Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance

Megan Gray Lederman (she/her/hers) is a scholar, educator and dramaturg. Working in theatres and playwrights' organizations, in colleges and universities, and on a project-by-project basis, dramaturgs contextualize the world of a play; establish connections among the text, actors, and audience; offer opportunities for playwrights; generate projects and programs; and create conversations about plays in their communities. Megan's dramaturgy is grounded in the ethics of the community, context, and engagement of right here and right now. She wishs to expand the familiar provocation of “Why this play? Why now?” into a more urgent and localized question: “Why this play, right here, right now?” By centering the specific moment and civic place of performance, this approach seeks to hold theatrical work accountable to both its artistic ambitions and its civic impact. Her research will be featured in the forthcoming publication Dramaturgies of The Real World and she presents research often at annual conferences such as the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR), Mid-America Theatre Conference (MATC) and Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA). As of May 2026, she will have an M.F.A. in Dramaturgy from Indiana University’s Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance. Megan also holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from George Mason University, in Theater, Theater Studies and in English, Literature. Megan won "Best Drama" for a production she directed at the DC Capital Fringe Festival in 2023.