Dramaturging Script Analysis

Abstract:Theatre students need an expansive view of art and storytelling in order to fully engage the diversity of the field of theatre and performance. We argue this can be accomplished by moving past a focus on the "play from the inside" of most script analysis courses toward a dramaturgical analysis. Dramaturgy offers a broader approach that fosters more complex critical and creative thinking skills, thus providing a stronger foundation for analytical ability. How can dramaturgy broaden the artistic discipline's approach to script analysis? What do we gain from applying a dramaturgical sensibility to script analysis? We suggest the employment of five themes to utilize in dramaturgical analysis: context, audience, creation, shape, and conceptual frameworks.