Monday, July 9, 2012

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.

Letters to a professional turg (part 3)


I also interviewed Dr. Meron Langsner

Meron Langsner, MFA, PhD, is an award-winning playwright, theatre & performance scholar, and educator as well as a critically acclaimed fight director & movement specialist for theatre, film, & opera.  He is also a stage director, dramaturg, and author.



Sent to Meron Langsner

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 have been doing some research on whom to talk and I came across your pages and blog, and I think you may have some very valuable information to help me through my journey. 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:  Meron Langsner meronlangsner

to:  Amber Cummings 

Hi Amber,

I tried to answer your questions in order, and went on some tangents that I hope are useful (I may end up adapting my answers into a blog post sooner or later):

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?

I'll try to do these two together:

I've come to the belief that dramaturgy is at once both a way of thinking and a job description, and that the way of thinking is more important than the job itself and can be applied to any other discipline.  I was at an LMDA conference a few years back where it was said that in an ideal situation, everyone on a production is a dramaturg.

I always work on a case by case basis with the regulating factors often having more to do with the situation I'm working in than with the script itself.  These days my dramaturgical contribution to a production is most likely to come through my work as a fight director.

In the case of using dramaturgy in a stage combat context (I've started calling this "fightaturgy" as a joke and then it sort of stuck), I'm always looking for how the violence and the work surrounding it supports the story.  I need to say that my first concern in that area is always safety, but I'll proceed with the assumption that that's being taken care of.

I always read the script and take notes as to any incident of scripted violence, as well as where I feel violence might add to the story, and where the rest of the production staff and the cast might need to know information relating to the violence.  As I've studied this stuff for a while much of it I can relate off the top of my head, but if certain aspects need to be researched I make notes of that for myself.

If the actors are wearing weapons I try to give them instructions on the etiquette & customs of whatever they're wearing. Usually this is modified for the production to some extent but I've come to believe that consistency is more important than historical accuracy.  By way
of example: a Japanese sword worn on the right side means that the wearer comes in peace, whereas on the left it means that they are prepared to draw the sword at any moment.  There may be scenes that do not contain a fight where the tension can be escalated simply by
switching the position of the sheathed sword.  This would be applied fighturgy outside of the context of choreography.

In an ideal situation I would send this list to the director and we would have a meeting based on it and go over it point by point.  We might discuss the intensity of various fights and what the characters want and need, as well as scripted repercussions that should be addressed.  If there are things that would benefit from a presentation (customs around dueling for example) we might set a time that I can give one before choreographing, or if an actor only wears/carries a weapon but does not fight I will find a time to pull them aside and instruct them.

If this is a situation where I am writing a program note or blogging, it depends on deadlines and company procedures.

Outside of violence, it depends on what I do and don't know about the script/period/subject/whatever.  I once turg'd (and FD'd) a show that used blackface.  As the details of blackface performance aren't really taught anymore I helped educate the actors on the stock characters from the 1800s that their characters were based on.

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

Again, this is all context.  The last time I was a production dramaturg I was also fight directing the same show so there were a lot of gray areas.

If the session was dedicated to me, I instructed the actors directly. The director may or may not be in the room but I would bring them in to ask questions about how things were fitting into the larger picture.  Ideally no one should know where their work ended and mine
began and vice-versa.  If I was watching a run I might give the director notes that would go to the actors through him/her or I might get a moment to give notes directly.  Other times my notes go only to the director.

With designers it depends on overlap.  We discuss options and availability of resources and make choices from there.

4. What was your job during the rehearsal process?

Again, all context.  This very much depends on the relationship with the director and/or the writer in the case of new work.  One of the things about dramaturgy as a discipline as opposed to a methodology is that there is influence but not necessarily power.  As different
people have different styles of diplomacy and facilitation it becomes all about the chemistry of different working relationships.  Asking the right questions is one of the most important skills.  Learning when to pick the right moments to ask those questions is just as important.

It's important to learn to prioritize.  You will find yourself in situations where you are working with a director who does not know how to use you.  Or one old enough to be your grandparent who lived in the era the play is set in.  In the first case, there is an element of
teaching them how to benefit from you without appearing invasive.  In the second, you might think about how to make their knowledge more accessible to the audience and/or cast in ways they might not be aware of.

