Dramaturgy

Dramaturgy is the theory and practice of dramatic composition and the management of theatrical production. It concerns the analysis of plays, the development of scripts, and the shaping of a performance to realize a specific concept or interpretation. In a production, a dramaturg acts as a bridge among the text, the director, designers, and actors, helping to align historical context, thematic focus, and audience experience with the artistic aims of the project.

A dramaturg’s responsibilities typically include literary research, sourcing and organizing production materials, writing program notes, and creating footnotes or synopses. They may analyze script structure, character motivation, and rhetoric; propose cuts, edits, or new scenes; and assist with translations or restorations of earlier versions. Dramaturgs also facilitate workshop readings and collaborations with playwrights, and contribute to the development process from initial concept through rehearsal.

History and scope have evolved since the term was coined in the late 18th century at the Hamburg National Theatre by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, who used dramaturgy to describe the practice of shaping dramatic form for public reception. In modern theatre, the role has diversified: many companies employ production dramaturgs tasked with contextual research and artistic planning, while literary dramaturgs focus on script analysis and development. In the United States, dramaturgy expanded through universities and professional ensembles in the mid-20th century and has since broadened to include audience engagement, accessibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dramaturgy is also applied to opera, film, radio, and performance studies, where its aims include guiding adaptation, translation, and curatorial or developmental processes to support coherent storytelling and meaningful audience experience.