Abby Tuttle

Student Teaching, East

Course: Drama I

UNIT PLAN: Theatre and Society

Blocks: 1,2,6
Grade: 9-12

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 1 of 9
Topics: play-lit
groups, dramaturg

Standards Addressed throughout Unit:

Theatre Arts, DMPS SRG
Research/History
Analysis/Reflection
Rehearsal
Create
Technical Design
Daily Objective:
Assessments:
I will get to know my group or
(Informal) Class discussion and
select a play to work on.
completion of article and
I will complete my Before I Read
questions.
(Formal) Students will apply new
page with my group members.
I will understand the role and
knowledge to their reading of their
functions of different technical
scripts and take notes in their
theatre positions.
packets.
Resources and Materials:
Scripts for each group
o Raisin in the Sun (10 copies)
o Time Stands Still (5 copies)
o Mothers and Sons (10 copies)
o Kindertransport (6 copies)
Packets (50)
Articles (50)
Agenda:
(20 minutes) Warm-Up: What is a dramaturg? Article and questions
o Students read independently about the role of dramaturg and
answer questions.
o Discuss as class.
(15 minutes) Assign groups.
o Announce groups and have them get together.
o While this is happening, talk to students who were not there on
Mondaythey will need to pick script and get a group.
(10 minutes) Have groups begin Before Reading page.
o Students who missed can join in and catch up easily on this.
(10 minutes) Reading time.
o Once all students are in group, have groups start reading play.
o Within the first page, they should all work together to find 3 pieces of
info for dramaturg.
o Groups will be responsible for splitting up roles or figuring out how they
want to best read.
Assign roles and each person reads a role.
Read independently and stop every couple of pages to discuss.

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 2 of 9

Have 1 person read aloud to the group

Differentiation Notes:
Students are put into reading groups by choicethey were able to pick 1 st
and 2nd choice. I went with everyones 1st choice for now, though depending
on the students who were not there the other day, I may need to switch some
people around.
The scripts I chose all have different themes and issues. I tried to pick a
diverse set to help students connect to the material.
Reflections/Notes:
Unit Objectives:
I will understand how theatre can be expressive of issues in society.
I will understand the different roles within a theatre and how they help create
a production.
I will use script text and research to create a design.
I will work collaboratively to produce research and ideas about a show.

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 3 of 9

Huffpost Arts and Culture

What Is a Dramaturg?
11/20/2012 11:01 pm ET | Updated Jan 20, 2013
Bess RowenPh.D Candidate of Theatre, CUNY, The Graduate Center
Over the years of my theatrical career, I have been listed in programs as a director, stage
manager, associate producer, and various characters. But as I sat in the front row of Labyrinth's
Bank Street Theater the other night, I was reading a program in which I am listed as "dramaturg."
Several years ago I couldn't tell you what that word meant, and as I write this Microsoft Word
has underlined it with a red squiggly line. Despite Word's harsh judgment, and my own former
ignorance, a dramaturg is an important member of the theatrical equation, and one that is too
rarely discussed.
When Cusi Cram asked me if I would consider dramaturging her show Radiance, which just
opened on Friday, I had to first ask what she meant by dramaturg. You see, one of the problems
with defining this term is that there seem to be as many ways to answer that question as there are
dramaturgs and projects that utilize one.
My own concept of the role has been heavily influenced by the wonderful work I have seen some
talented dramaturgs do, both inside and outside of the theater. I think of them every time I answer
the question, "what exactly is a dramaturg?" (and, believe it or not, I get asked that question a
lot). And so, immediately after deciding that I would write something about dramaturgy, I
resolved to ask some of these individuals to share their own answers to someone on the street
asking them the above question. Here's what three of my dramaturg colleagues had to say:
Helen Jaksch, currently pursuing her MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism at Yale School
of Drama -"Mark Bly says that a dramaturg questions. My professor Catherine Sheehy says, among other
things, that a dramaturg is an in-house critic that is friendly to the production. Dramaturgy is
generous honesty, rigorous curiosity, and passion for thoughtful theatre and theatre-making. Most
importantly, though, dramaturgy is not extraneous to a creative process. It is essential."
Shane Breaux, resident dramaturg at NY Shakespeare Exchange --

