The official blog of the Dramaturgy Department at Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE. For posts related to our current and upcoming shows, click the links to the right. Alternatively, you could begin at the beginning, and explore our posts in chronological order.
“A Choreographer Hopes His New iPad Application Will Lead Theater Productions Into the Future”
Works-in-process in an everyone-is-a-critic-now world.
Blog post by Diane Ragsdale
If inviting general audiences into the artistic process now means potentially inviting them to share their feedback with the world does this change how we think about presenting works-in-development for public audiences?
Perhaps I have a skewed perception, but it strikes me that over the past couple decades (at least in the US) arts organizations have increasingly presented half- or nearly-baked works to the public and (in many cases) charged them money for the privilege of seeing this work. For a variety of reasons, we have invited patrons into the process and have sold them on the idea that (1) this will increase their knowledge and understanding of an artform or (2) their presence and feedback will be valuable to the creators. […]
Recently there has been a good deal of chatter and discussion about the impact of amateur critics or passionate patrons (and recently a professional critic or two) blogging or tweeting reviews or comments on works ‘in development’ or shows ‘in preview’. In general it seems these have been seen by artists and producers as breaches of trust. But given the growing power and influence of consumers, and given that we have welcomed them in and charged them money and promoted the importance of their presence and opinions, is it any wonder that they now want (or feel entitled or even encouraged) to blog about their experiences? …
To read the full post go to: http://www.artsjournal.com/jumper/2011/09/works-in-process-in-an-everyone-is-a-critic-now-world/#comment-958
From Julie’s scintillating and thought-provoking post:
Currently I’m working on American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival—a ten-year program during which we are commissioning thirty-seven projects concerning moments of great change in United States history—and I’ve been thinking a lot about democracy and government and the people’s role, responsibilities, and power in it. In rereading the founding documents of the United States, it is impossible not to feel the revolutionary fervor and great optimism that emanates from them. In that spirit, I propose a Bill of Rights for Dramaturgs with the rest of the amendments thrown in for fun and good measure. So, please indulge my mixed metaphorical historical musings.
The company around the table at Illusion Theater in Minneapolis—working through the text of Marion McClinton’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s monumental Jazz as part of the Fresh Ink series, in conjunction with The Playwrights Center and CENTERSTAGE.
Listening to a little Sidney Bechet while working on JAZZ (adaptation of Toni Morrison) here in the steamy Twin Cities…
As seen, read, compiled, or considered by the dramaturgy students at Emerson College.
Blog from Boston’s Playwrights’ Commons and its overlords, participants, and guru-turgs—as well as the folks at Company One.
