Seeing Between the Lines

The dramaturg's job is to read between the lines and enhance a script with specificity and accuracy. This 1-night workshop will teach you to watch and read a play from the perspective of a dramaturg and see what you've been missing. For our upcoming production of Judy Gold's Yes, I Can Say That!, you will read the script and watch the production in advance of class and then delve into the work with Primary Stages Associate Artistic Director Erin Daley. With your eyes opened, you'll be able to incorporate dramaturgical practice into your work as a writer, actor, or director.

This workshop might be for you if you:

• Would like the ability to translate what you see on stage to your own work.
• Are a theater artist seeking to refine your analytical skills when talking about live theater.
• Are a theater lover who would like a new perspective on what you see.

In this workshop you will:

• Read the script and watch a performance of the Primary Stages production of Judy Gold's Yes, I Can Say That! prior to the class date. (Tickets will be provided for students at no additional cost.)
• Meet with your class after viewing the production. Erin will facilitate a class discussion about the production, exploring the questions of why this play, in this place, at this time.
• Discuss what it means to be a dramaturg, what dramaturgical inquiry is, and how you can incorporate dramaturgical practice into your work no matter your role in a production.

By the end of this workshop you will:

• Have a better understanding of the role of a dramaturg and dramaturgy in any play.
• Be able to bring dramaturgy into your work as a writer, actor, or director.
• Be equipped to see any production with a more discerning eye.

About the online platform for this class: 

Zoom Meeting is easy to start, join, and use to collaborate online in a personable way via desktop or mobile without complicated set-ups. The Zoom Meeting Host (your ESPA instructor or administrator) sends out a meeting link and at the time of your class, you just click the link to launch the virtual classroom via your web browser. In the Zoom Meeting, each participant can share their webcam so that you're not only hearing your instructor and classmates but seeing them too, making it feel similar to being in one of the studios at ESPA. Other exciting collaborative Zoom features include Breakout Rooms in which students can meet in smaller groups, "Raise Your Hand" feature to better facilitate balanced conversation, Video Sharing, and File Transfer for your assignments. If you can't log in via a computer, there are also options to phone into the meeting so you can still participate in the class even if you find yourself without computer or internet access. And Zoom has an Apple and Android app, making it possible to take part in class from any device.