Written by Loela Dickey
Dr. Phillipa Kelly is a dramaturg based in the San Francisco Bay Area who recently visited Whitman to assist with The Winter’s Tale. For our guest artist interview series, I asked Dr. Kelly some questions about her education, career, and experience with The Winter’s Tale.
Dr. Kelly is originally from Australia and completed a four-year honors degree in Arts there before receiving a scholarship for a PhD. She studied at the University of Queensland and then at the University of Oxford as a Walter and Eliza Hall fellow. She studied at the University of California at Berkeley for a post-doctorate degree as a Fulbright scholar and then in Italy for another post-doctorate degree as a Rockefeller scholar. She has published over 100 internationally reviewed journal and playbill articles as well as twelve books. In addition to her work as a dramaturg, she teaches at several colleges.
A dramaturg is someone who contributes their expertise in “the study of plays, musicals, or operas,” providing the cast and crew of a production with “knowledge, research, and interpretation” about the work (“Dramaturg”). As for her role in The Winter’s Tale, Dr. Kelly is providing information and guidance to actors and others involved with the production in order to help create an authentic portrayal of The Winter’s Tale.
I asked Dr. Kelly to tell me a little bit about her process when it comes to starting new projects. She explains that she writes an information packet for the actors as well as a playbill article. She elucidates that her approach to the rehearsal process depends on the director, explaining that she tends to be cautious when working with a director for the first time. She says “It’s super-important that in a new relationship, the dramaturg is clear that it’s the director who is piloting this plane.” However, she notes that she is able to take a more active role when working with directors she already knows, as in the case with The Winter’s Tale. While The Winter’s Tale was her first project at Whitman, she had worked with Dr. Laura Hope on a previous project. She says, “[Dr. Hope] already knows my style and feels confident about me having one-on-one sessions with the actors.” During these sessions, she discusses the context regarding roles, lines and, in the case of The Winter’s Tale, voice and textual elements as well.
Dr. Kelly also provides dramaturgical information to the cast and crew about themes that arise during rehearsals. For example, she explains, since The Winter’s Tale contains the subject of murder by poison, she might write an email about how, in the context that Shakespeare was writing in, poisoning was a common form of murder “because there were not today’s sophisticated means of testing bodies to trace the poison.” This type of context can help actors gain a better understanding of the scenes and dialogue within the play.
When I asked about her experience working on a Whitman project for the first time, she affirms “I loved working with the students” and conveys her strong admiration for Dr. Hope, describing her as “the most amazing, on-point director who always makes time for students’ questions and contributions, [while keeping] the schedule very professional.” In response to being asked about a favorite moment from her experience, she says “I loved planning with Pan [Deines] (playing a Lord as well as Mamilius) that when she comes in with some news, alluding to one eye uplifted and one downcast, Pan would lift their own eyes simultaneously up and down! There were so many gorgeous moments like this with the students!”
To see the latest example of Dr. Kelly’s work, come see The Winter’s Tale at Harper Joy Theatre February 29th through March 3rd! Tickets can be bought online or day-of at the Harper Joy Theatre box office.
“Dramaturg.” Berklee, https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/dramaturg. Accessed 23 February 2024.