Dramaturgy


Oxford dictionary defines dramaturgy as, “the craft or the techniques of dramatic composition.”  It is the study of writing dramatic texts and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage. A specialist in dramaturgy, especially one who acts as a consultant to a theater company, advising them on possible repertory is called dramaturg.  Dramaturgy in sociological perspective is also commonly used in micro-sociological accounts of social interactions in everyday life. The term was first adapted to sociology from the theatre by Erving Goffman, who developed most of the related terminology and ideas in his book, the presentation of self in Everyday life.

From its definition, dramaturgy is used multiple times based on the contextual difference in the book Dramaturgy In Motion by Katherine Profeta. On the beginning of the introduction, Profeta has said that dramaturgy is often found in different phrases. Some used, “to indicate the proprietary structure of a single play or a body of work.” (3) The single play is meant to be something crafted on a piece of paper and the bodywork is all the performs played on the stage which can include speeches and dialogues. Profita has also mentioned on her book that dramaturgy addresses how it manifests itself theatrically, conventional priorities tend to focus on how the performers articulate the text, and how that speech is supported or contradicted by the theatrical apparatus that surrounds it. This implies dramaturgy can be categorized into musical, classical, contemporary or some other form to help the dramaturgs work on a specific area; opera, dance, film, and television. In overall, Dramaturgy is used in such forms in the book to teach its similarity with theatre and showing what each motion and text mean.

When someone talks about the quality of motion, text, language, speech, literal and, figure, it is all about the dramaturgy. Dramaturgy is the deep root of all these elements of drama which shows how body movement can be used to say something meaningful. In theatrical world, dramaturgy is used frequently when talking about text, motion, and its quality. Profeta has stated that “there is no essential difference between theatre and dramaturgy.” (9). In overall, the book is mainly focusing on how dramaturgy is used in every theatrical life and how those dramaturgical/theatrical compositions give meaning.

 

English Oxford Living Dictionaries "Transgressive." Accessed 7 Jan 2018. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/transgressive. Profeta, Katherine. 2015. "Research" Dramaturgy in Motion: At Work on Dance and Movement Performance. 61-87. USA: University of Wisconsin, Profeta, Katherine. "Research and Audience" Dramaturgy in Motion. 61-138. USA: Library of Congress, 2015.