In contemporary theatrical practice, “dramaturgy” can refer to either the structure, themes, goals, and conventions of a piece of dramatic literature, or to the aesthetic approach taken by a creative team to transform a script into a live performance. The dramaturg’s task is to consider how the artistic choices made by the creative team in the process of production might enhance the philosophical, political, or aesthetic goals of the event.

Michael M. Chemers, Associate Professor of Dramatic Literature at the University of California in Santa Cruz, provides an introduction to dramaturgy. Chemers explores the role of the dramaturg in contemporary theatre - a person involved in the rehearsal.

THE ART OF THEATRE: A CONCISE INTRODUCTION, Third Edition, explores issues of cultural diversity and creativity, presents a full day-in-the-life of theatre, and offers briefer coverage of theatre history. Timely and relevant connections between theatre and the familiar world of television and film help students understand how the living art of theatre relates to and influences today's screen entertainment. For flexibility in the way you teach, THE ART OF THEATRE is available in two versions. This Concise version contains 12 chapters, paring back historical coverage to one chapter on theatre's key movements (such as realism and absurdism) and then offers one chapter featuring musical theatre. THE ART OF THEATRE: THEN AND NOW contains 17 chapters, including six chapters covering theatre history in Western and non-Western contexts, and concluding with a chapter on musical theatre. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

This invigorating new introductory text makes timely and relevant connections between theatre and the familiar world of Hollywood television and film to help students understand how the living art of theatre relates to, predates, and influences the screen entertainment they are used to watching. From theatre's ritual origins to modern musicals, from the controversies surrounding the NEA to the applicability of acting lessons in everyday life, this book is an important first step toward a deeper awareness of theatre's continuing and contemporary significance. Featuring strong coverage of current events in theatre, the reviewer-praised anecdotal narrative makes this book fun to read and one that students will want to keep long after the course is over. THE ART OF THEATRE is organized into three distinct sections, giving you the flexibility to organize your course your way. Adding to this flexibility is the book's availability in two versions. THE ART OF THEATRE: THEN AND NOW contains 16 chapters with extensive coverage of the history of theatre. EXPERIENCING THE ART OF THEATRE: A CONCISE INTRODUCTION features 13 chapters and a briefer treatment of theatre history.

The thesis contains the director's documentation for production choices for Shakespeare's "The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York and the Good King Henry the Sixth" (Henry VI, Part III), the MFA Directing project for 2008. Also included are dramaturgy, rehearsal notes, performance notes and comments, and a complete script from the edited version of 3 Henry 6 which was used by the company.

In the early 20th century Bertolt Brecht and his contemporaries sought to establish a radical dramaturgy for a new political theatre. Epic theatre, as described by Brecht, evinces particular qualities: firstly, it is episodically structured and may follow multiple plotlines simultaneously; secondly, it is presentational, making no attempt to generate any illusion of authenticity; thirdly, it is not driven by the choices of individual characters, but important political and moral ideas; and fourthly, it is designed to provoke a thoughtful, intellectual response to moral and political problems, not an emotional one.

Essential Dramaturgy: The Mindset and Skillset provides a concrete way to approach the work of a dramaturg. It explores ways to refine the process of defining, evaluating, and communicating that is essential to effective dramaturgical work. It then looks at how this outlook enhances the practical skills of production and new play dramaturgy. The book explains what a dramaturg does, what the role can be, and how best to refine and teach the skillset and mindset.