Friday, February 1, 2008

Thoughts on a Quick Trip to Tucson, by Elizabeth Pool.

By Elizabeth Pool, Resident Dramaturg

In mid-January I had the opportunity to visit the University of Arizona and meet with their undergraduate and graduate candidates in dramaturgy. The idea was to talk for an hour with the students about the process of dramaturging adaptations as well as general discussions about launching a career as a dramaturg. The students were professional, enthusiastic, and creative. I was extremely impressed with the exuberance they brought to their work and the commitment they had to dramaturgy. Their portfolios were bursting with snapshots of lobby displays (so imaginative they bordered almost on installation art), extensive writing samples, and thorough research. Dramaturgy can be a fairly solitary pursuit and it was inspiring to be around such an engaged group of people. As I was flying home from Tucson, on a clear day and above some pretty spectacular mountains, my thoughts wandered to these students and their abundance of “Big Ideas.” They reminded me that theatre and the creation of art can be exuberant, intelligent, and graceful all at the same time.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That is such a considerate comment. It really was great having you visit, for I learned just as much from you as you learned from us. I look forward to visiting your theatre the next opportunity I find myself back East which will be the weekend of the 12th of April.