Dramaturgy

For a meaning of this word in sociology, see dramaturgy (sociology).

Dramaturgy is the art of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. Dramaturgy is a distinct practice separate from play writing and directing, although a single individual may perform any combination of the three.^[1] Some dramatists combine writing and dramaturgy when creating a drama. Others work with a specialist, called a dramaturg, to adapt a work for the stage.

Dramaturgy may also be defined, more broadly, as shaping a story into a form that may be acted. Dramaturgy gives the work or the performance a structure.

History of Dramaturgy

The term "dramaturgy" was created by the German dramatist Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. From 1767-1770 he wrote and published a series of criticisms entitled the Hamburg Dramaturgy (Hamburgische Dramaturgie). These works analyzed, criticized and theorized the German theatre, and make Lessing the father of modern Dramaturgy.^[2]

Another important work to the Western theatre tradition work is the Poetics by Aristotle (written around 335 BC). In this work Aristotle analyses tragedy. He considers Oedipus Rex (c. 429 BC) as the quintessential dramatic work. He analyses the relations between character, action, and speech. He gives examples of what he considers to be good plots and examines the reactions the plays provoke in the audience. Many of his "rules" are often associated with "Aristotelian drama", where deus ex machina is a weakness and where the action is structured economically. Many key concepts of drama, such as anagnorisis and catharsis, are discussed in the Poetics. In the last century Aristotle's analysis has formed the basis for numerous TV and film-writing guides. The Poetics is the earliest surviving Western work of dramatic theory. Probably the earliest non-Western dramaturgic work is the Indian Sanskrit "Natayasatra" ('The Art of Theatre') written about 100 AD which describes the elements, forms and narrative elements of the major ten types of ancient Indian dance dramas^[3].

Practice of Dramaturgy

Dramaturgy is a comprehensive exploration of the context in which the play resides. The dramaturg is the resident expert on the physical, social, political, and economic milieus in which the action takes place, the psychological underpinnings of the characters, the various metaphorical expressions in the play of thematic concerns; as well as on the technical consideration of the play as a piece of writing: structure, rhythm, flow, even individual word choices.^[4]

Institutional dramaturgs may participate in many phases of play production including casting of the play, offering inhouse criticism of productions-in-progress, and informing the director, the cast and the audience about a play’s past history and its current importance.In America, this type of dramaturgy is sometimes known as Production Dramaturgy^[5]. Institutional or Production dramaturgs may make files of materials about a play's history or social context, prepare program notes, lead post-production discussions, write study guides for schools and groups. These actions can assist a director in integrating textual and acting criticism, performance theory, and historical research into a production before it opens.^[6]

Dramaturgy can also be referred to dance and performing arts in general. Some example are: Heidi Gilpin, who translates ideas--linguistic, mathematical or scientific--into an understanding that offers a common ground that facilitate INTERACTION between her and world-famous choreographer Forsythe. Andre Lepecki is present throughout the entire rehearsal process and offers feedback to Meg Stuart outside the studio, playing the part of the witness in the creative process. Hildegard De Vuyst is the first SPECTATOR, strengthening and developing moments of material. Bojana Cvejic, the dramaturg of Xavier Le Roy, sees herself as someone that creates conditions for the work, therefore a facilitator of the process.

Copyright

Since dramaturgy is defined in a general way and the function of a dramaturg may vary from production to production, the US copyright issues have very vague borders.

In 2006, there was debate based on the question of the extent to which a dramaturg owns a production, such as the case of Larson and Thomson. Lynn Thomson, Jonathan Larson's dramaturg on the musical Rent, claimed that she was a co-author of the work and that she never assigned, licensed or otherwise transferred her rights. She asked that the court declare her a co-author of Rent and grant her 16% of the author's share of the royalties. Although she made her claim only after the show became a big hit, the case is not without precedent, for 15% of the royalties of Angels in America go to the author's dramaturg. On June 19, 1998 the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the original court's ruling that Thompson was not entitled to be credited with co-authorship of Rent and that she was not entitled to royalties. ^[7] The case was ultimately settled out of court with Thomson receiving an undisclosed sum after she threatened to remove her material from the production. [3]

See also

• Dramatic structure

Notes

1. ^ Cardullo, Bert. What is Dramaturgy? New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2005. p. 4.
2. ^ Britannical online at [1]
3. ^ Eckersley, M. 1997. Soundings in the Dramaturgy of the Australian Theatre Director. University of Melbourne. Melbourne. p37.
4. ^ Terry McCabe. Mis-Directing the Play: An Argument Against Contemporary Theatre. p. 64.
5. ^ Eckersley, M. 1997. Soundings in the Dramaturgy of the Australian Theatre Director. University of Melbourne. Melbourne. p9.
6. ^ Cardullo, Bert. What is Dramaturgy? New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2005. p. 4.
7. ^ Scott. T. Cummings, American Theatre, October 1997 at [2]

Reading

• Castagno, Paul. "Varieties of Monologic Strategy: the Dramaturgy of Len Jenkin and Mac Wellman," New Theatre Quarterly, Vol. IX, No. 34 (May 1993) pp. 134-146. Cambridge University Press.
• Castagno, Paul. "Informing the New Dramaturgy: Critical Theory to Creative Process," Theatre Topics Vol 3: no. 1 (March 1993) pp. 29-42. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Castagno, Paul. New Playwriting Strategies: A Language Based Approach to Playwriting. New York, London: Routledge (2001).

External links

• Madga Romanska's Dramaturgy Handbook [4]
• A Brief History of Hollywood Dramaturgy and Modern Screenplay Structure
• Dramaturgy Northwest
• Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas
• Dramaturgs' network, dramaturgy in the UK
• Dramaturgy Online