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

Thing one: Cultivate multidisciplinarity in yourself and others.  The broader your range of competencies the better you will be.  That said, don't become the cliched "Jack of All Trades Master of One."  Ideally think of mastering 2 -3 disciplines (including dramaturgy if that's
your thing), and develop reasonable competency in other stuff as it comes up.  One of my best friends is a prop & costume designer as well as a dramaturg.  I sometimes think that she gets to apply more dramaturgical thought as a designer than when she is strictly working
as a dramaturg.  Multidisciplinarity is hard, and you may find that you aren't taken seriously until you've accomplished enough in each of your main disciplines to be taken seriously in them separately as if they were your only focus.  That takes time but can pay off very well.

Thing two bonus advice: Get to know playwrights, and to be especially gentle with the early career ones.  You'll find as you transition out of academic contexts that investing in good collaborators pays off in the long run.  Be good to work with, be good to work for.

Thing three: become aware of job prospects as early in your studies a possible.  The money tends to be pretty bleak, moreso than other disciplines.  That is not a reason not to do it, but it is a reason to cultivate multidisciplinarity (see Thing One).  Multidisciplinarity might extend outside of theatre, and if that's the case figure out what else you can do that enriches your theatre work if that's your first priority.

Also, just FYI: in theatre contexts I go by my first name, but in formal/academic contexts where first names aren't appropriate I go by "Dr" (I'm not offended by "Mr," but you'll want to be aware of protocol as many people do stand on ceremony).  When dealing with
academics default to the higher title (if it's wrong, you're flattering).

I hope that was useful.  Let me know if you want me to clarify anything.

Good luck on your assignment!


Letters to a professional turg (part 2)

my second letter was sent to Amy Jensen


Amy is the NYC regional vice president for the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas. Interests include devised theatre, site-specific theatre, theatre for young audiences, dance theatre, and community-based theatre.





Sent to Amy Jensen

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 have been doing some research on whom to talk and I came across your pages and blog, and I think you may have some very valuable information to help me through my journey. 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.


The questions I have for you are easy to answer they are simply about your process as a dramatrug:

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: Amy Jensen
to:  Amber 

Hello Amber,



1. After reading the script how did you decide where to start your research?
The type and amount of research I do varies with each production. In early discussions with the director, I try to discuss if there are any particular areas that she or he would like me to work on, either for the production team or for the cast. To prepare for this discussion, I like to already have read the script and do enough background research on the playwright and the piece to have a list of areas that I anticipate being important. Then, in discussion, I may find that some of these areas correspond to what the director is interested in pursuing and I can bring them up to discuss with the director.

Research can also take a few different shapes, and that also can be a factor in determining what to research. For most projects, I have created several actors’ packets, and often gather written materials to have on hand in rehearsal. Many dramaturgs now choose to put their research online via a a blog and invite actors to comment. This is nice in that people can easily link to videos and images, etc. Some dramaturgs have created image boards for productions. Often visual research can have a great impact on a piece. At least twice I have put together field trips for actors in which they go visit someone who has expertise in the field they are representing; for example, a protagonist and her lover were astrophysicists and we were able to meet with an astrophysicist at a planetarium, have a star sho and talk about the life of an astrophysicist. Although the format should not dictate what research you do, sometimes keeping in mind the various ways it can be shared helps spur ideas
 and questions.

Much of the research comes from the script itself: references, context, and pronunciation. Sometimes this is done for you; sometimes it is not. If the play has been edited and changed over the years, frequently research will include seeing what was changed and analyzing what differences those changes made to the script, etc. If a play has been translated and the director is choosing a translation, sometimes the dramaturg may be involved in doing research on the translations.

Additional research usually includes the playwright’s life (major influences, similar themes or the progression of _____ elements in the playwright’s work), and notable past productions. Some directors want to hear about this; others don’t. Still, it is a good idea to be aware of it yourself.

There are several books and articles that I will suggest reading. Dramaturgy in American Theatre: a Sourcebook is a great resource and several articles will answer your question in different ways. If you look at Cary Mazer’s article, he uses a particular play and the research done on that piece that influenced the production that is quite intriguing. I like Travis Preston and Royston Coppenger’s article on how they work together in the overall process. Another great article is Elinor Fuch’s “EF’s Visit to a Small planet: Some Questions to Ask a Play,” in Theatre: 34:2. She asks a lot of great questions that could be used in doing research on a piece. I can’t say that I’ve fully answered all of the questions she asks when working on a piece, but they can be very illuminating.

2.  Did you come up with a process that you used for every script?
Because each production is different, I do not follow a set process in conducting research. I do try to hit the main points, as noted above. However several dramaturgs have written about their process: Between the Lines: the Process of Dramaturgy by Judith Rudakoff and Lynn M. Thomson, Geoff Prohel’s Towards a Dramaturgical Sensibility, The Process of Dramaturgy: a Handbook by Scott R. Irelan, Anne Fletcher, and Julie Felise Dubiner, and Michael Mark Chemers’ Ghost Light: an Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy. For articles on play analysis, I also suggest “Dramaturgy in the Classroom” by Carey Mazer and “Teaching Play Analysis” by Shelley Orr.

