Digital Engagement: Strategies for Online Dramaturgy

This goal of this article is to offer resources to any dramaturg or literary manager seeking to make use of the Internet as a medium to facilitate critical thinking and dialogue about theatre. Unfortunately, the problem inherent in writing about this topic is that any advice offered on specific websites and/or software may find itself hopelessly outdated before the article even makes it to print. However, in investigating key theatres who are committed to maintaining a dynamic online presence, it became apparent that successful digital dramaturgy was not reliant on cutting-edge technology. Rather, these companies strategized about what their available digital resources could offer audiences, and how they might extend dramaturgical conversation beyond the theatre space. This article considers the methodologies of three companies: The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the National Theatre in London.