Dramaturgy

Catalog description

This course engages students in these evolving discussions of global dramaturgy, as we discover the ways in which texts and performances are changing for both creators and audiences. What are the current aesthetic and ideological forces that exert pressure on the contemporary theatre? To what extent has digital technology and media transformed the historical relations among theatre artists, performers, and audiences? How have social media tools affected these relations and how can theatre and performance respond? The course begins with the fundamental principles of dramaturgy including extensive dramatic literature analysis and its application in all aspects of theatre and performance production. From this foundation, we then consider the ways in which new forms of dramaturgy affect new forms of production, including not only theatre but also dance and multiple forms of performance art (with a particular emphasis on body art). Much of the course will use social media tools to communicate and collaborate, although familiarity with these is not a pre-requisite for the course. We will also make use of unique video resources.