THET110NotesSeptember 24, 2012I. Playwriting and DramaturgyA. Playwright – making order of chaos1. Story vs. Plota. Story – a full account of an event or series of events, usually told in chronological orderb. Plot – a selection and arrangement of scenes taken from a story for presentationB. Playwrights toolkit1. Elements of dramaa. Plotb. Characterc. Thoughtd. Dictione. Melodyf. Spectacle2. Other toolsa. People and actionb. Conflictc. Motivationd. Stakese. Limited time and spaceC. Dramatic structure1. Climactic structure – Freytag’s pyramida. Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution2. Episodic structure – many characters, a lot of time passes3. Combination – mix of climactic and episodic4. Theater of the absurd5. Ritual (ex: wedding)6. Serial – one theme with different sets of scenes around that7. Avant garde8. Musical theaterD. Contemporary playwrights1. Collaborative artists2. Subsidizing stage rights3. Dealing with rejections4. Resident playwrightsE. Dramaturgy1. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781) – Father of dramaturgy2. Many dramaturgies –a. Production of dramaturgyb. Script reading and selectionc. Translation and adaptationd. New play developmente. Generate new work3. Responsibilities of a dramaturg4. Listen and ask good questions5. Prepare the script for production6. Consult with the playwright7. Research – creating the dramaturg’s protocola. Presenting research in a variety of forms8. Attend casting sessions, production meetings, rehearsalsa. Give notes – the audience before there is an audience9. Write program notes, newsletter, articles, etc.10. Lead post show discussionsF. Dramaturg’s toolkit1. Critical and analytical sensibility2. Knowledge of the dramatic repertory3. Ability to conduct scholarly research4. Organization and good note taking 5. Knowledge of decorum and conduct in meetings and rehearsals6. A collaborative spirit7. A well-developed individual – “idea of the theater”G. The natural habitat of Homo Dramaturgis1. Resident dramaturg or literary director of a theater company2. Freelance dramaturg3. Script reader4. Script consultant5. Profession of theater history of
View Full Document
Unlocking...