Models for Experiential Training in Playwriting and Dramaturgy

This essay serves as an introduction to Section Two of the volume, “Narrative and Dramaturgy for Immersive Forms.” It describes the current landscape of MFA Programs in Playwriting and Dramaturgy, detailing how they underprepare playwrights for collaboration and dramaturgs for new experiential forms. It proposes a new training model that avoids specializations in favor of an emphasis on devised, experiential, and collaboratively-created work. Finally, it previews the examples and arguments of the contributors in Section Two, making the case for a seismic shift in the structures of playwriting and dramaturgy pedagogies.