Thursday, February 01, 2024

Stevie and the Real World: Rehearsal Dramaturgy

I have been working on Stevie and the Real World, a new play by Iraisa Ann Reilly that was commissioned for the eight MFA Acting students who will graduate from MSU this spring. Here are some of the materials I put together: https://smit2030.msu.domains/stevie-and-the-real-world/

The rehearsal process has offered challenges primarily related to dramatic structure and interpretation of the play. I recently sent the following email delving into one complicated scene with the actors playing the roles of Promise and Fran:

"I think the idea that Fran and Promise sing the same tune is meant to suggest a strong (contrasting) parallel between their auditions. The audience doesn't hear Fran's performance, but I think we can make a few assumptions:

Fran is trying to follow the rules, and Promise is bending the rules a little bit, in an effort to stand out. These auditions are typically a capella. Fran does not have a backing track, but Promise does. Fran is also presumably singing an actual pop song, and Promise has made up new lyrics to the song. American Idol has always frowned on original songs, so it would make sense for Promise to rewrite the words to an existing song in an effort to come across as original.
I can see that the last line would scan as "I'm breaking up with you," so it's possible that only the last four lines of Promise's song are different. Maybe Fran's song is something like this: "Just like your name / I'm Winning, too / Go away now, Winston / I'm breaking up with you." (And maybe also something about "those other girls" earlier on.) 
Promise is doing a lot of things that make for a delusional audition. As Fred implies, the producers would put Promise in front of the judges and televise that audition, but it would be edited to play for laughs. Fran's audition is meant to be great. So I would say the fact that they are singing the same tune amplifies the difference between a delusional audition and a great audition. But maybe that distinction is less about talent and more about being true to yourself: Fran really knows who she is (so she doesn't have to try as hard) and Promise is not yet confident in their identity (which comes across as trying too hard)."

Wednesday, March 02, 2022

Hit the Wall Synopsis

We're working on a production of Ike Holter's play Hit the Wall and I prepared this synopsis for the program. 

24 Hours of Change (A Synopsis with Time Stamps)

Time and temperature announcements in Hit the Wall offer a sense of specific moments in the lives of these characters, with some connection to actual weather reports and to times recorded in police reports. Tano’s tendency to use clock positions to indicate direction offer a humorous counterpoint to the numerous time stamps in the play.

 

Friday, June 27, 1969. Noon: “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” Tano and Mika comment on other characters including Newbie, Roberta, Cliff, and Carson.

 

1:30 PM: Carson and Cliff attend Judy Garland’s funeral. Their presence upsets Madeline.

 

3:30 PM: Peg asks Tano and Mika for assistance. “Concerned citizen” Alex offers help, at the cost of violence and erasure. Peg then unwittingly attends Roberta's W.I.L.D. meeting. A-Gay invites Newbie to his apartment. Several characters make plans to meet at the Stonewall Inn near midnight.

 

11:30 PM: Outside of Stonewall. Alex sets the scene. Carson and Cliff arrive at the bar.

 

Saturday, June 28. Midnight: “I Need a Drink.” / The Stonewall Inn. Dance party.

 

1:30 AM: The Raid. Most characters exit the bar. Cop assaults Peg and Carson in the bathroom.

 

1:45 AM: Outside Stonewall. People gather. Peg, handcuffed, shouts “No More Watching” and is beaten.

 

1:55 AM: A Riot. Crowd surges.

 

3:00 AM/2:15 AM: Riot Squad and tear gas. Roberta urges crowd not to retreat and makes phone calls to the press. Madeline searches for the police station. Cliff searches for Carson. Tano searches for Mika. A-Gay searches for sex and is rebuffed.

 

3:45 AM: Madeline finds Peg at the police station and offers help, at the cost of erasure. They lose each other again.

 

4:45 AM: Mika and Tano connect with Roberta. Newbie reflects on the past and the future.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, August 05, 2021

Strategies for Building a Culture of Dramaturgy

Based on my experience at Michigan State, I recommend considering the following categories to frame questions and strategies, not necessarily in this order:

1. Strategic positioning:

 What are the strengths and gaps in your department? Dramaturgy is related to Directing, Design, Theatre Studies, Theatre Management. Directing: One easy thing was having a call for student dramaturg applications get sent out with a call for Assistant Director applications.

Design: In my department it was important for me to advocate for dramaturgs to have a more significant role in the design process because it starts well before auditions and rehearsals. Be strategic about describing outcomes: I say “research packet” rather than “actor packet.” (You might do better with actor packet.) I encourage student dramaturgs to create PowerPoint presentations because that tends to be how our designers share their work.

Colleagues: Who are your dramaturgical allies among faculty and staff? You might have a costume shop supervisor with a dramaturgical sensibility. The person in charge of marketing or PR might appreciate dramaturgs generating material for press releases or social media posts.

 2. Curriculum:

Can your curriculum support a dramaturgy class? The answer here is no, at least not as an elective. BA students tend to be double majors; BFA students want to specialize.

How can you incorporate dramaturgy assignments in Theatre Studies courses? I have used Honors Option as an incentive for Honors College students. I assign season pitch projects and new work pitch projects to show how theatre history is useful for students as artists and to help students develop grant writing skills. 

Students were getting practicum credits (THR 300C) for dramaturgy before I arrived, but without clear expectations or integration into production process.

3. Translation and Analogy:

I get a lot of mileage out of defining a dramaturg as an “information designer.” Modeling the THR 300C expectations for dramaturgs on the design contract for the same course was also useful. Design students receive formalized mentorship, with specific steps in the design process. Scheduling weekly check-ins with student dramaturgs in person or via email added significant buy-in from faculty colleagues and helped me to monitor student performance more effectively. 

4. Taking up space:

What is worth advocating for and how many times are you willing to advocate for it? Can you get a budget line for research materials? How much real estate do you get in the program for a dramaturg’s note? Is there a dedicated space for a lobby display? Can you get student stage managers to include a Dramaturgy section in the rehearsal report?