The document discusses the role and tasks of a theater director. It explains that the director coordinates all elements of a production by working with the text, actors, and designers. When working with the text, the director analyzes it to develop an overall vision or concept. They communicate this vision to designers and use it to guide actor coaching and blocking. The rehearsal process involves table reads, blocking, and technical rehearsals. Different directors have varying approaches to interpreting the text and vision. Producers manage the financial and business aspects of productions, while the director oversees the creative elements.

1. Learning Objectives
• Explain the main tasks of a director—working with the text, working
with the designers, working with the actors, and coordinating all
elements of the production—and what each task involves.
• Discuss the difference between directing and producing.
• Describe different types of directors, such as directors who work in
service to the text; auteurs; “slash” directors (e.g.,
director/choreographer, director/designer); and directors who
emphasize certain themes or influences (e.g., interculturalism).
• Describe some options for and benefits of formal training for
directors.

2. Key Concepts
• The concept of the director is a relatively recent one, but the director has
quickly gained prominence as one of the primary creative forces in the
theatre.
• The modern director performs four, often overlapping, functions:
– to work with the text
– to work with the actors
– to work with the designers
– to coordinate all elements of the production
• For many directors, their concept—or overall vision for a production—
guides all choices related to the production.
• The production process often begins with casting and ends with technical
rehearsals.

3. Key Concepts
• The producer, whether an individual or a group and/or corporation,
oversees all financial and managerial aspects of productions.
• Some directors work in service of the author's “intentions” in a
play; others, such as auteurs, view the play as a mere starting point
for more interpretive work.
• Although not new, the slash director—such as the
director/choreographer or director/designer—has become
increasingly common.
• Directors can be trained in a variety of contexts

4. Directors
“Direction is a job, a craft, a profession, and at best, an art. The director must be an
organizer, a teacher, a politician, a psychic detective, a lay analyst, a technician, a
creative being…he must understand people.”-Harold Clurman,the Group Theatre

5. Some History
• The idea of a single director didn’t spring up
until relatively late in theatre history (mid-to-
late-1800’s)
– Before that, playwrights often organized their own
plays
– There are some analogies: the 17th century
pageant master; the actor-manager, who oversaw
the entire enterprise of theatre

6. Some History
• Georg II, Duke of Saxe-
Meiningen is the first
“modern director”
• Created plays with realistic
historical accuracy, crowd
scenes, smaller ensembles
scenes
• Toured all over Europe
and Asian
• Influenced Stanislavski

7. Three Primary Goals
• Creation
– The root of all choices the director makes
– Guides the rest of the team in developing these ideas
• Collaboration
– Works closely as the head of a team to integrate
numerous “visions”
• Problem Solving
– Addresses issues of text, design, acting, blocking, etc.

8. Directing: The Process
• Coordinate all aspects of production
– Act as go-between for various sub-disciplines
• Work with the text
– Study, analyze, interpret, judge the text
– Formulate a concept or vision for the production
• Work with designers
– Communicate concept to designers based on textual
analysis
• Work with actors
– Cast performers according to your vision
– Guide actors to appropriate actions, blocking, and stage
business

9. Directors: The Process
Step 1: The Text

10. Directors:
Working with Text
• The director reads a play and creates a
“concept” – an overarching “vision” of a show
– Directors work from METAPHORS
– Must learn to assess the script’s strengths and
weaknesses
– Must identify the major problems to be solved
– Analyzes the play in numerous ways
• As a reader
• As a potential audience member
• As a director, designer, actor

11. Directors:
Working with Text
Peter Brook, legendary British director

12. Directors: The Process
Step 2: Working with Designers

13. Directors:
Working with Designers
• This begins months before rehearsals
• Directors communicate concept/vision to designers
– Design team creates set, lights, costumes based on these
images, metaphors, etc.
– There is a process of revision on both ends – directors and
designers
• Designs are slowly integrated into the show throughout
rehearsals
– Culminates in a week long process of “tech rehearsals”
• These are truly horrible.

14. Directors:
Working with Designers
These images of abandoned and rotting amusement parks served as my concept inspiration
images for my designers when I directed Dog Sees God in the Fall of 2012.

15. Dog Sees God by Bert V. Royal, dir. By
Danny Devlin

16. All My Sons – Arthur Miller, dir. By Lei
Guo-Hua

17. Intimate Apparel – Lynn Nottage, dir.
Scott Knowles

18. Directors:
Working with Designers

19. Directors:
Working with Designers

20. Directors:
Working with Designers

21. Directors: The Process
Step 3: Working with Actors

22. Directors:
Auditions
• Directors must have a strong sense of each of
the characters
• Directors must cast actors for roles
– Numerous kinds of audition situations
• Cattle call
• Invite-only
• General auditions
• Directors oversee auditions and callbacks

23. What is a director looking for during an audition?

24. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process
• Length depends on production context
– 2-4 weeks for Equity performances
– 4-6 weeks for Amateur performances
– 5-8 weeks for educational performances
• Process begins with table reading
– Read and analyze the script out loud with cast
– Discuss your vision and share designs

25. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process
The table read/read-through is standard practice in theatre, television, and film.

28. British theatre director Steven Berkoff

29. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process

30. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process
Different plays have very different demands and, thus, very different rehearsal processes.
From Top L, clockwise: Frankenstein, Doubt, The Santaland Diaries, Avenue Q

31. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process
• Technical elements are added in their entirety
during tech week (affectionately also known
as hell week)
– Long hours for everyone involved
– Lots of stopping and starting
• Equity rules state for technical rehearsals, a
director may call only two “10 out of 12”
rehearsals

32. Directors:
The Rehearsal Process

33. Directors: The Process
Step 4: Coordinate all Aspects of Production
Anna D. Shapiro won a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 2008 for August: Osage County

34. Coordinating All Aspects of Production
• The Director acts as a go-between for various
important positions…
– Facilitates communication
– Ensures consistency
– Promotes her “vision”

35. DIRECTOR
Actors
Designers
Stage
Manager/
Assistant
Director Playwright
/Dramatur
g
Music
Director
Choreographer

36. The Producer
• “The producer is concerned with the business
of show business.” – Brockett
• Oversees the business end
– Generates incomes
– Oversees budget
– Hires creative team
– Deals with union rules
– Locates and secures spaces
David Merrick (right) was one of the most successful American theatre producers ever. He said,
“It is not enough that I should succeed – others should fail.” Awesome.

37. The Producer(s)
• Producing a play is a huge risk
– Shows have to run at capacity for four-five years
before making back initial investment
• Most producers are part of a larger, corporate
structure
– The Theatrical Syndicate (1896 – 1910)
– Shubert Organization (1900 – Current)
• Controls 16 of 38 Broadway Theatres
– Disney Theatrical Group (1993 – Current)

38. Types of Directors
• Some directors direct literally, using the
playwright’s accepted/proposed intention
– How can I make this production an authentic
exploration of the playwright’s work?
• Some directors like to use their own
interpretation of the script
– How can I make this script speak specifically to this
audience?

39. Types of Directors:
The Slash Director
• Designer/Director – Julie Taymor
• Director/Playwright – Neil LaBute
• Director/Choreographer – Bob Fosse