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BEFORE WE BEGIN

THIS PRESENTATION REPRESENTS MY THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON DIRECTING FROM MY EXPERIENCES AS A DIRECTOR AS WELL AS AN ACTOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF VARYING VIEWPOINTS ON DIRECTING. LIKE ALL ADVICE, USE OR TOSS ANY OF THIS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
I LOVE QUESTIONS. SO, DON'T HESITATE TO ASK THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION

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OVERVIEW

PROJECTS: STYLE AND CHOICE

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DIRECTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY THEATER WORLD
SOME COMPANIES HAVE DIRECTORS PROPOSE AN IDEA FOR A SHOW THEY WANT TO DIRECT
SOME COMPANIES CHOOSE THE SEASON IN ADVANCE AND HAVE DIRECTORS APPLY FOR EACH SCRIPT
IF YOU DIRECT FOR A FESTIVAL, OFTEN TIMES YOU HAVE A SMALL SELECTION OF SCRIPTS TO CHOOSE FROM
WHETHER THE SCRIPT CHOICE IS SPECIFICALLY YOURS OR NOT, YOU WANT TO CONNECT WITH THE SCRIPT EARLY
AS YOU READ THROUGH THE SCRIPT, THE BEGINNINGS OF YOUR VISION SHOULD START TO FORM (EVEN IF IT IS JUST A FEW SPECIFIC MOMENTS OR THE JOURNEY OF A PARTICULAR CHARACTER). UPON 2ND AND 3RD READS, YOU START TO FEEL EXCITED AS MORE AND MORE IDEAS POP INTO YOUR MIND. FEELING PASSIONATE ABOUT A SCRIPT IS A GREAT PLACE TO START
THOUGH THE TIPS IN THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE GENERALLY USEFUL, WHETHER YOU ARE DIRECTING A FULL LENGTH, A ONE ACT, A TEN MINUTE, A STAGED READING, STAGED RADIO PLAY, OR RADIO PLAY WILL REQUIRE YOU TO TWEAK YOUR PROCESS
FYI DIRECTING TEN-MINUTE PIECES FOR FESTIVALS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET SOME EXPERIENCE

AUDITIONS AND CASTING

HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF THE CORE ELEMENTS OF EVERY CHARACTER IN YOUR SHOW AHEAD OF TIME
USE THIS TO DIRECT YOUR DECISIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR SIDES AND ULTIMATELY YOUR CASTING DECISIONS (BUT DON’T BE TOO RIGID IN YOUR MENTAL IDEA OF A CHARACTER. ALLOW AN AUDITION TO SURPRISE YOU)
DON’T GET HUNG UP ON PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS (UNLESS IMPORTANT/CRUCIAL TO CHARACTER)
BE VERY CAREFUL IN CHOOSING YOUR SIDES: NOT TOO LONG OR SHORT, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED, DON’T CHEAT AN ACTOR ON A ROUND WITH A CHARACTER ON A SIDE THAT DOESN’T ALLOW THEM TO SHOWCASE, IT’S OK TO CUT, PASTE, EDIT YOUR SIDES
MAKE AUDITIONERS FEEL COMFORTABLE AND SAFE
IT’S OK TO GIVE NOTES DURING AUDITIONS AND HAVE ACTORS READ A SCENE AGAIN
CASTING IS A PUZZLE. CONSIDER HOW ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER

BEFORE REHEARSALS

FRONT LOAD YOUR WORK: REHEARSAL SCHEDULE, PROPS LIST, COSTUME IDEAS, SET IDEAS, SCENE TRANSITIONS, LIGHT AND SOUND CUES (THESE LISTS WILL CHANGE AS THE PROCESS GOES ON BUT IT’S GOOD TO HAVE A PLACE TO START)
PREPRODUCTION MEETING WITH CREW
BREAK THE SCRIPT DOWN INTO FRENCH SCENES FOR YOUR REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
RESPECT YOUR ACTORS’ TIME

