This guide covers tools to help you with the discovery/research part of dramaturgy.
"Dramaturgy is a term that refers to both the aesthetic architecture of a piece of dramatic literature (its structure, themes, goals, and conventions) and the practical philosophy of theater practice employed to create a full performance.
In practice dramaturgy refers to the accumulated techniques that all theatrical artists employ to do three things:
--Michael Mark Chemers, Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy (2010)
Search these databases to identify and/or get full text of articles about dramaturgy.
A search of the Library Catalog will show you items UAB Libraries owns, a search for Everything will open your search to include items that can be accessed via ILL as well.
You may also want to do an Advanced Search for Subject using Drama--Technique to locate books and articles on dramaturgy and related topics.
Ghost Light by
Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy offers useful and entertaining answers to the confounding questions: "What, exactly, is dramaturgy, and what does a dramaturg do?" According to Michael Mark Chemers, dramaturgs are the scientists of the theater world--their primary responsibility is to query the creative possibilities in every step of the production process, from play selection to costume design, and then research the various options and find ways to transform that knowledge into useful ideas. To say that dramaturgs are well-rounded is an understatement: those who choose this profession must possess an acute aesthetic sensibility in combination with an extensive knowledge of theater history and practice, world history, and critical theory, and they must be able to collaborate with every member of the creative team and theater administration. Ghost Light is divided into three sections. Part 1, "Philosophy," describes what dramturgs do, presents a detailed history of dramaturgy, and summarizes many of the critical theories needed to analyze and understand dramatic texts. "Analysis" teaches the two essential skills of a dramaturg: reading and writing. It includes a "12-step program for script analysis" along with suggestions about how to approach various genres and play structures. "Practice," the third part, delves into the relationships that dramaturgs forge and offers useful advice about collaborating with other artists. It also includes ideas for audience outreach initiatives such as marketing and publicity plans, educational programs, talkbacks, blogs, and program notes and lobby displays, all of which are often the responsibility of the dramaturg. Ghost Light was written with undergraduate students in mind and is perfectly suited for the classroom (each chapter concludes with a series of practical exercises that can be used as course assignments). However, dramaturgy is a skill that is essential to all theater practitioners, not just professional or aspiring dramaturgs, making Ghost Light a valuable addition to all theater libraries.
Principles of Dramaturgy by
In Principles of Dramaturgy, Robert Scanlan explains the invariant principles behind the construction of stage and performance events of any style or modality. This book contains all that is essential for training a professional stage director and/or dramaturg, including the "plot-bead" technique for analysing play scripts developed by Scanlan. It details all the steps for the full implementation of "Production Dramaturgy" as it is practiced in professional theatres, and treats form andaction as foundational cornerstones of all performance, rather than "story" elements - a frequent and debilitating misprision in theatre practice. Scanlan's unique approach offers practical training that is supported by detailed diagrams and contextualised instructions, making this the missing text for classes in Dramaturgy. Serving stage directors, dramaturgs, actors, designers, and playwrights, Principles of Dramaturgy is a comprehensive guide that puts the training of capable practitioners above all else. ers, and playwrights, Principles of Dramaturgy is a comprehensive guide that puts the training of capable practitioners above all else.
