What is basic dramaturgy? This is where you use the Library to find information such as social and cultural history (covered in this section) and production history, and production reviews (covered in the next session).

Need to find info about social and cultural history? You have options! You can use Gale Virtual Reference Library, for example. Say you want to know about the Great Depression, to give context to a play or musical set in the 1930s. You can search for "great depression" (in quotes) and limit to the document title, so you make sure that you are only going to see articles titled Great Depression.
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Here is an article that can provide keywords and suggestions for further searching. [You can also use OneSearch and limit your search to "reference entries" such as encyclopedias or dictionaries, but some students prefer to go straight to Gale Virtual Reference Library.]

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In addition to Bloomsbury Fashion Central , which will be discussed later in the module, there are other databases and resources to learn about fashion and style which end up informing costume design. You could check out the Women's Magazine Archive and explore styles from different periods. Or you can use OneSearch to browse "Clothing and dress -- history" and limit to books available online at CSUN:

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When you think about dramaturgy, think detective work. What are all of the different angles you can investigate? What are the pieces (time, style, culture, etc.) that shape a play? This is your chance to be creative and think like a playwright.

🚀 Next, Basic Dramaturgy Part 2
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