Mrs. KVS and I saw Sweeney Todd last week, and one of the theatre positions listed was dramaturg. What kind of position is this, and why does the production company and/or theatre need one?
My sister (Izzybella) will probably get on here later and correct me. She has worked as assistant dramaturg on productions here at UTA, so I can tell you what I’ve learned by observation and through assisting her.
A dramaturg researches the biographical information of the playwright, the historical context of the play, criticism of the play, and things of this nature. If there are unfamiliar words/phrases in the play, the dramaturg provides definitions, again within the historical context. This enables the actors to understand what they’re saying–always a useful thing!
My sister prepares the information boards that are displayed outside the theatre, with biographical information and photos of the playwright and information about the play itself. I remember for a production of “The Water Engine,” we were pulling photos from the Chicago World’s Fair to include on the display boards.
I’m sure there’s more to it than this, but this is the extent of my knowledge on the topic.
I don’t think I’ve come across this phrase before, and as a second year Drama Student (studying for a BA) I would have expected too.
Dictionary.com defines Dramaturge as: A writer or adapter of plays; a playwright.
Which is rather different to N.Sane’s definition, in the model of theatre I’m familiar with, it would be the Director who researches the playwright, any unfamiliar words the period etc, although he may do with in conjunction with others (an assistant director). In fact it may be that N.Sane’s sister is an assistant director.
I am familiar with the related term Dramatist which I understand to mean a producer of drama, which is a broader definition than that of Dramaturge, but I seem to recall hearing Dramaturge occasionally used in this context (as a producer of drama)
Some more info.
Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a Stephen Sondheim musical, he and both playwright Hugh Wheeler adapet their versions from an ealier work by playwright Christopher Bond, whi in trun based his work on a melodrama by George Dibdin-Pitt. This melodram was based on a true story.
Although Bond claimed Sweny wasa work of fiction, there are contemporary accounts of Todd’s arrest and trial.
In relaiation to the OP, the dramaturge will have been the person who adapted/created the version on stage that you saw.
Please excuse the typing errors, I’m very tired.
Actually, all of you are right. A dramaturg fills quite a few shoes including play adapatation, writing new plays, research, etc. Many theatres combine the position with that of literary manager. Dramaturgy is, in fact, still an evolving profession. (BTW, I am a theatre performance senior only 6 credits shy of my BFA and have worked on productions as both dramaturg and assistant to the dramaturg).
Not every theatre employs a dramaturg–they are found most often in professional for-profit theatre companies and in many educational settings. If you’re really interested and curious about the profession I recommend taking a look at www.dramaturgy.net. It’s got a lot of good information.
Again, since dramaturgy is still evolving, a webster’s definition (or for that matter any definition I could try to provide here) is simply not going to do justice to the profession.
Interesting…although all the things listed on the site you suggested, are things which other people do already, so what’s the point? Just to take the workload of the others?
I’m not trying to put down this role, it just seems like it’s a job in which you do what’s needed, that the other members of the production team don’t have time to?
Agreed, Gartog. Those are some of the reasons a lot of theatres choose not to employ a dramaturg. As far as I know there aren’t even that many school currently offering advanced degrees in dramaturgy. But the profession is expanding and I think it’s a good thing. Any production and theatre company can benefit from having someone who can put in much more time in research and new play development and all the other good stuff. Having a capable dramaturg on staff can help a theatre expand and do really exciting things. Besides, one extra drama dork is nothing but cool, IMO. Then again, I’m nothing but a big drama dork anyway.
In answer to Gartog’s question: Specialization. A dramaturge provides the context for what the script is having the actors do and say. This requires research, and the producer and director are usually busy trying to do other things.
To give a (minor) concrete example of dramaturgy in action: I remember a scene staged around a catafalque. Understanding what a catafalque is could (and did) change the way the actors related to the each other and the object in their midst.
It was a sort of elephant-in-the-room situation. If the elephant is a small, unadorned coffin, the character’s seeming ignorance is different than if it is a huge, obtrusive, cermonial, decorated structure. Knowing that it was the latter did alter the absurdity of the scene.
Damn! Hit submit too soon!
Anyway, any number of people involved in a production could have found a definition of catafalque, have located pictures of real catafalques in use, have provided references to the use of catafalques in history, etc. But having a dramaturge do this spares the director, production designer, etc for the work you are paying them for.
