NPR, Ari Shapiro, and Dramaturgy

It surprises me that I'm still surprised by the fact that pretty much everything relates back to theatre and dramaturgy. I have to consciously stop myself from commenting in Sunday School that the topic reminds me of working with a theatre cast on a play, nearly every week. To my high school Seminary teacher who used to say that 'theatre is life, and all life is theatre' (or whatever it was along those lines you used to say): YOU ARE SO RIGHT.

I guess I also love the fact that I'm still surprised fairly regularly how often things compare themselves to dramaturgy. Last night I went to a presentation where Ari Shapiro, a reporter from NPR who's currently on the White House beat (I've watched enough military crime dramas that I TOTALLY know what that is), came and spoke and told (funny) stories that didn't make it on the air. Really - he just sat and talked. It was pretty cool. Doug Fabrizio, a radio show host from KUER, 'interviewed' him - they sat in two armchairs in the center front of the Grand Theatre stage and basically shot the breeze. Ari talked about his life and career and (lack of) career plan, which consists essentially of 'do what you enjoy and work hard and be awesome at it, and be aware of when you're ready for something else. Then look around and see what's available, and what interests you. Apply, work hard, take opportunities, and be awesome. Appreciate people. Throw terrific parties. Be a fan of people. Talk with friends who will help you ask the right questions. Keep working hard, and keep being awesome.' (None of that is any kind of direct quote - they're extrapolations from his stories.)

There was an audience Q&A section, and a few people asked questions for both Ari and Doug, which flustered Doug and delighted Ari. One person asked about the process of getting a story on the air - how and why they chose to write and present what they did, etc. One of the things Doug talked about was that one of the reasons he was doing what he was was because he loved to learn. Things are constantly fascinating to him, so he talks and writes about what he's interested in. As a radio personality, though, one of his responsibilities is to provide context for the stories he presents so that the audience has a chance to 'get it', and to also become interested. He said 'context' three or four times, and I perked up a little more each time. Another question had Doug talking about how they would look for stories that spoke to a larger picture, and how he would work to figure out how to fit everything together. He also mentioned transcribing some of his favorite radio shows, just to figure out how, exactly, a successful hosting/presenting hour actually WORKED. I very much enjoyed listening to Ari Shapiro and I've now got three+ Pink Martini albums on my Amazon wishlist, but I'm a little fangirly over Doug Fabrizio now, too.

I had no idea that the good journalists are really just dramaturgs in disguise, and I need to go listen to some more talk radio.

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