are what needs to be consistent. She also describes how the use of having the cast interview Vietnam Veterans lead to a greater understanding of character motivations and the implied audience. In narrative works there is always an implied audience, as opposed to traditional theatrical works where there is the understood fourth wall. All this prep work led to the staging, which in defiance of normal narrative theatre had sets and props. The theme of remembrance and storytelling was kept in the forefront by applying the thematic framework of nightmares; the set was surreal and abstract, and each character’s props were symbols of that specific character and his personality. In these ways, the adaptation and associated dramaturgical preparation, the novel was adapted into a theatrical piece
Trencsényi Katalin. Dramaturgy in the Making: A User's Guide for Theatre Practitioners. Methuen Drama, 2015.
This book, while being designed towards helping students and new dramaturgs, is interesting because it has a section devoted to the under-researched dance dramaturgy. The book is separated into three categories, “Institutional Dramaturgy”, “Production Dramaturgy”, and “Dance Dramaturgy”. The first section discusses why theatre had to introduce dramaturgs and literary managers, going back in history to when theatres started to be independently run instead of directed by governments and royalty. It then goes on to further explore how an institution’s theatre program has to build seasons and repertoires in order to cater to the community that supports it. This viewpoint, while researched, is not as broadly discussed as other facets of dramaturgy, and as such this section raises interesting points that might not be common knowledge to a dramaturg or scholar. The second section “Production Dramaturgy” will not contain any surprises for those practiced in the field. It gives examples of how a dramaturg should research texts, collaborate with production staff, and do community outreach. What is interesting is the inclusion of “product-led” and “process-led” dramaturgy. These two sections serve to differentiate between productions where the performance is the goal (the repeatability, the themes derived, and/or the overall benefit it gives to a company) and where the process is the goal (the learning that went into the production, the uniqueness and spontaneity, the benefit it gives the audience and actors as a live and unrepeatable performance). The final section focuses on dance, and how a dramaturg can elevate this theatrical form that traditionally does not use dramaturgs. The stated argument is that a dramaturg can serve as a reflector to the choreographer and dancers of how their piece will be received by an audience. By giving those involved in the piece a chance to see their performance from outside the monotonous, muscle-memory rut that dancers can get into when performing choreography, they can see the themes, messages, and intended moods of their piece as the audience would. This can lead to a greater understanding, and the chance to change a piece in order to more clearly define an overall goal.
This book, while not being overly ambitious, and while possibly not being very exciting for industry veterans, has enough base information to be useful for starting dramaturgs and to be stimulating for scholars and (for lack of a better term) intermediate dramaturgs.
Turner, Catherine, and Synne K. Behrndt. Dramaturgy and Performance. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.
This book looks at dramaturgy throughout the ages, beginning with the history of how the craft developed and ending with how our modern age is shaping it. The first section starts with a historical overview of dramaturgy before focusing on Brecht and how he shaped it. The second section deals with how a dramaturg should act in various scenarios; in institutions, with playwrights, in production companies, and as a separate entity (what a dramaturg is in theory). The final, and shortest chapter deals with dramaturgy in the modern age. It briefly touches upon dance dramaturgy, and even dramaturgy in a technology space (video games and virtual reality). It posits that in the new mediums, the role of a dramaturg is spread out among many people; the director/ choreographer, the actors, and even the audience. Each section contains a conclusion that succinctly summarizes the main topic of that section, and as such it can be easily digestible for those who are new to the theory and history of dramaturgy.
Vandevender, Bryan M. “Rise Again Digitally: Musical Revivals and Digital Dramaturgy on Broadway.” IBroadway: Musical Theatre in the Digital Age, by Jessica Hillman-McCord, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017, pp. 309–329.
This is a chapter of IBroadway: Musical Theatre in the Digital Age. This chapter starts by stating that dramaturgs must be present for musicals to give audiences context, and to reach the audience the internet must be used for the greatest possible outreach. It then goes into how two different musical theatre companies, the Lincoln Center Theatre and the Roundabout Theatre Company, go about bringing dramaturgy into the digital space. The RTC uses the internet to outreach to audiences, with blogs and promotional materials. Displays that would usually be in a lobby are digitized and made available online. Meanwhile the LCT wants dramaturgs to be invisible. They provide educational materials online for teachers, and they may post the occasional interview, but their goal is to deepen the understanding and experience of the play for the audience that is seeing it. The two different methods both use technology, but one has the research and the researchers (dramaturgs) on full display for all to see, while the other only provides extra materials for those with a scholarly bent and at all other times uses dramaturgs to enhance the production itself invisibly.
Yde, Matthew. “Mimetic Theory: Rivalry, Violence, Scapegoat—Theatre and Drama through the Lens of René Girard.” Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, vol. 31, no. 1, 2016, pp. 87–108., doi:10.1353/dtc.2016.0023.
This article takes mimetic theory, proposed by René Girard (a literary critic) and applies it to theatre, with the help of case studies. Yde explains the concepts of mimetic theory by using them to dissect two plays by Martin McDonagh, The Lonesome West and A behanding in Spokane. Mimetic theory deals with mimicry, specifically stating that desire and conflict are instigated by observing it in others. Scapegoat, a popular Girard theory, is also a common theme in theatre. Yde explores, through these two plays, how the desires of characters can be passed on and osmosed through interactions and perceived wants. A character only desires something because someone else desires it. As an explanation of Girard’s theories, it feels a little weak. The articles feel as if Yde cherry picked two plays that showcase these theories the best, and thus he makes his argument that all theatre behaves like this.
