Dramaturgy, Literary Management, Organizations...and the FUTURE.

I have to admit, gang...my brain is so full of thoughts and questions after Howlround's Convening on The 21st Century Literary Office, I'm not sure where to begin with this prompt. We could link it to the reading from Chapter at of Ghost Light...particularly since institutions and organizations were a strong throughline of the weekend's meetings. We could reflect on the various ways folks at the Convening spoke about both their work and the work of literary managers and/or dramaturgs. We could discuss the difference drawn between literary management, dramaturgy, connectivity, criticism, advocacy...the complexity and fluidity of who does what when in the generative process.

Frankly, I'd like you to respond to any of those ideas, but also engage with one of the prompts at the close of the last session, but expand to acknowledge that while in this class you are all dramaturgs AND...

So...what are the three values you feel are intrinsic to literary management AND the future of theatre in the US? (and where do you see yourself in that future?)

AND...what are the bright spots you see in US theatre at the moment? What makes you want to do what you do?

I'd encourage you to think about your responses in conversation with each other. This time around, let's use this space as a "rehearsal" of our ideas--work them out together in dialogue.

The Critical Response Process

Choreographer, performer, educator and McArthur Genius Grant recipient Liz Lerman developed the Critical Response Process to enable "a group of people to uncover their various aesthetic and performance values and, by being patient, apply them to a creative work-in-progress in a way that pushes the artist's thinking forward."

Given that we all shift through different roles that are part of the Critical Response Process, which role do you feel is most comfortable for you? Which is most challenging? How do you use your dramaturgical sensibility in either/all three?

Think about the workshop held in the collaborative play development class. How does the process work of the workshop reflect the steps of the critical response process? Do you see possibilities for the critical response process to aid the class as they continue to devise as an ensemble over the course of the semester? Reflect, too, on your own critical voice during the workshop? Were there ways you did engage in the steps of the critical response process?