Have you ever been to a play where there was a discussion with the actors afterward? Or have you ever wondered how a production does its research for costumes and sets? Or have you seen a play that left you talking about it with a friend for hours? There’s actually a person involved with the play who works with all that. We call that person a dramaturg, and they do a very important job called dramaturgy that affects almost everything about the play!
Dramaturgy has been around since at least the Ancient Greeks, but nobody really thought about it as a job or an important part of theatre until a man named Gotthold Lessing came onto the scene. Lessing was a German writer in the late 18th century who noticed that theatre styles were getting old and that Germany didn’t have its own kind of theatre. He worked at the new Hamburg National Theatre where he encouraged Germans to write their own plays. He also trained actors and critiqued productions before they performed, improving the play before outside critics gave their reviews. His work was revolutionary, and soon every theater in Europe wanted to have their very own “Lessing” on their team!
Lessing created the role of the dramaturg, this in-house critic and educator, which has continued to grow and evolve since then. The role of dramaturg is quickly becoming an essential one to many theaters here in the United States, with everyone from Disney to colleges to Tony Award winners wanting to have a dramaturg in the room!
But what does a dramaturg actually do? That answer will actually change depending on what the project needs, but typically a dramaturg will always ask questions for all the artists involved. “Why does this play matter to people?” “Are the designs historically accurate?” “How can we help the audience have the best experience possible?” These kinds of questions are to help artists start conversations and make connections, making the best work possible.
Dramaturgy work also looks like deciding what shows to perform, helping writers create new plays, doing historical research for designers and actors, assisting the director cast the play, and even translating plays into different languages to be performed!
The dramaturg is also very focused on the audience, because after all, what’s a good play without a standing ovation at the end? They do a lot of audience engagement, which means they try to create the best experience possible for people coming to see the show. They can put informational displays in the theater lobby, create study guides for plays, write notes for the program, and host discussions with the audience and actors after the show. Just like with the artists, they want the audience to have conversations and make connections with the performance.
Dramaturgy affects nearly every part of theatre and allows for new ideas to be explored. Sound exciting? You can be a dramaturg yourself by trying one of these activities!
- Read the script of a favorite play you’ve seen. How is it different seeing it on page than on the stage?
- Pick a movie or play and look up images from when it takes place!
- Watch a play or movie and write down a list of questions you would want to ask the actors.
- Pick your favorite play or movie and think about why it’s your favorite. Then go ask a friend or family member about their favorite play or movie and why they feel that way.
We’d love to see what you come up with. You can share your creations here.