Ep 29: ft. Shaun Leisher on Dramaturgy, being a New Play Doula, and Redefining Regional Theater

Shaun Leisher (he/him/his) is a Philadelphia-based dramaturg and producer. As a dramaturg, Shaun has worked on productions of CLYBOURNE PARK by Bruce Norris and SMART PEOPLE by Lydia R. Diamond under the direction of nationally-recognized theatre artist and educator, Kashi Johnson at Lehigh University. As a producer, Shaun has organized play readings and new work festivals throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Shaun is also a passionate advocate for arts education and is thrilled to have recently joined the team of the theatre and education consulting company, Re:Theatre.

In this episode, we talk about that theater has shifted and adapted during the pandemic, what we miss about live theater, the challenges and issues that theater faces today, the role of the dramaturg in the creative process, and Shaun gives us a taste of how he works with actors to select new audition material.

Creative Resources Mentioned:

New Play Exchange

Delejos by Julie Piñero

Cobra Kai

Moment Work by Moises Kaufman & Barbara Pitts McAdams

Connect with Shaun:

@shaunaturgy

shaunleisher.com