Dramaturg. Dramaturge. However you choose to spell it. The importance of dramaturges to the new play development process is essential. According to Wikipedia, a dramaturg, “Is a literary adviser or editor in a theatre, opera, or film company who researches, selects, adapts, edits, and interprets scripts, libretti, texts, and printed programs (or helps others with these tasks), consults authors, and does public relations work.”
According to Rachelpedia, a dramaturg (dramaturge) is a new play navigator, sometimes a new play doctor or battlefield surgeon, a patient translator, an artistic psychiatrist, a mindful educator, a curious student, an obsessive collector of ideas, facts, and tidbits, and the engineer that connects the words on the page to the stage and to the audiences’ eyes and ears.
What Does a Dramaturg do?
Being a dramaturg is quite frankly, not for the weak of heart. They hold the balance of the wants, needs, and ideas of the production with the playwright’s wants, needs, and ideas for the story. They make sure the playwright’s voice is heard and the integrity of the script is preserved even if that means protecting the play from the playwright themselves.
Playwrights, sometimes we do more harm than good in the development phases of our new plays. Between criticism, pitches, questions, opinions, and interpretations that are hurled at us the minute we walk into a workshop, it is easy for us to retreat into our own minds and say, “This play is so clear to me. How can no one else understand?” And then we double down and continue on an uncharted path no one else can follow.
Here is where the dramaturge earns their stripes. They confront us head-on and say, “Hey! I see where you are trying to go, but this isn’t the path.” That is exactly what happened to me during the workshop of Murder, We Spoke. Director/dramaturg/new play warrior, Lila Rachel Becker, stopped me dead in my tracks.
Dramaturges offer tough love
It’s not easy to have these kinds of conversations with the writer. The fear of stepping on toes or accidentally insinuating that the writer doesn’t know what they are doing can be tense. It can disrupt relations with the rest of the artistic team and lead to a contentious partnership. Essentially, difficult conversations are not fun, but as playwrights, we need to hear them, especially when they are coming from a trusted ally like a dramaturge.
In fact, these conversations are only difficult if we – the playwrights – make them that way. Yes, this is your work. Yes, these are your words. Yes, you created the world. Yes, these are your characters, your story. You put in the time, talent, and imagination to write this thing…but you know what? Drafts suck. That’s why they are called “drafts.” But that isn’t a bad thing! It doesn’t mean the play is bad. It doesn’t mean the story shouldn’t be told. It doesn’t mean you’re NOT talented. All it means is that you got lost on your way. Now, drop your ego, admit you need help, and trust the person who wants this story told as much as you – the dramaturg.
Dramaturges are a playwright’s new play advocate
I’m really trying not to spoil anything in Murder, We Spoke, but I want to take this time to say thank you to Becker. Her ability to cut through the weeds, meet me on my path, and advocate for the best way to tell this story is invaluable to me. Under her guidance, the series launched. I can’t wait to share with you all the hard work and brilliance of her direction and dramaturgy.
Murder, We Spoke is available now on all popular podcast platforms.
Learn more about Lila Rachel Becker and get her on your future production team!