Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism

 

Students in this department receive intensive training to prepare for careers in three areas: to work in theaters as dramaturgs, artistic producers, literary managers, and in related positions; to work in theater publishing as critics and editors as well as in other capacities; to teach theater as practitioners, critics, and scholars. At the core of the training are seminars in literature, theory and criticism, and history to impart a comprehensive knowledge of theater and dramatic literature. Students are trained in topics in institutional dramaturgy, including the formulation of artistic policy and its communication and implementation, and as production dramaturgs, operating within the rehearsal process.

Upon completion of the M.F.A. program, students are eligible to register to remain in residence for one year in which they may formulate a dissertation proposal and apply to the Doctor of Fine Arts program. Upon acceptance, the student is expected to complete the dissertation within three years.

 

100%

All students in degree and certificate programs receive full tuition scholarships.

67% of current students receive need-based aid for living expenses.

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Production Opportunities

Students apply theory to professional practice in production work at the School, Yale Rep, and Yale Cabaret.

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Affinity Groups

Coalition-building and networking among students who share common interests, goals, and/or a self-identified background.

Playwright a.k. payne (’23), Dramaturg Ashley M. Thomas (’23), and Stage Managers Alexus Jade Coney (’24) and Hannah Louise Jones (’25) describe their experiences with creating community and shared experiences at David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

Student Perspectives

Furlough’s Paradise: Finding and Building Community

Playwright a.k. payne (’23), Dramaturg Ashley M. Thomas (’23), and Stage Managers Alexus Jade Coney (’24) and Hannah Louise Jones (’25) share their perspectives on the process of collaborating on a new play during the 2023 Carlotta Festival of New Plays at David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

Student Perspectives

Furlough’s Paradise: Finding Joy in Collaboration

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Program News

Tia Smith
Sep 05, 2024

Tia Smith (’26) Wins 2024 S. Randolph Edmonds Young Scholars’ Competition

Smith took first prize in the graduate division of the competition for her paper, “The Making of Eden.”

Gordon Rogoff
Jan 31, 2024

Theater Critic and Professor Gordon Rogoff Remembered

Charles McNulty (’93, ’95 D.F.A.) shares a brief biography of Rogoff’s lifetime of dedicated work.