Ally Vari (She/Her) 

Hi there! I'm a dramaturgically-minded individual who recently had to give up on working in dramaturgy and literary management specifically to earn a liveable wage. Do you have any advice for people who want to keep their dream alive, especially dramaturgs and literary managers, when they have to table it to survive?

Dear Ally Vari,

I’m thrilled that you’re writing to us from your liveable wage. Dramaturgically-minded individuals – all individuals – gotta fulfill Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. You can absolutely keep the dream alive, especially if your job affords you that time. You likely bring your dramaturgical brain to bear on anything that you do that balances the analytic and creative while being process- and product-oriented! Literary managers are always looking for script readers, whether it’s for open submission to their department or for specific things like awards, fellowships, or prizes (I’m thinking here of the Public Theatre’s Emerging Writers Group and the O’Neill’s National Playwrights Conference). You will likely be paid a small something per script. Another way to keep the dream alive is to maintain your network of collaborators, some of whom are probably your friends, so that you can be a dramaturgical resource, in addition to being an avid and insightful theatre spectator. Ditto to the playwrights for whom you can be the freelance lit manager of their dreams. Remember though that this is work, even if it’s not your primary paycheck, and you might want to charge for your expertise if it tips into labor/time beyond what you feel free to give for your own practice and enjoyment. Finally, have you considered writing as a way to maintain and develop your dramaturgical prowess? This could take the form of journalling for yourself, a Substack, or publication – like dipping your toe into theatre criticism for 3views!

Dramaturgically yours,

Fefu

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