LMDA Conference 2025 Welcome Remarks

Welcome Remarks from Stephen Brotebeck, Director of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State University to the LMDA Conference – San Diego, California

Good afternoon LMDA attendees -

On behalf of the faculty, staff, and students of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film at San Diego State University, it is my distinct pleasure and honor to welcome you to our beautiful campus and to this year’s convening of the 2025 LMDA conference.

It is a true privilege to be one of the hosts of this vital gathering of creative minds committed to advancing dramaturgy and literary management, fields that lie at the very heart of theatrical creation and storytelling. LMDA’s mission to affirm, expand, and diversify the roles of dramaturgs and literary managers has never felt more urgent, and our theatre community is deeply grateful for your work in building the creative infrastructures that nourish our art form across borders and

At SDSU, the School of Theatre, Television, and Film has a rich and enduring history dating back to the early 20th century. Our school has grown into a nationally recognized hub for interdisciplinary training, creative research, and professional preparation in the performing and cinematic arts. We are proud to offer B.A., M.A., and M.F.A. degrees that blend rigorous academic study with hands-on artistic practice.

A particular point of pride within our School is our Master of Arts program, led with vision and dedication by Dr. Shelley Orr. This program serves as a vital engine for critical inquiry, theatrical analysis, and the exploration of theatre history at SDSU. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty members, including Dr. D.J. Hopkins, Professor Dani Bedau, and Dr. Katie Turner, our MA students engage with dynamic scholarship and are mentored by thought leaders who are actively shaping the field. The result is a rigorous and inspiring academic environment that prepares students to contribute meaningfully to both scholarly and creative conversations in the theatre world.

Our mission is to foster a diverse community of artists and scholars who are engaged in shaping the future of storytelling, on stage and on screen, behind the scenes and behind the table and beyond. We believe in the power of collaboration, innovation, and critical inquiry, and we strive to create work that reflects the complexity of our world and the vibrancy of our region.

Our values are rooted in inclusion, artistic excellence, and community engagement. We embrace the many voices that make up the fabric of our student body and our broader San Diego community, and we are committed to lifting up stories that challenge, inspire, and transform.

We are especially thrilled to welcome you at a time of renewal and reinvestment in the arts at SDSU. Our newly envisioned Performing Arts District is transforming our campus into a cutting-edge destination for performance, creativity, and collaboration. With upgraded performance venues, and shared spaces designed to foster interdisciplinary work, the district embodies our belief in the centrality of the arts to a thriving public university and a healthy democracy.

This bold infrastructure development reflects not only SDSU’s commitment to the performing arts, but also a recognition that meaningful artmaking requires intentional support, physical, intellectual, and communal. In many ways, this mirrors the ethos of dramaturgy itself: the scaffolding of ideas, the architecture of process, and the deep listening that allows stories to take root and soar.

Our alumni carry this spirit of inquiry and artistry into the professional world, where they make a significant impact across San Diego’s cultural institutions and national stages. Whether shaping new works as dramaturgs, serving as artistic leaders, teaching the next generation, or contributing to the broader media landscape, SDSU graduates embody the values of thoughtful collaboration and socially conscious storytelling. Their presence in local theaters, from the Old Globe to La Jolla Playhouse, as well as on Broadway and in film/TV, testifies to the reach and relevance of our programs.

This year’s conference theme, “Dramaturgy and Creative Infrastructure,” could not be more resonant. In a time when our global and artistic ecosystems are being tested and reimagined, we must ask: What scaffolds are we building to support creation? What systems do we need to sustain not only productions, but the people behind them? How do you as dramaturgs, the architects of meaning, context, and inquiry lead us in this endeavor?

Here at SDSU, we believe that creative infrastructure is more than bricks and mortar, it is a mindset. It’s about designing equitable rehearsal rooms, inclusive syllabi, and generous partnerships across disciplines. It’s about nurturing artists not just as performers or technicians, but as thinkers, citizens, and changemakers. And it’s about reimagining the dramaturg’s role not only in support of plays, but in support of entire artistic ecosystems.

As a director of musicals, I have come to rely deeply on dramaturgs as essential collaborators in both the development of new work and the reinvigoration of established pieces. In the creation of new musicals, dramaturgs offer a critical outside eye, one that balances the heart of the piece with the structure it needs to thrive. You ask the hard questions, synthesize the impulses of the creative team (and challenge us at times, which is crucial!), and help excavate the core story being told. Your insight ensures that the emotional architecture and narrative momentum align in ways that resonate with audiences and honor the intentions of the writers.

When directing existing works, I look to dramaturgs to enrich the production with research, historical grounding, and analytical depth. Your scholarship and curiosity open new dimensions in familiar material, uncovering overlooked cultural contexts, thematic nuances, and dramaturgical through-lines that inform staging, design, and performance. With your help, I strive to create the most informed and intentional work possible on stage, work that speaks not only to the moment in which it was written, but also to the present moment we’re living in.

In every case, dramaturgs provide a crucial infrastructure of thoughtfulness and rigor, one that supports the entire artistic process from the first table read to the final cue. You are, quite literally, the foundation upon which meaningful theatre is built.

Over the next few days, I invite you to explore our School and take in the energy of a campus that believes in the transformative power of theatre. May this conference ignite new ideas, strengthen old friendships, and reaffirm the essential role of dramaturgy in a world that so desperately needs curiosity, care, and courage.

Welcome to SDSU, welcome to San Diego and Tijuana, and welcome to a shared space of vision and imagination.

Thank you!