Theatre Think is a dramaturgical practice that helps storytellers and producers tell their best stories with the most care.
Let's Think TogetherWe have worked with
orgs that care about story.
About Theatre Think
Theatre Think is a dramaturgical consulting practice that works at the intersection of story, scholarship, and craft. We work with playwrights, commercial and regional productions in development, institutions building educational programming, and communities who deserve to be part of the conversation about the stories being told in their name.
Our Approach
Theatre Think works from a trauma-informed foundation. We bring specific training and experience in identifying where heavy moments live in a story — in the text, in the room, in the process — and creating space to address it with care and intention. This shapes every engagement, whether or not trauma is the explicit subject.
Clinical Dramaturg and Researcher
Theatre Think was founded by Leayne C. Dempsey, who leads all client engagements and brings over two decades of practice across regional theatre, education, and community work.
Leayne came to dramaturgy through everything else first — acting, teaching, counseling, directing, community building. Seven years in public school classrooms. Time at Walter Reed working with active duty service members through drama therapy. Stages in New York, DC, and England. All of it shaped how she reads a script and what she notices in a room.
She is a dramaturg who has stood on the other side of the table as a performer, as a teacher and as someone trained to understand what people carry into a story. She listens for what a piece is trying to do and helps it do it better.
Her acting credits include Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Hangar Theatre, and the African Continuum Theatre Company. She holds bachelor’s degrees in both Theatre and English and a M.Ed., specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of Maryland — College Park. She also holds an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling, with a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy, from Lesley University. Leayne sits on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies.
Areas of Focus
Work with the National Theatre Foundation
Dramaturg · Educational Content Developer
Commissioned by the National Theatre Foundation, Theatre Think developed each of these guides — written and curated by Leayne Dempsey — to support Broadway tour productions entering school and community programming. Every guide includes production background, original essays on the historical and cultural context of the work, and activities designed to build critical and creative thinking — brought to life on the page by a professional graphic designer.
View on National Theatre Foundation →Work with Tap In — The Musical
Development Partner · Story Consultant
Video · In the Studio with Tap In
Development doesn't happen at the end — it happens in the room, at the table, across drafts. Theatre Think worked with the Tap In creative team across a playwright's working session and a week-long development workshop with the creative team at New York Stage & Film. The collaboration focused on building out the structure of the show — story architecture, character motivation, and the emotional logic of what the audience is being asked to experience.
Work with Various Organizations
Moderator · Facilitator · Dramaturg
Theatre doesn't end when the curtain falls. Leayne leads post-show conversations, talkbacks, and facilitated discussions that extend the life of a production — connecting audiences to the work, the artists, and the ideas that made it.
Conversation with the Cast of The Wiz
A conversation with Deborah Cox and the cast of The Wiz — exploring the cultural legacy of the production and the artists who carry it forward.
Conversation with Andrew Lippa & John August
A facilitated discussion with composer Andrew Lippa and book writer John August around Big Fish — exploring the adaptation process and what it means to bring a beloved story to the stage.
Conversation with the Cast of Six the Musical
Talkbacks with cast members from Six the Musical — conversations that extended the educational and dramaturgical work of the study guides into live dialogue with artists.
World Premiere Talkback
Post-show conversation with the cast of Senior Class — exploring the development process, the story's themes, and the college audition journey for aspiring theatre artists.
Finding the Confidence to Write Your Story
Playwright and Professor Emerita Caleen Sinnette Jennings — whose celebrated Queens Girl trilogy has been produced at Theatre J, Mosaic, and Everyman — speaks with Leayne about finding the courage to write, take risks, and claim your artistic voice.
See more interviews at nationaltheatre.orgWays to Work Together
Some material carries more weight than the script lets on — stories that hold joy and grief at the same time, that center sisterhood and survival, that confront racism, trauma, mental health, and the full complexity of human experience. The productions that handle that well do it intentionally.
The Clinical Dramaturgy Residency is a first-of-its-kind framework built around that intention. We work alongside the creative team to embed clinical dramaturgical practice into the process from the ground up, so the story lands with the weight it deserves and the people delivering it have what they need to do it sustainably.
Theatre Think is currently piloting this residency with a select cohort of inaugural partners. Inquiries for Fall 2026 engagements are welcome.
Every residency includes the creation of a Clinically-Informed Study Guide and the facilitation of Community Talkbacks, bridging the gap between the internal safety of the cast and the external impact on the audience.
Inquire About the ResidencyStandard Dramaturgical Services
01
For writers, playwrights, and producers who are serious about their story and want a rigorous thought partner in the room.
Deep-dive research and script analysis to ensure your story is historically accurate and psychologically grounded. We help you tell the story well by ensuring the "why" behind every scene is rock solid.
02
For institutions, presenting organizations, and educators who believe great theatre belongs in every classroom and community space.
From comprehensive study guides to curated talkbacks, we bridge the gap between the stage and the community — translating the complex themes of your production into meaningful dialogue.
03
For ensembles, training programs, and educators who want to go deeper into how stories work — and walk away with real tools.
Specialized training at the intersection of performance and psychology. Topics include The Art of De-roling and Building Character Architecture — grounded in practice, responsive to the room.
All research is conducted under an Action Research Case Study model. Participation is voluntary, data is anonymized, and all protocols are designed to integrate within standard union-mandated rehearsal hours. We prioritize the “Plan, Act, Observe, Reflect” cycle to ensure artistic and clinical excellence.
Bringing a dramaturg into your process is an act of trust. Whether you're deep in development or just starting a project — bring it to the table. We'll think it through together.
