Recommended Readings- The Abuelas

One of the many roles of a dramaturg is to research the context of a play – historical background, time period, location, etc. – and then give that information to the director, actors, and designers on a show so that they understand the world of the show and can portray it accurately.  Often, the dramaturg writes notes that are printed in the program so that the audience has the information they need to understand the show. Of course, a dramaturg does much more research than is shared with the audience – a program can only be so big! Plus, the program notes are not supposed to be a semester-long course, they just provide some background information.

The Abuelas is set in modern-day Chicago, but there is historical context which helps to understand the situation the characters find themselves in. While it is not necessary to know everything about the war to understand The Abuelas, it can be interesting to learn more. So, if you want the same information that the dramaturg, Ryan McRee, found in his research and shared with the company of the show, you can check out come of the below books/articles.