A Reflection On Dramaturgy In Reference To Silence By Moira Buffini

This is a personal reflection on my experience serving as a student dramaturg for Appalachian State University’s 2017 production of the play Silence by Moira Buffini. Dramaturgy is a term not many people are familiar with, especially outside the theatre community. Even within the theatre community there is confusion and disagreement about what the role of dramaturg should entail, as well as how a dramaturg should be utilized in a theatrical production. In this reflection I discuss my experiences surrounding these questions, and how a year long process in dramaturgy helped me to clarify for myself what exactly a dramaturg is AND and what exactly it is they do.