Collective Dramaturgy: a Co-consideration of the Dramaturgical Role in Collaborative Creation

The common model of contemporary theatrical process assigns the dramaturgical role to a single individual. However, Rude Mechanicals' collaborative process allows the dramaturgical role to be more fluidly defined and divided among multiple participants, especially the playwright and director. Rude Mechanicals (Rude Mechs) is an Austin based theatre collective, devising collaboratively created new works for the stage. In this co-written essay, two Rude Mechs company members discuss how dramaturgy is shared when they work on a new piece using three examples of collaboratively dramaturged shows: curst & Shrewd, Lipstick Traces, and Requiem for Tesla.