MFA in Theatre Arts - Dramaturgy in Iowa City United States | University of Iowa

The Master of Fine Arts in Dramaturgy plays a pivotal role in cultivating theatre practitioners who will shape tomorrow's performances while honoring historical theatrical practices. This program equips students with comprehensive dramaturgical skills applicable to works from all eras, while particularly emphasizing expertise in developing new theatrical pieces.

The University of Iowa's legacy in new play dramaturgy traces its roots to the department's establishment in the 1930s. Alongside influential figures like Brander Matthews from Columbia and Yale's George Pierce Baker, E.C. Mabie, Iowa's inaugural Theatre Arts Chair, was instrumental in establishing drama as a distinct academic field where both scholars and artists could prepare to innovate and guide future theatre. During Oscar Brownstein's tenure in the 1970s, the Playwriting MFA Program introduced one of America's earliest Dramaturgy courses, where playwriting candidates provided dramaturgical support for departmental productions of classic works. By the 1990s, the department formally established the Dramaturgy MFA program in close collaboration with the Playwrights Workshop.