Do It Yourself Dramaturgy

Book excerpt: “The secret of life may be found in the questions you ask, and the same goes for the secrets of playwriting. In Do It Yourself Dramaturgy, Caroline Russell-King asks just the right questions or, rather, she exhorts playwrights to ask them before launching their work into the world. Comprehensive and concise, this eminently usable guide offers lesson after lesson in dramaturgical inquiry—craft-based, artistic, practical, professional, and even profound. It comes packing answers, too, from a writer who clearly knows her stuff, including how to entertain as she teaches. Russell-King’s cheeky, smart examples are worth the price of admission. Her parentheticals—where she stows personal stories and biases—are priceless. “ —Todd London, Artistic Director, Writer, Dramatist Guild of America, NYC. “What a terrific resource for playwrights: sound advice and provocative questions peppered with relevant (and entertaining) anecdotes.” —Conni Massing, Playwright, screenwriter, story consultant, Edmonton. “Full of really valuable advice and questions to ask yourself. Read it then WRITE.” —George F. Walker, Playwright, Toronto. “Caroline Russell-King's Do It Yourself Dramaturgy guides you like a lighthouse beacon through the frequent fog of the creative process of writing, or more likely, rewriting a stage play. Phrased as a series of practical questions the playwright might ask of their work before revising and submitting it to a potential producer, this concise, practical and lively guide renders complex concepts accessible and useful to a playwright at any level of experience, or for that matter anyone engaged in the creation of that fundamental conveyor of human experience: story.“ —Gerry Potter, Writer, Director, Dramaturg, Edmonton. “Russell-King knows what she’s talking about. And she knows how to tell it with frankness, humour and clarity.” —Bill Lane, Producer, Director, Stratford.