64: Turning Trauma into Drama – A Conversation with Gabriel Jason Dean

Gabriel Jason Dean is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. His productions for adults and children have been performed on and off Broadway and have garnered extensive critical acclaim. He currently teaches English Literature and Creative Writing and Theater at Muhlenberg College, where he’s in the process of creating a major in musical theater. In this episode, we discuss Gabriel’s favorite and least favorite plays, the challenges facing contemporary dramaturges, how to channel traumatic experiences into art, the risks run by creatives who portray experiences that they have not lived, and the value (or lack thereof) of musical theater.