Playwriting and Dramaturgy

The word Dramaturgy, is from the greek δραματουργέιν 'to write a drama'. Its current use, to mean 'the study of dramatic composition and the representation of the main elements of drama on the stage, appears first in the eponymous work Hamburg Dramaturgy (1767-69) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing. Lessing composed this collection of essays on the principles of drama while working as the world's first dramaturg at the Hamburg National Theatre. Dramaturgy is distinct from play writing and directing, although the three may be practiced by one individual. Some dramatists combine writing and dramaturgy when creating a drama. Others work with a specialist, called a dramaturg, to adapt a work for the stage.