 3. How did you interact with director, actors and designers?
This varies for each production and each director, particularly depending on how early in the process you have been brought on. This question can be read to either be very general (how does one) or personal (how do I, Amy, work with directors, etc.). I’ll try to give a bit of both responses.

You did not ask, but if it is a new piece, collaboration with the playwright is extremely important. If at all possible, I like to talk with the playwright before rehearsals in order to learn what the playwright’s impetus was in writing the piece, and learn more about where they feel it is in the writing process. These are basic questions, but they can be key in helping you understand the spine and trajectory of the piece, as well as how to talk with the playwright. If she or he is not interested in rewriting, the collaboration will differ than, say, if she or he feels that a certain scene or character, etc. still needs work and would like you to give feedback on that specifically.

I find these questions are particularly key in setting up that you are a collaborator focused on the interests of the playwright(s). In working with new playwrights or playwrights who have never worked with a dramaturg, they can be somewhat hesitant or unsure of how to work together. This hesitancy can come from inexperience, but it can also be based on bad experiences or a negative perception of dramaturgs. Why? There are several concerns, first being that the presence of a dramaturg implies that something is wrong with the script and that changes have to be made. Good dramaturgs don’t work with that assumption, but because a dramaturg is often assigned to the play by the theatre and not by the playwright, those tensions can exist. There are also other concerns: will a dramaturg force a playwright to make changes in order for it to be easier to produce; will a dramaturg try to start trying to make it reflect her or his own interests rather than the playwright’s? The lis
t continues. Unfortunately, there are dramaturgs who imply that they rate how effective their collaboration was by many changes they got the playwright to make, and there are dramaturgs who go on power trips. That, however, is not good collaboration. By asking good questions and really pursuing the intentions of the playwright(s), I’ve developed good relationships with playwrights.

A challenge, even in good collaborations, is keeping communication very open in terms of what the playwright and dramaturg understand the dramaturg will be doing on the piece. There have been projects in which a dramaturg contributes text. I contributed text for two productions in which there was not a central playwright. I enjoyed writing, but because I didn’t have a conversation about how that changed/affected my role in the collaboration, in one production I ended up on getting any credit for contributing text. Lynn Thomson was the dramaturg for Rent, and although she said she and Jonathan Larson had discussed that she would be compensated for contributing text to the piece, he passed away very suddenly and nothing was in writing. She appealed for compensation; his family/estate refused. She took them to court. Eventually they settled out of court. It was a divisive case; some chose to see it as dramaturgs trying to claim authorship and became suspicious of dramaturgs. On t
he other hand, major playwrights, like Tony Kushner, spoke on the case about how important the work of a dramaturg had been to his work.

I have had directors who have chosen to work closely with me, asking me to attend most of the rehearsals and frequently discussing the direction the play was going. For other pieces, I have been in rehearsal less frequently, attending run-throughs or other key meetings and rehearsals. Your relationship with the director is probably influenced by his or her past experience with dramaturgs. Face-to-face interaction with a director at the start of the process is particularly key for initial conversations. It’s important for a dramaturg to understand the director’s impetus in working on this piece and her or his trajectory for it, the type of journey she or he is planning.

Just as playwrights and dramaturgs have had their issues, dramaturgs and directors have as well. Some directors have publicly stated that they see no need for the position of a dramaturg.  Again, because a dramaturg is often assigned to the play by the theatre, by and large a director is working with the dramaturg for a first time and the match may or may not work well in terms of temperament and work styles. Ultimately it means that a dramaturg has to learn to be a savvy but open and good communicator and collaborator.
With experience I have learned (and continue to learn) to gage what I communicate, when, and to whom. When I read about learning when to give a comment, I thought it was primarily a matter of reading people and when they would be open to receiving that note. It’s much more than that; it has more to do with the development of the play. There are times when you develop the sense that a note, even if a good note, is either no longer applies because of where the piece is going, or it may be better to give at another time. I have found that if I give the same note to a director or playwright twice, odds are that it either does not make sense and I should clarify it, or does not resonate to the director or actor and I should stop pursuing it. Because rehearsals are usually at night and people need to leave after they finish, I often have to type up my notes. Sometimes I can give them in person, which I prefer, but that does not always possible.

