Dramaturgy Workshop at UCLA

Sammy Solis

To kick off November, Diversifying the Classics hosted a Dramaturgy Workshop for graduate students in collaboration with a range of Los Angeles theater practitioners.

Presenters included: Michael Hackett, Head of Directing of the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television; Ariane Helou, of French & Francophone Studies at UCLA, also Dramaturg for Santa Cruz Shakespeare; Jessica Kubzansky, Artistic Director of Boston Court Theater; and Amy Levinson, Associate Artistic Director of the Geffen Playhouse.

The workshop began with a panel discussion, with each presenter sharing their experience in theater and dramaturgy. Dramaturgs act as resources in unpacking the text of a play, providing historical context and critical insight. Over the course of the workshop, graduate students learned how their analytical and research skills as scholars could be portable in this field. Participants also had the opportunity to work in small groups with each presenter, to practice approaching plays they brought to the workshop as emerging dramaturgs. Overall, the workshop proved an engaging and productive space, bridging scholarship and theater in a valuable professionalization experience for graduate students interested in transporting their skills outside of academia.