A playwright is a author of plays, the dramaturgy is the study or the art of the theatrical composition.

The term playwright (or to advise dramaturgic , or lately used dramaturgist ) is also employed to appoint a specialist in the dramaturgy.

The majority of the languages make the difference between these two significances. For example in German, Danish or Swedish one will say “dramatiker” for the first direction, and “dramaturg” for the second.

Whereas the playwright/dramatic author writes his part most of the time before a production is elaborate, often in a way independent of the repetitions and sometimes even without any relation with the artists; the playwright/to advise dramaturgic intervenes directly with the theater, of the troop or of the Director, it is in charge of various relative questions to the text (Répertoire, adaptation, drafting, translation, documentation…). It can have to follow closely the work of the various creators of the scene, in repetition, with the meetings of production, assisting all the creative process.

The dramaturgist is a true artistic popularizer, being able to write the programs of the spectacle, more deepened accompanying documents, organizing meetings of preparation for groups and animating the discussions according to the representations in company of the creators and the public.

See too

• Playwrights alphabetically
• Playwrights by chronological order
• Playwrights by theatrical kind
• the Dramaturgy of Yves Lavandier