As a doctoral student Šimon Peták had done field research at different European universities which offered studies in theatre dramaturgy. His aim was to understand various approaches to the teaching of dramaturgy. Between 2019 and 2021 he conducted the research of two MA dramaturgy study programmes at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main (Germany), at ATW and Choreography and Performance study programmes at Justus-Liebig University Giessen (Germany), and at Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki (Finland).
He discussed several topics which had emerged from his research at these different institutions and which seemed crucial when thinking about the ways in which to study and teach dramaturgy, e.g., the role of the original author’s work in education of future dramaturgs; the relation between an extracurricular theatrical creation and the curriculum; the role of the ‘canon’ (i.e., a stable set of authors or works that are repeatedly presented to students as important and are expected to be known); and the relations between the construction of the student’s dramaturgical identity during their studies and dramaturgy jobs existing in theatre institutions of a given country. The lecture mainly drew on his observations of courses, interviews with students, teachers, and particular graduate programmes and on the conclusions which he reached as a spectator of their artistic work. His own fresh experience of a teacher of dramaturgy at The Theatre Faculty of Janáček Academy of Performing Arts Brno (Czechia) was also included at appropriate parts of the lecture.
Šimon Peták’s main fields are writing, dramaturgy, and dramaturgy teaching. He graduated from JAMU (both BA and MA) where he studied theatre dramaturgy. He is presently in the PhD programme of the faculty. His thesis topic concerns dramaturgy teaching. Since 2020 he has taught courses for students of dramaturgy and directing, for the Department of Physical Theatre and for Erasmus exchange students at JAMU. His research and pedagogical activities are closely linked. His artistic work is split between individual projects in theatre institutions and independent projects. He has written texts for approximately ten performances staged in Czechia and Slovakia. He also writes poetry and songs.