ABSTRACT
The ability to see the big picture and to think strategically in terms of how the parts work together is something that is useful in any collaborative endeavor. The holistic point of view, and even more so, the open, responsive perspective makes the dramaturgical mindset particularly appealing. The dramaturg responds to what he sees, not what he expected or hoped, but has an informed framework from which to mirror what he sees. This chapter conjures the saying "cannot see the forest for the trees" as a way of understanding a holistic viewpoint as essential to the dramaturgical mindset. A strong sense of where we are going and the ability to recognize the markers along the way is the foundation of effective dramaturgy. In addition, the facility with which one can recognize the markers as inextricably linked to the where becomes characteristic of the mindset.
