by Janine Sobeck, BYU Dramaturgy Specialist
As a dramaturg, one of the best parts of the the job is when you get to open up the world of the production to the audience. Whether its historical context, insider information from the rehearsal room, or conversations with the creative team (and so much more), we love to give you everything you need to have a fully enriched - and extremely enjoyable - evening at the theatre.
Here at Brigham Young University, the dramaturgs are exploring all the possible ways to do this very thing. While you may have already seen us in the program study guides or moderating post show discussions, we are now happy take it one step forward by introducing "The 4th Wall: the TMA dramaturgY project."
Here on the 4th Wall you will see posts from dramaturgs, playwrights, production team members and more. The goal is simple: to provide new insights, perspectives and information about the theatre productions on the BYU stage. Whether you are interested in one particular show or want to learn about the whole season, we invite you to follow along as we take you inside the world of each and every production.
So to all our audience members (and any other interested parties), we say, "Welcome to the 4th Wall." It's going to be a grand journey.
Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz has sometimes been called "The Phoenix of America," as she is by far the most accomplished and globally read author to come out of the early Spanish-colonized Americas. Writing from New Spain (present day Mexico) , Sor Juana composed brilliant and biting poetry, wrote fiery letters in defense of her own creative spirit and the education of women, as well as dramas like the perfectly formed Spanish Golden Age style piece, House of Desires.
Art in Motion is a new show that was conceptualized by three female ballet faculty in collaboration with the animation department director here at BYU. The show beautifully merges animation, music, and ballet to tell the stories of three female artists from history. Those artists are Berthe Morisot, Sofonisba Anguissola, and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh.
When I think of the word powerful, I often associate it with the really unique, rare, extraordinary moments in my life. I envision grandiose gestures or out-of-this-world ideas. However, through my research for BYU’s Art in Motion, three female artists changed my perspective of the word.