Twitter Project: Catherine Miller

Bio: Catherine Miller is a Chicago based freelance dramaturg who simultaneously works in New York and San Diego. Receiving her BFA in Dramaturgy/Criticism with a minor in Women and Gender Studies from The Theatre School at DePaul University in June 2014, she currently serves as casting director for Redtwist Theatre, where she also dramaturgs. She has also interned with La Jolla Playhouse and acted as the music intern for new musicals Sammy, Whisper House, and Robin & the 7 Hoods for The Old Globe. She does have a blog, which she rarely updates, where she likes to look at critical problems within pop culture and the theatre through a feminist lens. If you feel like pressuring her to write more, take a look: https://theunicornandthedramaturg.wordpress.com/

"Focus" for the week? My focus for the week will be two projects I am currently working on: the first is a devised work that goes back into rehearsal this week after a hiatus, based on Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus we are currently calling Homo Andronicus. It is being directed by Michael Osinski and includes a fantastic cast of current and recent alums from the BFA and MFA Acting program at The Theatre School. The second project is prepping for a production of The Tempest with Taksu Theatre Company, which is based in New York City. This production is directed by Wiley Basho Gorn and will heavily focus on the musicality of the piece. (Support us here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/taksu-theatre-company-s-the-tempest). Two classically based shows but vastly different.

Questions from LMDA

What is your definition of dramaturgy? To lovingly borrow a phrase from my old professor, Ernie Nolan, a dramaturg is a story detective. We look for clues left by the playwright, analyze them and find answers. I also describe myself as a scholar, an in-house critic, a playwright surrogate, and many other things. It varies from production to production depending on what I am asked to do by the director.

What is your dream project? It’s a long term goal of mine (and very nerdy of me) but I would really like to dramaturg the entirety of Stephen Sondheim’s work. I have a few shows under my belt already but I would hope to finish it within the next 10 years and publish a book about my findings and experience. His work lends itself to dramaturgical analysis and as someone with a musical theatre background, I have always loved his work.

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