I discovered the underused art of dramaturgy during my freshman year of college, and fell in love with this shapeshifting role.

 

But Emma, what is a dramaturg? It depends on who you ask. I often describe myself as part theatre historian and part audience advocate, but that barely scratches the surface. Part of the problem is that I do two kinds of dramaturgy. 

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Production Dramaturgy

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In production dramaturgy, I help connect the dots. I research the hell out of the world of the play and translate that into something the creative team and cast can actually use. You won't find 50-page academic papers here. Instead, you'll get a digestible, inspiring research packet (or, my specialty, a research website) that keeps the information fun! 

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But not as fun as the next step. My work can help usher your audience from their regular lives into the world of the production. I display a small portion of my research in the lobby in as interactive a format as possible to get the audience thinking before they even sit down. I'm very interested in pushing lobby displays beyond what is conventional. What if each audience member shapes the display? What if the program is something the audience wants to keep? There's so much room for creativity.

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New work Dramaturgy

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As a new work dramaturg, I'm a play's first audience member, its fiercest advocate, and sometimes a necessary skeptic. Think of me as an artistic translator and creative mediator. I help the playwright hear what the director is asking for, and help the director understand what the playwright is reaching toward. I champion what's working and gently interrogate what isn't, always in service of the play. As a playwright myself, I understand the particular pain of killing your darlings. Sometimes you need an outside eye, with your play's best interest in mind, to help you see which darlings to leave on the cutting room floor.

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Explore some of the dramaturgy I already have under my belt below, and contact me if you have any questions or want to make me a part of your next project!