Dramaturgy of History

Tom Bryant is known for his work as a dramaturg in the development of new plays on Broadway and in America’s regional theaters, most prominently Robert Schenkkan’s All the Way, which won the Tony award for best play in 2014, and The Kentucky Cycle, which won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1992. Other notable productions include Lisa Loomer’s Roe, at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arena Stage and Berkeley Repertory Theater, which won the Pen Center Literary Award for Drama in 2017. He served as head of the theater program at Crafton Hills College from 2004 to 2018 and currently serves on the faculty in the Department of Theater and New Dance at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, USA.

• 1. Why Adapt History to the Stage? 2. Framing the Story 3. Choosing the Events- Finding the Nuggets 4. Plot and Structure 5. Character: Translating Historical Figures into Dramatic Characters 6. Theme- Focusing the Meaning of the Story 7. Finding Relevance to Contemporary Issues 8. Racial Sensitivity, inclusion and Cultural Appropriation 9. Dramaturgical Research and Development Process in Rehearsal and Production

“Tom Bryant is our field’s leading dramaturg, especially when it comes to creating gripping plays rooted in United States history. His brilliance shines through every chapter of this book with his open-hearted collaborative nature, his uncanny ability to raise dramatic stakes, and his clear-eyed focus.”Bill Rauch, Artistic Director, Perelman Performing Arts Center, USA“This is it. When a significant art form lacks the literature to build crucial and necessary works, It takes a supple and very experienced mind to connect the important dots. This book does that. American playwrighting is deficient in its ability to take on the history of the country. By exploring some of the most significant players in that field doing groundbreaking work, Tom Bryant opens up for all of us the work in creating plays about our history.”Vincent Murphy, Professor at Theater Emory, USA“Tom Bryant has been in the trenches, working intimately with wonderful playwrights who have benefited by his insight, research, intelligence and passion. He is a dramaturg who elevates our whole profession, as at home in a research library as he is in a rehearsal room. This book is a wonderful resource for those who want to be in the room where it happens.”Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater and Professor of Dramatic Writing and Arts and Public Policy, New York University, USA