First off ... Happy New Year!
So, there are a few changes around MNIK for 2006. After much agonizing about whether this is a personal or a professional blog, I've decided to take the plunge and split the content. So, MNIK now has two components: "The Digital Dramaturge" (the professional site (www.mynameiskate.ca)) and "The Dramaturge at Home" (my more personal site). [I know you're thinking, "WTF is a 'dramaturge'?" Hang in there, we'll get to that.]
Why the split? Well, because I want to write about marketing, branding and tech stuff, BUT, I also want to write about Canadian politics, the new goldfish tank and a review of Fire on the East side. And not *all* of my readers are interested in both. However, for those of you who want to keep complete track of my bi-blog existence, I've included a new "recently posted" module in the left hand side. You'll be able to see what the latest posting was on the other blog. Fancy!
OK, thanks for waiting, you "WTF dramaturge" folks. As you know, my significant other is a playright. I've been picking up quite a bit of dramatic theory and theatre-lingo during our relationship. Recently, when working on her current play, Roro explained the concept and role of a dramaturge to me. Apparently (and this is much contested in dramatic circles) the role of a dramaturge is to work with a playright, director and other members of a theatrical production to enhance the experience of the play for the audience. Whether this is doing research on the setting of the play, working with the playright to edit the text of the play, working with the director and actors on *actualizing* the vision for the play. Three definitions I like of dramaturgy:
A dramaturg's task is to help the production remain in line with the vision for the production. [Winston Neutel]
"The word text, before referring to a written or spoken, printed or manuscripted text, meant 'a weaving together'. In this sense, there is no performance which does not have a 'text'. That which concerns the text (the weave) of the performance can be defined as 'dramaturgy', that is, dramaergon, the 'work of the actions' in the performance." [Eugenio Barba and Nicola Savarese]
The main job of a dramaturg is to keep asking why. Why are we doing this play? Why this season? Why here? Why does our theatre exist? Why do we exist? [Peter Hay]
Essentially, this is what I do. For my clients, for my team.
So, in the fine tradition of "cyberspace" professions co-opting offline metaphors, I have christened myself a Digital Dramaturge. And I have the gapingvoid blogcard to prove it!
Hi, my name is 
