Bio: Alyson Germinder is a proud ECD and a Kansas City native. She graduated this May with her M.A. in Theatre from University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she focused on dramaturgy in the Kansas City community. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from University of Missouri-Columbia; while there, she earned the Region V LMDA/KCACTF Dramaturgy Award her senior year for her work on a new adaptation of Medea. She has spent her last three summers with the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, moving from intern to associate to dramaturg. Recent dramaturgy credits include work with four Kansas City theatres: The Merchant of Venice and The Winter’s Tale (HASF); Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo and Seminar (Unicorn Theatre); Journey’s End (Kansas City Actors Theatre); and Eleemosynary (Fishtank Performance Studio). Alyson also works front-of-house for Unicorn Theatre and Kansas City Actors Theatre.

Focus for the week: My FIRST professional dramaturgy contract! I’m currently the dramaturg for Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s summer production of King Lear. This week, I’ll be joining the company for their second week of rehearsals. I start the week on Monday giving a King Lear introductory lecture at the Kansas City Public Library. I’ll also be working with the Festival’s Director of Education on our “Shakespeare in the Church” pilot program, which we’re creating in partnership with an area Episcopal church.

Questions from LMDA:

What is your definition of dramaturgy?: I was introduced to dramaturgy my junior year of undergrad. Since then, dramaturgy has always meant advocacy: for the play, for the playwright, for the production, and for our audiences. The more I work with others, the more I think dramaturgy is the definition of interdisciplinary – figuring out how different disciplines, cultures, and professions come together to create the theatrical experience.

What is your favorite project?: I dedicated an entire thesis chapter to the audience – their questions, their feedback, and their stories that came out of their experiences with The Merchant of Venice. I would love to do more of that work! 

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