Something Rotten - Director's Note:
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Nick Bottom, our protagonist in Something Rotten, attempts to invent something new for the stage that will outshine Shakespeare's plays. With the help of witchcraft (reminiscent of another ambitious, Scottish gentleman), he quickly discovers, "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." His hubristic quest to best Shakespeare makes him forget or ignore the things he knows are true: his wife, his brother and writing partner, and his own instincts. He takes us on an amusing, clever, irreverent, and self-deprecating journey which culminates in the realization, "To thine own self be true." In other words, embrace your true self, add a little love, and all will be right with the world.  

- Lesley Larsen
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A Note from the Dramaturg:
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The definition of what a dramaturg does (and by extension, what the act of dramaturgy actually is) is…vague at best, and far too specific at worst. This is because the work a dramaturg must do will inevitably vary from the play being worked on, the production being created, and the people involved with it. An attempt to solidify or rigidly define what we do will prevent us from helping in all the ways we wish to. For that is exactly what a dramaturg is supposed to do. We are supposed to help.

As I implied earlier, the exact type of work that a dramaturg will do for the production she is working on will probably never once be the same. However, this does not mean that dramaturgs just do “whatever” for a production. The work dramaturgs do can be summed up using words such as research, design, organization, questioning, and the like. All these iterations of a dramaturg’s possible work serve to simultaneously ease and develop the creation of productions for everyone else who is involved. For example, a dramaturg researching the meaning of an archaic turn of phrase in a script is helpful; and at the same time, a dramaturg questioning the playwright’s choice to write that very same phrase is helpful. If the work needed to be done can somehow be linked back to the aforementioned words, then a dramaturg will be happy to do it.

Dramaturgs who have a hand in production, like myself with Something Rotten!, tend to work with practical applications of the research being done. Resources for actors like actor packets that can contain anything from pronunciation guides to history crash courses can help place everyone on the same page when it comes to the background of the production. In some cases, lobby displays are designed by dramaturgs to function as an introduction or think piece for a production. Lastly, program notes, like the ones you’re reading now, are a common job of a production dramaturg.

Through my research on Something Rotten!, I produced an actor packet and these very program notes. That is what I was asked to contribute to this wonderfully witty production. As my job is to help, I am inevitably hoping that these notes have helped you all learn something interesting about dramaturgy. I can state with certainty that you are not alone on this learning journey. After all, my semester is in no way over.
I thank you all for reading my notes, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the show!

Your humble dramaturg,
Sydney Miller
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