Text Support: A Workshop Series for Dramaturgs

An interactive introduction to Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process (CRP) in which participants will read a script and respond following the CRP prompts, as if the playwright is in the room. Followed by a demonstration of a dramaturg-playwright conversation, ending in a full-group discussion, where observers are asked to share their observations of the demonstrated conversation.

This session will look at the specific practice of working with early career artists. Working on a writer's first full length play, with writers with no formal writing training, and those who may have had little experience of seeing their work on stage and exploring how we might employ dramaturgy effectively at times when a writer's own knowledge and experience of practice and craft is limited.

Can you free your work from existing structures to tell the story you want, or work outside of story entirely, and still create a satisfying theatrical event? Canadian-based dramaturg Brian Quirt will review several case studies from his projects with a focus on how he collaborated with the creators to determine, test, and refine theatrical structures beyond conventional Western, text-centric, narrative forms.

This workshop invites dramaturgs to consider their role in new play development within a global context and to decentre the local (or national) systems and modalities that seem "normal" in order to meet playwrights from different countries, cultures, and theatrical languages where they are. As collaborations increasingly cross borders, languages, and audience expectations, we’ll explore how to support writers whose lived experiences and creative frameworks may differ significantly from our own. What does it mean to be a dramaturg attuned to the global, and how can we cultivate practices that are adaptive, respectful, and responsive? 

• All workshops will be conducted online via Zoom.
• Each workshop will be capped at 15 participants.
• The working language will be English. Captioning (in English) will be enabled for Zoom so you will be able to use this function if you wish. 
• The sessions will be conducted using a mix of short presentations, discussions and breakout group activities. 
• There will be some readings assigned prior to each workshop. Participants will be expected to make time to complete these.