THE REHEARSAL PROCESS

BALANCE IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CONCEPT. THE DIRECTOR MUST HAVE A CLEAR VISION FOR THE SHOW BUT BE WILLING TO LET THE INPUT OF CAST AND CREW HELP SHAPE IT. DON’T BE A PUPPET MASTER
YOUR CAST AND CREW NEED TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU. EVERY REHEARSAL, EVERY SCENE YOU NEED TO COME IN WITH A PLAN. YOU CAN AND WILL ADAPT THAT PLAN AS YOU SEE AND HEAR THINGS ON STAGE, AND THAT’S OK
LET YOUR ACTORS PLAY BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO TELL THEM TO CUT OR CHANGE SOMETHING IF IT DOESN’T FIT THE CHARACTER, SCENE OR PLAY AS A WHOLE (AND BE PREPARED/WILLING TO EXPLAIN WHY, KINDLY)
AVOID GIVING LINE READS TO ACTORS. EXPLAIN WHAT YOU WANT FROM THEM. BOIL DOWN THE KEY EMOTION, GIVE VALUABLE CONTEXT, AND/OR MAKE A RELATABLE CONNECTION. THEY NEED TO FEEL IT NOT MIMIC IT
PAY ATTENTION TO SMALLER CHARACTERS, PERIPHERY CHARACTERS IN A SCENE, AND USE THE PAUSES
NEVER FORGET THAT YOUR CAST AND CREW ARE GIVING THEIR TIME TO HELP YOU BRING THIS VISION FORTH

SET BUILDS/WORK DAYS

BACK TO BALANCE: YOU NEED TO BALANCE YOUR HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE SHOW WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BASED ON THE SPACE YOU ARE WORKING IN, THE BUDGET YOU HAVE, AVAILABLE RESOURCES, ETC.
IF YOU CAN, SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU TRUST, PEOPLE YOU KNOW YOU CAN WORK WITH, AND ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU NO, YOU’RE CRAZY, OR WE CAN’T DO THAT
TRUST YOUR CREW. GIVE THEM YOUR IDEAS AND VISION FOR THE SHOW. ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME TO YOU WITH IDEAS AND QUESTIONS. DON’T MICRO-MANAGE THEM.
RELY ON THE EXPERTISE OF YOUR CREW ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE YOU ARE WEAK.
A DIRECTOR IS A LEADER, AND A REAL LEADER IS NOT ONE WHO ORDERS PEOPLE AROUND TO DO THE MENIAL TASKS, BUT THE PERSON WHO PICKS UP THE BROOM TO SWEEP THE STAGE

TECH WEEK

THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG WEEK FOR EVERYONE. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND KEEP MORALE UP
A GOOD DRY TECH WITH TD AND RELEVANT CREW MEMBERS CAN GO A LONG WAY
MAKE SURE CAST AND CREW FEEL APPRECIATED FOR THE WORK THEY ARE DOING
IF POSSIBLE, WORK IN A DARK NIGHT TO HELP AVOID BURN OUT
UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, AVOID MAJOR CHANGES. THAT TIME HAS PASSED. THIS WEEK IS ABOUT TIGHTENING THINGS UP AND ADDING ALL OF THE ELEMENTS TOGETHER
FOR A COMEDY, CONSIDER INVITING A SMALL SELECT GROUP TO DRESS REHEARSALS
AT THE END OF THE WEEK, LET GO. TRUST YOUR STAGE MANAGER, YOUR CREW, AND YOUR ACTORS. NO MORE NOTES

GENERAL NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS

NEVER FORGET THAT THEATER IS A COLLABORATIVE ART
IT’S OK TO HAVE TBD DAYS ON THE SCHEDULE (PLAN FOR MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED)
POSITIVE FEEDBACK IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND CRITIQUES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU NOTICE SOMEONE HAS TRIED SOMETHING NEW OR DIFFERENT FOR THE SCENE. LET THEM KNOW YOU NOTICED
“LET’S TRY IT AND SEE HOW IT LOOKS/FEELS” IS A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE ANSWER. AND IF THEY TRY IT AND IT DOESN’T WORK, IT’S OK TO SAY SO (KINDLY)
BEWARE OF OVER-REHEARSING (ESPECIALLY WITH SHORT PIECES)
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO TAKE AWAY OR HOW YOU WANT THEM TO REACT
LET YOUR PASSION FOR THE PROJECT SHINE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS. YOUR PASSION WILL KINDLE THE FIRE OF YOUR CAST AND CREW. THIS WILL HELP THEM TO BRING OUT THEIR BEST