Dramaturgy, in its many forms, is a fundamental and indispensable element of contemporary theatre. In its earliest definition, the word itself means a comprehensive theory of "play making." Although it initially grew out of theatre, contemporary dramaturgy has made enormous advances in recent years, and it now permeates all kinds of narrative forms and structures: from opera to performance art; from dance and multimedia to filmmaking and robotics.

In our global, mediated context of multinational group collaborations that dissolve traditional divisions of roles as well as unbend previously intransigent rules of time and space, the dramaturg is also the ultimate globalist: intercultural mediator, information and research manager, media content analyst, interdisciplinary negotiator, social media strategist.

This collection focuses on contemporary dramaturgical practice, bringing together contributions not only from academics but also from prominent working dramaturgs. The inclusion of both means a strong level of engagement with current issues in dramaturgy, from the impact of social media to the ongoing centrality of interdisciplinary and intermedial processes.

The contributions survey the field through eight main lenses:

• world dramaturgy and global perspective
• dramaturgy as function, verb and skill
• dramaturgical leadership and season planning
• production dramaturgy in translation
• adaptation and new play development
• interdisciplinary dramaturgy
• play analysis in postdramatic and new media dramaturgy
• social media and audience outreach.

Magda Romanska is Visiting Associate Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University, Associate Professor of Theatre and Dramaturgy at Emerson College, and Dramaturg for Boston Lyric Opera. Her books include The Post-Traumatic Theatre of Grotowski and Kantor (2012), Boguslaw Schaeffer: An Anthology (2012), and Comedy: An Anthology of Theory and Criticism (2014).

Jennifer Rose Ivey is a passionate and dedicated theatre artist who has worked around the country as a designer, scenic charge artist, prop master, and educator. She has run paint shops for summer stock, professional theatre, and education, and she currently teaches at Florida International University as an assistant professor in scenic design teaching a variety of design and technology courses. Jennifer is an active member of several regional, national, and international, theatre organizations where she regularly presents in workshops, serves as a professional adjudicator. You can find examples of her work at www.jenniferivey.com.