Special Topics in Advanced Theatre Studies (340-0-21)

Topic

Musical Theatre Dramaturgy

Instructors

Masi Asare

Meeting Info

Wirtz 235 Seminar Room: Tues 2:00PM - 5:00PM

Overview of class

This course focuses on the role of the dramaturg as a creative team member helping to shape works for the musical stage, with an emphasis on new work. What makes a musical "tick? Connect with audiences? Deliver a moving, meaningful and coherent experience in the theatre? A skillful dramaturg serves as a key thought partner, researcher, and sometimes even "show doctor" collaborating with writers, composers, and directors. We will ask: How does the construction of a musical play empower, disempower, or generally position characters in relation to one another and the show's central arc? How does music effectively convey story? How is the dramaturgy of a play different from that of a musical? The reinterpretation of a classic show vs. the creation of a brand-new work? How can research into a show's history, setting and context conjure greater specificity across a musical's script and score? Students will conduct critical analysis of existing works as well as new musicals-in-progress. Guest speakers--dramaturgs from theatres in Chicago and NYC--will share insights and enhance our studies. 
 

Registration Requirements

This course is open to advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Email the professor at masi.asare@northwestern.edu for a permission number.

Class Attributes

SoC Additional Distro