What do dramaturgs do?
“Incite, legitimize, and embody the artistic and existential chaos of the creative process..” —Gad Kaynar
photo credit: Allison Stewart
I can help you develop an idea or a collection of stories into a script, take a script and adapt it to your needs, or provide the depth of research, historical expertise and the ability to effectively communicate that research to your actors and design team to bring your project to life and make your production accurate and nuanced.
“My role is to celebrate the author and the diversity of the voices collected and to help make the script a re-producible force for good in the theatre world.”
Photo credit: Allison Stewart
Annie’s 88th Season has been dubbed “The Year of the Woman,” and how fitting that in this pandemic year, Annie’s final show is a showcase of a truly feminist dramaturgical model. The dramaturgs helped to pick up the broken pieces of a pandemic season by collecting historic bits of women’s stories that have been ignored, and then with art, style, and compassion we made a brilliant collage, a culminating expression of what women can do—what women have done—despite adversity, despite being told “no,” despite hurdle after hurdle materializing before them.
We were approached before the winter break when it looked like the musical could not safely be staged and were asked to support director Missy Barnes in developing a revue featuring women composers and lyricists. We responded with a hearty “Yes!” Furthermore, we committed to helping the directorial team to create a spectacular and unique show. We collaborated for the past three months with Missy, Eric, and Jason, using every technology available—from our course management software, to Zoom meetings, to late-night text messages and email, and of course, the analog way: visiting the theatre to watch rehearsals. We researched the lives of these amazing women and from their own words crafted a story about how women’s place in musical theatre has transformed over time. —Dramaturg’s note
Raise You Up: Women in Musical Theatre, Annie Russell Theatre 2021. Photo credit: Tony Firriolo
Your own professor on call
No matter what play or genre you are producing, chances are I have taught it at either the undergraduate or graduate level. I have the research skills to help you bring the text to life through in-depth and targeted analysis specific to your concept.