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Theater in the Americas
Adapturgy: The Dramaturg's Art and Theatrical Adaptation
Dramaturg Jane Barnette has put together an essential guide for theatre scholars and practitioners seeking to understand and participate in the process of adaptation for the stage. Employing the term “adapturgy”—her neologism for the art of adaptation dramaturgy—Barnette redefines the dramaturg’s role and thoroughly refutes the commonplace point of view that adapted works are somehow less creative than “original” plays.
The dual nature of dramaturgy and adaptation as both process and product is reflected in the structure and organization of the book. Part 1 explores the ways that linking adaptation to dramaturgy advances our understanding of both practices. Part 2 demonstrates three different methods—each grounded in a detailed case study—for analyzing theatrical adaptations. Part 3 offers concrete strategies for the dramaturgy for the adapted script; the production dramaturgy of stage adaptations; and the role of the dramaturg in the postmortem for a production. Rounding out the book are two appendixes containing interviews with adapters and theatre-makers and representative program notes from different play adaptations.
Plays adapted from literature and other media represent a rapidly growing part of the theatre. This book offers both practical and theoretical tools for understanding and creating these new works.
The dual nature of dramaturgy and adaptation as both process and product is reflected in the structure and organization of the book. Part 1 explores the ways that linking adaptation to dramaturgy advances our understanding of both practices. Part 2 demonstrates three different methods—each grounded in a detailed case study—for analyzing theatrical adaptations. Part 3 offers concrete strategies for the dramaturgy for the adapted script; the production dramaturgy of stage adaptations; and the role of the dramaturg in the postmortem for a production. Rounding out the book are two appendixes containing interviews with adapters and theatre-makers and representative program notes from different play adaptations.
Plays adapted from literature and other media represent a rapidly growing part of the theatre. This book offers both practical and theoretical tools for understanding and creating these new works.
268 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 2, 2022
Dr. Barnette has written a solid and comprehensive guide to dramaturgical approaches to adaptation, but the lessons provided are useful to any theater maker.
October 21, 2019
I picked up this book for my research methods class because it combines two of my favorite topics (adaptation theory and dramaturgy). Most of the book was excellent, though I did find some of the examples to be difficult to follow along with or to fully appreciate the ramifications of if you didn’t know the source material well. Minor critiques aside, my copy is annotated to death and will stay on my shelf. I’m sure it will be helpful when I start my thesis.
June 22, 2025
Read this for a directed study on adapturgy.
Really great for establishing baselines and starting discussions. Also tends to have a lot of things that I'd consider extraneous or may have been better served elsewhere.
Really great for establishing baselines and starting discussions. Also tends to have a lot of things that I'd consider extraneous or may have been better served elsewhere.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews