Re: RAT ticket expiration

["Megan Monaghan" <meganmonaghan@email.msn.com>]

Wading in briefly:

Michael (Farkash), I'm a working new play dramaturg, and happy to discuss
the work with you.  You seem to be laboring under some seriously old
misconceptions.

In brief, the way I work is:  I begin by spending my time and energy
absorbing all I can about *what is the play that this playwright is laboring
to make*.  As I conceive it, my job is to help the writer get there with a
minimum of unnecessary pain and suffering.  Not, by any means, to try to
make the play into something other than what the writer wants it to be.  If
that's my goal, then I should just write my own damn play.

The methods I use vary play by play and playwright by playwright and
situation by situation.  Some call for research; some for script analysis;
some for consideration of the musical or rhythmic or dreamworld aspects of
the writing; some call for the gutsy flying leap into the unknown (those are
usually my favorite projects).  There are a hundred more "some call for"s I
could name, each one called up by a different project.  It's an art form,
and can't be quantified any more fully than any other art form.

You asked about training and credentials.  There are certainly an increasing
number of advanced degree programs offered in dramaturgy, often with
wonderful faculties and (I presume) spanning the spectrum of
sublime-to-ridiculous which every other grad program embodies.  I didn't get
a degree in dramaturgy.  I got a degree in directing, at a university where
there was and is a fabulously strong playwriting program, because I wanted
to work on new work with playwrights.  During the course of my grad studies,
I did take a then-experimental course in new play dramaturgy, and got a lot
out of it, principally two excellent mentors who helped me develop my skills
further, to go with the talent I brought to the table.  And then I got out
of school, and just kept working.  With a lot of very generous and trusting
writers, directors, performers and collaborators of every stripe.  That's
led me to this day.

Eh.  I said it was going to be brief; apparently I lied.  But it's one
dramaturg's experience, and I hope it's helpful.  Happy to discuss further,
if you like.

Megan Monaghan
The Playwrights' Center and Frontera North

-----Original Message-----
From: NashGay@aol.com <NashGay@aol.com>
To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com <rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com>
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: RAT ticket expiration


>In a message dated 11/28/2000 6:08:58 PM Central Standard Time,
>Mmm628@aol.com writes:
>
><< gregory gunter, a former classmate of mine, and an amazing writer, is a
> wonderful dramaturg who helped me tremendously with my solo show -- before
i
> found a director. i was lucky to work with him. he's worked with many
> directors/playwrights who i'm sure would vouch for his
talents/insights/etc
> etc.  >>
>
>greg rocks.  and i'm not just saying that because he's my second cousin
once
>removed.  (from the wierd side of the family).