In terms of the cast: I often talk with the director to find out how she/he likes the dramaturg to interact with the cast. Some directors have a very open rehearsal room and would like you to join in the conversation if an idea comes up. Other directors would prefer for you to write a note and often email them after rehearsal (talking to the director about your note would be nice, but time usually does not permit that). It’s good to ask before you begin. Often I create an actors’ packet ask the director if she/he would like me to discuss key dramaturgical elements on the first day of rehearsal, along with other designers. As I wrote about earlier, other interactions with the actors can take place in field trips, in answering questions, on blogs, etc.

When working in theatres, I found that the designers often had completed their work on the piece by the time I met them, or they are brought on close to the end of the piece and there is, again, little interaction. However, I worked on one piece in which the designers were frequently in the room and were asking fantastic dramaturgical questions and/or had great dramaturgical solutions. Good designers work dramaturgically, even if they don’t know it. In fact, I spoke with one opera dramaturg who related that there can be a tension between dramaturgs and designers because the designer’s concepts often set the dramaturgy of the piece in a very real way.


4. What was your job during the rehearsal process?
Not to be redundant, but this again varies. In some rehearsal processes I have done primarily research. In others, I have been in close dialogue with the director. Sometimes I have been at rehearsal every day, and for others I have come in once a week, at run-throughs. Often when the piece is being introduced to the cast, the dramaturg will be asked to talk to the cast at that point, perhaps go over key concepts and let the cast know how to access your research, either distributing actors’ packets or giving the blog address, etc. Almost all  dramaturgs attend run-throughs in order to see how the piece is working overall, how the pieces are all working together (or not). If you have other questions about this, please feel free to ask.

5. What would be the one piece of advice you would give to someone, like me, looking to be a professional dramaturg?
Dramaturgy is a fundamental component in the process of making theatre; however, as a position, it is fairly niche and, by and large, does not have high compensation or stability. Not all theatres have a staffed position for a dramaturg, and few positions open each year. Working as a dramaturg requires not only all of the skills to do the work itself, but a lot of ingenuity, work, determination, networking, people skills, curiosity, openness, and optimism. Anne Cattaneo, who works at Lincoln Center, said that you work with your friends. I have found that to be true and means a few different things. First, you need to find out who your friends are, who makes the kind of work that you want to make, what companies or theatres you love. There is a general understanding that you have to be friendly, i.e. a good communicator that people can trust both artistically and personally. But friendship is also based on personalities, interests, and needs and I’ve had to recognize that I am
not the Dramaturg for All Seasons or all directors or all theatres. It’s important to actively and genuinely be curious and engaged, to ask questions that genuinely interest you, and find people who find your questions, curiosities, loves of interest to them. You find these people in a variety of ways. Internships and informational interviews are a great place to start. I once interviewed a playwright who, based on our interaction, my interest, and his need to fill a position for a festival he was working on, I was asked to participate. Attending festivals is important, particularly in order to get to know which playwrights are being produced where; reading plays and having pieces you’d love to do/champion is really important (I think I did not get an internship because I didn’t have enough examples of plays I loved); and seeing theatre is fundamental to the job.

That said, frequently it means a dramaturg will work in another capacity within the theatre or academia (a director, a literary manager, a producer, an outreach director, a professor) or another job. I know of only one freelancer who lives solely off of what she makes freelancing, and I admire her tenacity and skill. I’m currently freelancing and have a job that is not in theatre, and it can be a challenge maintaining the focus and balance I really want to have.

At this stage, I would suggest being involved in productions at your school. Even if you are in a role other than dramaturg, it is important to understand the process of making work. I would also suggest asking if you can shadow Elizabeth Williamson for a period of time on a show. She may not have time (she is incredibly busy working on several project), but if now is not a good time, she may later on. I also suggest becoming a member of LMDA and, if possible, attending their conference. It’s the best way to meet the most dramaturges you will ever meet at one time, and people are very personable and willing to give advice and suggestions. LMDA has a small scholarship for early career dramaturgs to help with travel costs and sometimes your university might have professionalization funds students for which students can apply.

Letters to a professional turg (part 1)

One of the assignment I did in my dramaturgy class was to contact a professional dramagur and pick their brain. Well I'm an overacheiver, and I really wanted to get different perspectives so I asked four people. 


I loved this assignment because I to talk to different people and get an insight to the mystical field of dramaturgy. Everyone I spoke to was professional, enthusiastic and really nice. It's this kind of project that reinforces my love of dramaturgy.



The  emails are a bit long so I'm going to break them down into different posts.


The first email I sent was to Shelly Graham.


