Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy

Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy is a comprehensive guide to dramaturgy training and practice, updated to reflect the current state of the field. It covers the "ghost light" model of dramaturgy, script analysis, collaboration, and audience outreach, and includes exercises for students to practice their skills.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 30 January 2023
Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press

Since its publication in 2010, Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy has emerged as the global benchmark for dramaturgy training and practice. The inaugural textbook introduced students to the "ghost light" model of dramaturgy, a creatively engaging and artistically vibrant approach that draws upon extensive knowledge of theatre history, practice, and theory. This second edition, authored by the theory creator himself, Michael Mark Chemers, takes the conversation forward to the present.

Spanning over three parts, this comprehensive guide empowers students to delve into the realm of dramaturgy. Part 1 provides an in-depth exploration of the roles and responsibilities of dramaturgs, offering a comprehensive history of dramaturgy, while summarizing numerous critical theories essential for analyzing and understanding dramatic texts. Part 2 equips students with the skills to read, write, and analyze scripts through a twelve-step program, offering valuable insights into approaching various genres and play structures. The final part delves into the crucial relationships dramaturgs forge and provides practical advice on collaborating with other artists. Additionally, it includes ideas for audience outreach initiatives, encompassing marketing and publicity plans, educational programs, program notes, and lobby displays.

Ideal for undergraduate theatre classrooms, this holistic guide incorporates chapter exercises for students to practice the skills as they learn. Furthermore, the new edition incorporates recent theoretical developments and new resources on multimedia performance and dramaturgy in the digital age, ensuring that theatre students and practitioners are well-prepared to create powerful, relevant performances across diverse genres. As the field of dramaturgy continues to evolve and transform, this revised edition of Ghost Light: An Introductory Handbook for Dramaturgy equips theatre students and practitioners with the tools to forge new artistic horizons and shape the future of theatrical practice.

Weight: 399g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780809338887
Edition number: 2 Revised edition