THEA 021A. Fundamentals of Dramaturgy

This course defines dramaturgy as studying the architecture of a play; the historical context in which it was made, its structure and style, and the many different ways to live inside of it. We will take a deep dive into many plays, including one current campus production, as well as exploring the role of a Dramaturg and speaking with professionals working in the field today. Each student will choose two plays over the course of the semester, one canonical and one contemporary, and develop a full dramaturgical packet for each, including historical research, script analysis, and program notes for an imaginary production. Students who have completed this course will be prepared to take on roles as the Production Dramaturg for future Swarthmore Theater productions. This writing and research based course is perfect for readers who are interested in theater, writers who are interested in structure, and anyone who has ever wanted to take apart a play, lay out all the parts, and figure out what makes it tick.
Prerequisite: THEA 001 helpful but not required.
Humanities
Writing course.
0.5 - 1 credit.
Fall 2023. Reich.
Spring 2025. Reich.
Spring 2026. Wooden.
Catalog chapter: Theater
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/department-theater

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