I thought I’d de-lurk and add a little info to Izzybella and N. Sane’s excellent posts. 
I’m a Dramaturg (with an MFA in Dramaturgy), although I’m not working as one at the moment. The simplest explanation I’ve been able to come up with as to “What is a Dramaturg(e)*” is that it is the Research & Development field of the Theatre. A Dramaturg (pronounced with a hard “g”) will do any or all of the following:
Provide research for a specific production, including information on the playwright, the production history of the play (if it isn’t a new production), the time the play was written, the time the play is set in, vocabulary info, pronunciation info, and socio-political info (manners, mores, political climate, etc.). This research happens both prior to the start of rehearsals and during the rehearsal process. The Dramaturg will often assist the Director in the casting process, but this doesn’t always happen. Anyone involved with the production can and will ask the Dramaturg for help with issues related to research. The Dramaturg is also usually the one who writes program notes, creates lobby displays, writes study guides, and spearheads pre- and post-show discussions with the audience.
Dramaturgs also help with translations, adaptations, and development of new works. We also tend to take on the role of Playwright-Stand-In, becoming the “voice” of the playwright in the production. Sometimes this means being involved with any textual cuts (for Shakespeare & Restoration plays most commonly) to insure that the narrative thread isn’t being lost. Sometimes it means working with the director to make sure that s/he is staying true to the playwright’s intentions. Sometimes it means sitting down with the Director and finding out just why s/he wants to do an All-Mime, Underwater version of King Lear . 
A related field is Literary Management. In addition to working as Dramaturgs on their company’s productions, Literary Managers also work with the Artistic Director and other staff members to decide on upcoming seasons, create outreach programs, etc.
Not every theatre company has Dramaturgs or a Literary Manager, and some just bring people on board on a play-by-play basis. But we are becoming more common as people begin to understand that we are not out to take over people’s jobs, but are there to make everyone’s jobs that much easier.
For more info, you can check out the website for the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (www.lmda.org), as well as www.dramaturgy.net, as was previously mentioned.
What I’ve mentioned is just the tip of the ice burg, and if you ask any Dramaturg what they do, you’ll get a wide range of responses. This was actually a recent topic on our listserve, and everyone’s responses were similar and yet different in some fascinating ways.
Oh! And an occupational hazzard for Dramaturgs is that you tend to become a Trivial Pursuit champion. I still have random info floating around in my head from productions I worked on YEARS ago. It can be fun, but annoying.
I hope this made some sort of sense!
Your friendly neighborhood Dramaturg,
Engel
*You will generally see two different spellings: Dramaturg and Dramaturge. The basic difference, besides pronouncing it with a hard or soft “g” seems to be geographical. “Dramaturg” is most common in the US, the UK and much of Europe (dramaturg comes from the German). “Dramaturge” seems to be most common in Canada. I’m not sure why this is, since “dramaturge” in French means “playwright.”
Thanks pbw, after posting I thought about this a little more, and decided what I could really do with right now…
…is a dramaturge.
So I can see the point, and completely agree with Izzybella’s point, the more drama geeks the better!
I was just suprised to find such a role existed considering the budget of most theatres.
And as I typed Engel posted with some excellent info. I can appreciate the voice of the author in the room you mention. As a director I believe that drama is the result of the relationship between the author, director and the actors.
Sometimes Directors are lucky enough to work with the playwright there (or unlucky;)) but this isn’t usually the case, especially when the playwright is dead.
I can also see the advantage of having a walking repository of knowledge to dip into!
My professor (the dramaturg) has the same condition. He can converse freely on just about any topic. I keep telling him if I ever go on that millionaire show I really, really, really would like him to be my lifeline.
I do have a few friends who refuse to play Trivial Pursuit with me unless they’re on my team.
I think one of the reasons I make such a good Dramaturg is that I do remember random bits of knowledge and have always been interested in learning new things. It does tend to create moments of “How the heck do you know that” when someone asks a question about some odd topic and I can come back with an answer immediately. It only becomes scary to me when even I don’t know where the info came from! :eek:
I come by it naturally, though. My brother, his wife and I were playing Trivial Pursuit with my mom one night a few years ago. She wiped the floor with us! (I came in second, though! )
Engel
“She” being my Mom.
I previewed and everything, honest! :o
Engel