I started attending CSULA theater performances the year before I applied to their MFA program. One of the first productions I attended was Evita – with the wonderful Whitney Tenney (who would later be my classmate) in the role of Evita. The first thing I noticed when I opened the program for the show was a long section of notes from the ‘Dramaturg.’ I have to admit, although I’d been involved in theater since I was young, I wasn’t entirely sure what ‘dramaturg’ meant. Reading these notes, though, gave me a whole new perspective on the show – and greatly enhanced my experience as a viewer.
Once I enrolled at CSULA and got cast in productions, many of our shows had dramaturgs – generally they were MA students in Theater who did vast amounts of research on the plays. They would attend rehearsals, make suggestions about our characters and plot lines based on their research, and would often create and post a display of some kind reflecting their research in the lobby during the show.
Playwriting can be a lonely experience for a while, especially when the story you’re telling is as personal as One Drop is for me. Writing the first few drafts I had no idea how the words would be received. Then, as I got closer to show time, I realized that I needed another perspective on the piece. My co-producer for the debut, Naomi Bennett, suggested I get in touch with a graduate of the MFA program, Dr. Alicia Tycer – who just happened to also be the dramaturg of that first show I saw, Evita. And she was incredible. We met shortly after I sent her the current draft and I was floored by how much she had already delved into and understood about the play. She shared specific notes and ideas about structure, character development, cultural context, set design and more. She then came to a number of rehearsals, continued to give productive advice – and created a lovely display for the lobby. Alicia and I will continue to work together to design curriculum materials for schools to use before and after the One Drop of Love performances. I am deeply indebted to her and highly recommend that all playwrights seek the support and nurturing of a dramaturg.
*see this blogpost & the comments for more info on, and the confusion caused by the term dramaturg: http://meadhunter.blogspot.com/2010/05/dramaturg-vs-dramaturge.html
