Letters to a professional turg (part 4)

My final interview was sent to Elizabeth Williamson

ELIZABETH WILLIAMSON (Dramaturg) is Pioneer Theatre Company’s Literary Manager and Associate Artistic Director. Regionally, she’s also worked at the American Conservatory Theater, Alter Theater, Aurora Theatre, the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Berkeley Rep’s School of Theatre, Cal Shakes, Court Theatre, the La Jolla Playhouse, Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival, Magic Theatre, PlayGround, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Education: BA, Bennington College; Master’s, Oxford University; trained at the École Jacques Lecoq & with Complicite. Williamson received a 2007 NEA Fellowship in Literary Translation and is a member of LMDA and the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab.

Sent to Elizabeth Williamson

My name is Amber Cummings and I am studying dramaturgy, at Utah Valley University. I have an assignment to find a professional dramaturg and ask them about five question I feel would be important to my work as an up and coming dramaturg.

I got a hold of Amy Jensen who suggested that I contact you, and your brain for some valuable information. I would very much like to email you a few questions and just have you help enlighten the process. If this is at all possible please send me an email back.

1. After reading the script how did you decide where to start your research?

2.  Did you come up with a process that you used for every script?

3. How did you interact with director, actors and designers?

4. What was your job during the rehearsal process?

5. What would be the one piece of advice you would give to someone, like me, looking to be a professional dramatrug?

 Thank you again,

Amber N. Cummings

from:  Elizabeth Williamson elizabeth.williamson

to:  Amber Cummings 

Hi Amber,

Here are some quick answers. 

My job start a little earlier than your questions do – when I first read a script, it’s in light of whether it’s something the theatre should develop or produce.  So I think about what it is, what its structure is, what it would have to say to our audience, how it’ll play, whether its finished, etc.  Then if we decide to develop or produce it, I think about what needs to happen for the script to become a well and fully realized play.  I work with the director on what our goals are, and what we see as challenges, and what choices we want to make for the production.  That may involve a lot of research in various area to help the cast and designers flesh out the world of the play – it usually does.  But that’s about the fourth or fifth stage of my work. 

1. I think about the needs of the script – what can I help the writer -- with first.  If it’s not a new play or new adaptation, I skip to my second research question: where is it set, what research can I do to help the director and designers make the world of it. I work with the director and designers on conceptualizing the production, and am a resource for the designers, and often the sounding board/editor for the director. Then I think what will the actors need to know to fill out their parts, what will help them in terms of the concrete things about their characters and world they’ll need to know.
2. The process is different for every script.
3. It depends on the needs of the show. My answer to #1 is probably the best answer I can give you.
4. Ditto the above: in some shows I come in on the first day, talk about the research packets I’ve given them, stay to help with table work, and then don’t come in again til the first run-through.  With other shows I’m in rehearsal all the time, and consult on every choice made.  Depends on the needs of the show, playwright, and director.  In any case, I attend run-throughs, dress, and previews and give the director my notes.
5. If you want to be a professional dramaturg in the rehearsal room (as opposed to an academic dramaturg, who’s more involved in research, writing, and teaching), learn about every other job involved in making theatre.  You’ll need to understand the practical considerations as well as the theoretical questions if you want to be able to give useful feedback.

So what year are you?  Is this your first dramaturgy class?  I hope some of the above is helpful.