PGC – Playwrights Guild of Canada

National association mandated to advance the creative rights and interests of professional Canadian
playwrights, promote Canadian plays nationally and internationally, and foster an active, evolving
community of writer for the stage.

PACT – Professional Association of Canadian Theatres

Serves as the collective voice of professional Canadian theatres. Provides leadership, national
representation and a variety of programs and practical assistance to member companies, enabling
members to do their own creative work.

CAEA – Canadian Actors’ Equity Association

Represents professional artists including performers, directors, choreographers, fight directors and
stage managers, engaged in theatre, opera and dance in English Canada.

Supports the creative efforts of its members by seeking to improve their working conditions and
opportunities.

Negotiate and administer collective agreements, provide benefit plans, information and support, and act
as an advocate for its membership

CTA – Canadian Theatre Agreement (?)

ADC – Art Directors Club

Connect, provoke, and elevate creative professionals around the world.

Produces a wide range of programs on advertising, design, and interactive media for professionals,
students, and others with a serious interest in visual communication.

LMDA – Literary Mangers & Dramaturgs of the Americas

Create a North American network to affirm the role of dramaturg, to expand the possibilities of the field
to other media and institutions, and to cultivate, develop and promote the function of dramaturgy and
literary management.

“What is Dramaturgy”

Dramaturgy is a branch of the theatrical arts which involves bringing productions to life on the stage. The
role of a dramaturg in a production can be quite varied, depending on where he or she trained and
the philosophy of the theater the dramaturg is working for. Different national theater traditions also have
differing beliefs on the role ofdramaturgy in theater production, which can sometimes cause confusion
with international productions.

While a dramaturg can be a playwright, dramaturgy is a much broader field. Dramaturgs can write plays,
but they can also edit and restore plays, assist with adaptations of stage works, and work on musical
productions such as operas. A playwright may work with a dramaturg on the development of a play, and
dramaturgs can also be retained by composers as consultants.

In addition to being involved with the language and music of the stage, dramaturgy also involves staging
itself, including blocking of actors, set design, and the aesthetic composition of theatrical
productions. Dramaturgyalso encompasses choreography and placement of aesthetic elements on the
stage, with dramaturgs studying topics like lighting design, costuming, props, and set design in the course
of their training. Dramaturgy can also involve theatrical criticism, which is why some theater directors,
producers, and advisors are trained in this field.

The study of dramaturgy also includes the study of the history of theater. An experienced dramaturg is
familiar with the history of the theatrical tradition, often in many cultures, and he or she can put historical
plays into context. A theater which wants to mount a Shakespeare festival which is true to the Elizabethan
roots of William Shakespeare, for example, would probably retain a dramaturg to learn more about the
historical context of the plays, what the theater experience was like during this period, and how actors
spoke and moved on the stage.