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 4 of 9

"Dramaturgs are a special breed of artist who must handle multiple tasks at once. We are text
analyzers; we are researchers; we are objective observers; we are expert question askers; we are
a resource for the director and playwright and actors and designers, and we are creative
diplomats who liaise with those involved. Generally, dramaturgs serve, as I learned from my
dramaturgy mentor Lynn M. Thomson, as the memory of the process of theater making -whatever that process may be -- and as Lynn has said, everything is process."
Maria Mytilinaki, currently pursuing her Ph.D. in theater at CUNY, The Graduate Center -"The dramaturg is a critical thinker that provides literary, cultural and artistic insight before,
during, and sometimes after the creation of a piece. Sometimes the role of the dramaturg involves
serving as a form of translator, diplomat, or simply buffer between two artistic egos: that of the
playwright and that of the director. And like translators, sometimes dramaturgs are treated with
suspicion from both sides."
I would argue that the unique skill set of these individuals is obvious even in the ways in which
they chose to answer the question. Though I believe their insightful words stand alone, I would
like to direct your attention to the fact that all three responses discuss both technical and personal
aspects of dramaturgy. The best dramaturgs I know bridge the gap between technical knowledge
and a communicative artistic spirit while adapting to the unique needs of each production,
director, and playwright.
They are just one of the plethora of theatrical personnel (like fight choreographers, stage
managers, and even directors) whose best work blends into a final production rather than
standing out from it. My hope is that the next time you see someone listed in the program as a
dramaturg, you'll have some sense of what that person might have done for that production. For
my part, I've added the word "dramaturg" to my Microsoft Word dictionary, which is another step
in the right direction.

What are 3 things a dramaturg is responsible for?

Why are they essential to a theatrical production? Are there productions where they may
be more or less necessary?

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 5 of 9

Name
Block
Before You Read:
Title of Play_________________________________________________________________
Author_____________________________________________________________________
Year originally produced_________________

Why were you interested in this play? ______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Setting:
Location:____________________________________________________________________
Timeline:___________________________________________________________________

Characters:
_______________________________

_________________________________

_______________________________

_________________________________

_______________________________

_________________________________

_______________________________

_________________________________

_______________________________

_________________________________

_______________________________

_________________________________

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 6 of 9

While You Read:

Each person in your group is responsible for one of the following areas for notes. Circle
which one you are going to be doing and use these pages to keep your notes. This does NOT
need to coordinate with your final design project.
Dramaturge: New vocabulary, historical & cultural references or allusions (people, years in
history, cities, historical events, works of art, movies, etc.)
Costumer: Clothing, accessories (hats, purses, jewelry, etc.), hair, and make-up, age of
characters, physical descriptions
Set Designer: Setting, set pieces (windows, walls, doors, etc.), furniture, set dressings (posters,
decorations, etc.), hand props
Light and Sound: Music, time of day, special effects, light sources (lamps, windows, etc.), sound
effects.
Research Notes
Page #

Note from Text

Research

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 7 of 9

Research Notes
Page #

Note from Text

Research

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 8 of 9

Plot Outline:
Use this page to map the story. Note events that happen and changes in mood as the story
progresses. Little actions do not need to be noted, only the significant moments that move the
plot along.

Exposition:
Things that happened
before the action of
the play.

Rising Action:
Events that are
happening as the play
unfolds.

Climax:

The
biggest action or
turning point of the
play.

Abby Tuttle
Student Teaching, East

Falling Action/
Resolution: Events
that happen as the play
settles down and comes
to a conclusion.

2/24/2016 Block 2
Page 9 of 9