Post-Show Discussion at Old Jake’s Skirts at Emerson College, Fall 2022
From left to right: Sofia Lindgren-Galloway (Education Coordinator), Joshua Rashon Streeter (Director), Tim Scalzo (Scenic Designer), Conall Sahler (Cast Member) and myself (Dramaturg).
As a dramaturg, Kayla interrogates the ways in which a play can connect to the present moment, urgently inviting the exploration of what audiences need now. Through research-based inquiry, Kayla works closely with the playwright, creative team and artists to collaboratively reimagine how stories are told in existing and new works.
Kayla’s dramaturgy with work with Theatre For Young Audiences informs the curricular nature of theatre and how young people can serve as experts in the room, contributing to the creative process and her research aids the devising process and shaping how a production comes together. However, the work is not done alone; Kayla has had the privilege of working with talented directors, writers, arts educators and practitioners to develop educational resources that support further learning and exploration in schools and beyond. Recently, her work with ArtsEmerson has included conducting research to support the organization’s Play Reading Book Club Series, an audience engagement offering that provides a deep dive into the season’s productions pre, during and post performance, as well developing resource guides for public audiences.
Work Samples:
Old Jake’s Skirts, Emerson College, 2022. Photos by Craig Bailey
Freedom to Fly, Muhlenberg College Theatre & Dance, 2023. Photos by Marco Calderon