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What's a dramaturg?

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Topic: What's a dramaturg?

Posted By: slicksister
Subject: What's a dramaturg?
Date Posted: 2/07/07 at 2:28pm

And is that even what it's called or how it's spelled?... Anyhow someone explained it to me like this - a dramaturg is someone who makes sure that the script is relevant to the actual times and/or the characters cast for the show. In other words if there's a line in the show referrring to a character who is fat and the actor playing the role isn't fat then the lines are deleted or changed to accomodate the reality of the situation. Is that an acurate description? And how does this affect "you can't chage anything in a script for any reason without permission" thing?

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The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

Replies:

Posted By: DWolfman
Date Posted: 2/07/07 at 5:01pm

Dramaturg is spelled appropriately. I've heard it pronounced with both a hard "g" and a soft one.

Those that I have been fortunate to work with served as advisors to the production and were college professors with backgrounds in theatre and literature/history. When working on "Romeo and Juliet" and "Spoon River Anthology" they were the living, breathing research tool for not only the cast and crew, but the director as well. They informed us of period clothing, customs, terminology, and, at times, the playwright's intent and reference.

Although "dramaturgy" from which the word is derived, does mean "playwriting and composing of plays", my understanding is that they primarily serve as consultants.

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Even a man who is pure of heart...

Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 2/07/07 at 6:07pm

DWolfman is correct. A dramaturg is primarily the one who does the research on the play in question.

Your friend's description: "a dramaturg is someone who makes sure that the script is relevant to the actual times and/or the characters cast for the show"

... is not entirely incorrect, although their interpretation of it certainly is.

By making the show "relevant" to the times and/or cast simply means that the dramaturg is there to EXPLAIN any archaic references or historical aspects, customs, behaviors and habits that may be otherwise lost or foreign to your actors and designers.

A dramaturg for a modern play would likewise familiarize themselves with the political climate of the time, or any local customs or traditions that would be valuable to the cast, but not inherently explained in the script.

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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 2/07/07 at 8:11pm

To me there are a lot of t’urges in the performing arts, depending on the theatrical bent of the artificers, some of which are possibly best not discussed at all!
There is the Techturgist & Mechturgist, with a host of other t’urgents. That when utilised correctly can be can of great service in t’eatre.
However like most of the D’turgent family they have a hereditory split personality, closely related to the molecular structure to that of the Soap family. Whereby the tail love Grease & hates Water, inversely their head hates Grease yet loves Water. Resulting in an excellent flush ‘n wash out & always ending up with a sparkling finish of performance every time!
{‘Water’ has yet to be done as a Musical!}

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Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

Posted By: JShieldsIowa
Date Posted: 2/09/07 at 2:09am

I've worked and studied with dramaturgs on productions and academically. They are often a director's right hand man in many ways if the script has a lot of historical data or in depth research is needed. I like to look at dramaturgs as researchers and historians. If you're doing Shakespeare, a dramaturg is a great resource to have that can research period clothing for a designer, textual references, historical data, etc - anything in the script or in the production that may need to be explored and researched. Many colleges are now offering MFAs in dramaturgy. I've taken a few dramaturgy classes and will tell you their work is not easy - but very beneficial to a director. We spent an entire semester researching mailto:M@cbeth - M@cbeth . We researched many phrases and references that weren't included in the annotations of the scripts and things that would be confusing to an actor or director. As a director it's something that I try to do myself - but with some more challenging scripts like Shakespear and Brecht - a dramaturg would be wonderful to have on hand. I'm actually looking into having a dramaturg on hand with my upcoming production of Charles Busch's Die! Mommy! Die! as it is set in 1967 and I would like to have someone on board to make sure all the designers are on a consistent page to capture the look and feel of 1967 and to get some historical information to share with the cast and crew so we all understand the genre.

And to change the script - that is not the dramaturg's role (at least in my training and experience) That is still something that should be left to the director and playwright (or right's holder) to discuss. The dramaturg still has no authority to change the written text of a published and copywritten script.

Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:25am

[I"...my upcoming production of Charles Busch's Die! Mommy! Die! ]

I am pea-green with envy! I love this play - and I've always wanted to do it...I just don't have a man even close to being capable of doing the lead.

break the proverbial!

Posted By: txhern
Date Posted: 12/26/07 at 1:15am

I have been fortunet enough to also work with a wonderful fellow. He has more theater/film experience in one fingure, than the entire company. Anyway, he discribed his role as dramaturg as "Professional pest to the director".

In truth he is the one to keep the director on track, watches for continuty glitches. If the director wants to make a change in the script he plays devils advocate to find out if that change is nessasary etc.

If you have access to someone that has the knowledge, and is also someone that you can work with they are an invaluble service to the director.