Shelley T. Graham graduated from BYU in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts Education and in 2004 with a master’s degree in Theatre and Media Arts.
In 2003, she was awarded an Oscarson Discovery Grant which enabled her to travel to New York to participate in a theatre panel at a national conference.
She currently teaches theatre part time at in Athens, GA, and works as a freelance dramaturg. Graham is also busy taking care of her four kids, and says that theatre has become her “free time” activity for now.



Sent to Shelley Graham

Dr. Graham,

I wanted to thank you so much for coming to our class today and sharing you knowledge and passion. I had the best time listening to you to talk, and your visit has only fueled the fire under me. I never got a chance to actually talk to you one on one, but I am very interested in opening my own theatre devoted to Theatre In Education. And I was so jazzed when we started talking about all the great ideas for outreach to TYA audiences. Again I can thank you enough for taking time out to speak to us.

I have one more question to ask, we have an interview assignment we need to do for our class, and I would absolutely love, if you have the time, if you could answer about five question I have. If you are not able to I completely understand, it was an honor just getting tips from a real professional dramaturg. Again thank you.


1. After reading the script how did you decide where to start your research? Did you come up with a process that you used for every script?

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

3. What is good way to market yourself?

4. How do you convince a director that you are more useful then just being a "gopher"?

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

Thank you so much again. I'm super excited for next year because it will my be my first show and  I will be able to submit for ACTF. I have taken everything you said to heart and I am ready to run with it!.

Sincerely,

Amber N. Cummings



from: Shelley Graham
 to: Amber 

Amber,

I'm so sorry for the delayed response. I had an article deadline last week and that had to take top priority. But now I'm happy to answer your questions – and feel free to follow up on anything that needs more detail. I'm glad to hear that something I said was inspiring!

  1. My process for starting research after reading a script. Well I'll give you my standard process, but also say that every time I do a show I do it a little differently. But here's what I do. First, I read the script all the way through and try to do nothing else but get a feel for the show. Then I do a second reading where I scribble all over the script with questions – I ask as many questions as I can about all kinds of things that might pertain to the production of the script. And because I love to look at things in an organized way, visually, I make a "map" of the questions. I divide a large poster (or a word doc on my computer) into category sections and I put all of those questions from the script into a category. Usually at this point I am bringing those questions into production meetings and I try to make sure that the questions or topics I choose to pursue a study of are based on solid conversations with the director and designers.
  2. In the best situations, the director, designers, and I work together from the very beginning. I love sitting around the table with the entire production staff as we talk about the script and make artistic decisions. I think it's important, especially if I've come to the table with lots of research done, that I balance participation in the discussion with observation of the process. It's tricky, like I said in the guest lecture, because lots of times I have done tons of cool research that I want to share, but it's also important that I listen to the director and designers, that I make sure I know what their approach is. I want to continually ask myself if what I'm doing is supporting the production as a whole. It's best when the directors an designers feel that you are there to support each other. Where those relationships run into problems is where a dramaturg feels the need to defend the text from the production team, or where a dramaturg asserts a kind of scholastic authority over the artistic process.
  3. Marketing yourself really depends on your community. In Athens GA, where I lived recently, I marketed myself as a teacher and an editor, because the local community theatre was small and we were further away from larger theatre institutions. But there were several small community colleges and so I highlighted my teaching experience on my resume and began contacting and building relationships with professors at those colleges. The great thing about dramaturgy is that you'll build a more diverse resume as you grow in your career, and you can highlight the portions of your resume that are pertinent to each specific job you apply for. And I'll also say that it's common for community and small theatres to have a complete staff that doesn't include a dramaturg, so it's great to attend productions at a theatre you're interested in working with, get to know the personnel there, get a sense for who they are as a theatre, what their goals in the community might be, and find a way that the inclusion of dramaturgy might add value to that institution. And craft your resume well, and approach the institution with your ideas. (And you can do the same kind of thing for a magazine or journal you want to write for, or a school for whom you want to teach.)
  4. The best, absolute best, thing you can do in those kinds of situations is just to be a good dramaturg. Get the information that's requested, sure. But *do something with it. Share your ideas at the appropriate times for educational outreach or workshops or presentations in rehearsal – show that you are as much an artist as you are a scholar and directors and designers will recognize and appreciate your creativity. Usually. :)
  5. My best piece of advice is to get as much experience as you can. In all different kinds of places. Volunteer for small shows, big shows, dance shows, university shows, community shows. Volunteer gigs can turn into paying gigs. Just make sure that whatever jobs you have, you do them well. So much happens in the theatre world based on word of mouth.

Hope that's helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions. A little passion goes a long way in the theatre world – don't lose that fire for what you love!

Best,
Shelley