A playwright is a theater consultant who helps with the production of plays, ensuring quality and historical accuracy. They work closely with actors, directors, and technical personnel, and may also adapt or translate plays. The profession has ancient roots and is credited to 18th-century German theater. Playwrights often have a wide range of interests and work in an office full of reference material. They may also interact with audiences and collaborate with public relations personnel.
A playwright or playwright is a theater consultant who assists in the production of plays. The role of a playwright is often quite complex and varied, with different theaters using their playwrights in different needs. Someone who wants to become a playwright generally has a wide variety of interests ranging from history to marketing, and should generally be prepared for often challenging and grueling work.
This profession is quite ancient and the word “playwright” actually betrays these ancient roots, as it comes from the ancient Greek playwright, or “player”. Many theater historians credit 18th-century German theater with inventing the modern playwright, and most major theaters in the world have at least one playwright on staff.
One of the playwright’s primary roles is to ensure the quality of a theatre’s productions. To this end, the playwright often participates in hiring decisions when actors, directors, and technical personnel are considered. A playwright also does a great deal of historical research, making sure, for example, that the characters in a 13th-century drama are appropriately dressed or that the music in a 19th-century French farce is appropriate.
In many cases, a playwright also has an artistic eye and can help with set decoration and costumes, offering advice and opinion, even if they won’t be directly involved. Playwrights often work closely with art directors to bring their visions to life and often have intimate relationships with stage managers and other technical personnel who have the ability to perform a variety of tasks, from finding a live elephant to soothing a soprano recalcitrant.
Many playwrights also work with playwrights, adapting their work for various places, and some also work as translators. When a theater needs to make substantial cuts or changes to a play, the playwright is often responsible for this, making sure that the spirit of the play is kept intact while the content is pruned. It is common for a playwright to be very knowledgeable about the history of plays and theater, and some like to focus on a particular area of interest, such as Elizabethan plays or classic American musicals.
In any professional theater, you should be able to find a playwright, who usually works in an office full of reference material. He may also interact with audiences, generating interest and support for the theater and collaborating with public relations personnel on campaigns for individual plays and theater seasons. Smaller theaters that cannot afford a full-time playwright may hire one for a specific production or rely on the goodwill of an experienced volunteer to ensure their productions are as good as possible.
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