Dramaturgy for Theatre Makers

A complete method for understanding and practising dramaturgy.

How do you explain the amorphous, complex discipline that is dramaturgy?

This book provides the answer to that conundrum and offers a simple, effective, visual method using concrete examples that takes you from being a beginner in dramaturgy to a confident practitioner in the time it takes to read this book.

Drawing on the author's tried-and-tested dramaturgical practice with text-based theatre, built up over his 30 year-long career to date, the book concentrates on three specific areas as a way of better understanding dramaturgy and the dramaturg's function within that, offering a 360-degree view of each:

Roles – the multitude of roles a dramaturg might be expected to play during a career

Script Development – the areas you need to understand to get the best from a new script

Production – the preparation, rehearsal and performance aspects of a new production

By exploring different perspectives in each of these areas, this book completely demystifies the practice of dramaturgy, offering a clear, practical, and accessible method for working as a dramaturg.

Whether you are a seasoned dramaturg or entirely new to dramaturgy, this book provides a method by which to review, revise and renew your own practice.