The Council on Academic Affairs will review a new theater course named “dramaturgy,” which will be available to students this spring if approved.

Kevin Doolen, chair of the theater department, said this course will be a new elective for all theater majors and non-majors.

Doolen said the theater curriculum will be evaluated this academic year.

“All year we will be reviewing and revising the curriculum, including courses that will be eliminated and new ones,” he said.

He said the goal is to improve the current curriculum.

“We are moving the curriculum forwards into something with more discipline,” he said. “We want to make sure our students are getting a well-rounded experience.”

Doolen said the course is a good contribution for theater and English majors.

Dramaturgy is the theory and practice of dramatic composition.

Doolen said students would focus on literature and apply that knowledge toward performance.

The course is also relatable in other majors, he said.

“It supports numerous allied fields such as communication studies, English, film studies, history, journalism, etc.,” Doolen said.

The role of the dramaturg is to provide the literature part of a dramaturgy.

“The dramaturg provides the literary context, research and analysis in support of the director’s work,” he said.

Additional tasks of the dramaturg include organizing and conducting audience talkbacks after a performance.

Doolen said that as a general education course, it would teach students beyond the classroom.

“Students, although they do not often realize this until they graduate, all benefit as human beings from general education,” Doolen said. “We are educating human beings for life, not just for a career,” he said.

Debby Hernandez can be reached at 581-2812 or dhernandez5@eiu.edu.