Dan Smith

Biography

Dr. Daniel T. Smith Jr. is a dramaturg, translator, director, and theatre historian with research interests in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century French theatre, history of sexuality, and translation studies.

After studying French Literature at the University of Notre Dame, Dan earned degrees in Theatre from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (MFA) and Northwestern University (PhD).  Dan has chaired the Theatre History Focus Group of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and served as Conference Planner and Focus Group Representative for ATHE’s Dramaturgy Focus Group. He has previously taught Theatre Studies courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and The Theatre School at DePaul University.  

Dan has worked extensively as a professional dramaturg, primarily in Chicago. He served as Associate Artistic Director/Resident Dramaturg of Caffeine Theatre from 2010-2012. Highlights with Caffeine include production dramaturgy for The Cocktail Party; Translations; Under Milk Wood; Wreckage; Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll and co-producing events including the Aphra Behn Coffeehouse at the Newberry Library and a Steppenwolf: Explore event in conjunction with Enda Walsh’s play Penelope. Dan has also worked with such companies as Steep Theatre, Infamous Commonwealth Theatre, The Hypocrites, Kickshaw Theatre, Halcyon Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Northlight Theatre, and the Goodman Theatre.  

His translations for the stage include Don Juan by Moliere; Love in Disguise by Marivaux; A Dangerous Liaison by Madame de Beaunoir; and The Horrible Experiment by André de Lorde. He has co-translated and directed Carlo Gozzi’s The Serpent Lady at MSU. He provided an annotated translation of The Imaginary Invalid by Molière for Constance Congdon’s adaptation (Broadway Play Publishing, 2016) and has done similar dramaturgical translation work for organizations including Disney Theatrical Group (back translation of Le Roi Lion). Dan has published articles, translations, and reviews in such journals as L’Esprit Créateur, Performing Arts Resources, The Mercurian, Theatre Research International, Comparative Drama, Didaskalia, Performing Arts Resources, Theatre/Practice and Theatre Journal. He served as Editor of Theatre/Practice from 2019-2023.

As a member of LMDA‘s Advocacy Committee, Dan collaborated on creating the Dramaturgy Toolkits site and NPX Recommend-a-thon in support of the New Play Exchange. (His NPX profile features translations, adaptations, and original plays.)

Dan is also a three-time Jeopardy! Champion (episodes aired February 2009).