Analyzes the issue of censorship in relation to how it has influenced anti-apartheid South African playwright/director Mbongeni Ngema's theatrical style and the evolution of his style from the socio-political context in which he works. Illuminates the playwright's strategies for overcoming censorship. Discusses his most well-known work,…

Discusses the author's experience as a playwright and teacher of public readings of early drafts of new plays. Explains the Five Step Model for these readings as follows: prepare the playwright before the reading; prepare the audience with a precurtain speech; after the reading, establish discussion ground rules; remember these guidelines during…

Explains that five members of the Cornish faculty from various departments and a student came together across lines of discipline and departments to form a dramaturgy team. Notes that this experience created a new presence for the scholar/artist in the productive process. Suggests that the team's commitment to the students as educators contributed…

Outlines a dramaturg's process when working on three different plays. Contends that the myriad variations on the question "what will happen next?" serve as the basic architecture on which the dynamic relationship between the story/storytellers and the audience is built. Observes that the continual planning and answering of questions is…

Proposes that a crucial task facing a theater professor teaching an undergraduate dramaturgy class is to force the students to stop thinking like students. Notes that the tendency of students to assume that the professor knows more than they do poses a particular problem in teaching dramaturgy. Suggests that one of the central tools for teaching…

Discusses the different requirements of teaching drama students and directing professionals. Outlines a range of dramaturgical action between working to support the artistic interests of an established playwright and instructing a novice playwright in basic approaches. Examines how thinking in terms of a spectrum from neophyte to veteran guides…