International dramaturg conference at Emerson

Emerson College and Suffolk University are hosting the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) annual international conference June 26–29.

A dramaturg is a behind-the-scenes role in theater production, researching background information about the show and sharing historical specifics with actors to create better context.

This year’s conference chair is Associate Professor Magda Romanska of Emerson’s Performing Arts Department. “In our globalized, digital world of information exchange,” Romanska said, “dramaturgy is a growing field that positions itself at the intersection of cultures, mediums, and art forms.”

The keynote speaker is Pulitzer Prize–winning arts journalist Wesley Morris of Grantland and formerly the Boston Globe.

A panel discussion with industry leaders will include Polly Carl, director of Emerson-based HowlRound: A Center for the Theater Commons, and Anne Catteneo, dramaturg at the Lincoln Center Theater.

“By bringing together national and international scholars and practitioners,” said Romanska, “the conference will attempt to draw a trajectory for the future development of the field within theater, and within the wider scope of performing, digital, and new media arts.

“Boston is a hub for new theater, and it’s fitting to have the LMDA conference in our city,” she said.

Themed “Building the Future,” the conference will feature a broad range of voices from around the world. Attendees will participate in conversations, case studies, discussion panels, and hands-on workshops that bring together local, national, and international artists, scholars, and students.

Several Emerson Performing Arts students and alumni are working the event, including Emily Goodridge, MA ’14; Hanife Schulte, MA ’15; Kelly Prestel, MA ’14; Jessie Baxter ’10; Anne Morgan ’09; Kelley Holley ’11; Julie Eyer, MA ’15; and Jenna Grossman, MA ’15.