Which Direction Should I Go?

Theatre is a medium enjoyed by many. Theatre is a performance art that can include singing, acting, dancing and/ or movement. As I grew up, I was always that kid involved in school plays and community theatre. Even before I arrived at Dalhousie, I started exploring what it’s like to be on the production side of theatre as the opportunity to work behind the scenes of an amateur theatrical production was presented to me.

Elements of theatre such as stage and production management, musical direction and choreography are just a few of the functions I have had the opportunity to contribute to during the many stage productions I have been involved in. Although I am glad to say I have developed some experience in many of these subject areas, in no way do I consider myself a professional in any of them. I am still learning – I probably always will be - and I am here to share with you some of the things I have learned along the way, specifically with respect to directing.

“Director” is a word that can seem daunting to many of us in the theatre world. A director is totally in charge of every creative aspect of a production and while a musical director oversees the music aspect and a choreographer handles the dance numbers, the director is the one who ultimately has the final say in everything that has to do with the production and what happens on stage. It can be very exhilarating and exciting to be fully in charge and have total creative control of a production but if you’re directing alone, it can by lonely and there are a lot of shoes for you to fill – especially if you don’t have a lot of experience like myself.

To some, the “co” that sometimes appears before the word “directing”, or sharing the role of the director, can help to make this role seem a little less daunting. Having had some experience as an amateur director and a co-director, I can say this is completely true. Along with being less daunting, the process can be more fun and more collaborative when you have someone to bounce ideas off of. Co-directing can be a very positive experience unless you are working with a director who shares a very different vision than you do. When choosing a co-director, the most important things to focus on are:

1. Find someone who shares a similar creative vision

Although it’s nice to have different ideas and to be able to bounce those ideas off of each other, it will be harder to work with someone and feel successful about your work if you have totally different ideas. It’s bound to happen that you and your co-director won’t agree on every little detail, but agreeing on the big picture and artistic vision is a must.

2. Find someone who is easy to work with

This almost goes without saying. You’ll be working very closely with your co-director so its best to know if they’re someone you know you can work with. You want them to understand, respect and embrace your creative ideas. All of your ideas will not end up in the final production, but working with a collaborative co-director can help make the artistic process more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone.

3. Communicate with each other and focus on being a person who is easy to work with

You too have a role in making the process work. You have to choose and focus on being someone who is easy to work with if you want respect from your co-director. You are always entitled to your own opinions but you must always remember that he/she is too. Disagreement in the artistic process is inevitable but you must talk through these and be able settle on what’s best for the production. There will be times you must compromise, but if you share the same creative vision, compromise will not be hard or necessary in a lot of cases. You won’t know what each of you are thinking if you aren’t able to communicate well together.

4. Be organized

I am currently working with a co-director and we meet an hour before every rehearsal to talk about the blocking (otherwise known as “staging” to people less familiar with theatrical terms). When we talk about and prepare for the scene we’re about to rehearse, we can go into rehearsals already on the same page. This is not to say we don’t allow for some experimentation in our rehearsal room, but when we have taken the time to prepare, rehearsals are more organized and structured. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us, or our actors, if we came to rehearsals with completely different ideas.

5. Share your actors together

The part I enjoy most about directing is getting to see how the actors develop their characters. We often hold mini workshops with actors just to discuss their character. It is crucial that both of the directors are present for this process. Discovering a character is a journey an actor goes through with the help of the director(s). The character journey should be made together.

Throughout the making of a stage production, there will be times when you’ll feel intense emotion. Maybe you’re dissatisfied with an actor, who for whatever reason, isn’t take direction, or you are having a level of disagreement on an artistic choice with your co-director. The flip side brings you the most rewarding moments. There’s no feeling like the opening night of a show when the intense pride and happiness we feel as the curtains rises can be felt throughout the cast and production crew. When the curtain closes for the last time after months of long preparation, the flood of emotions of the entire crew is summed up in the tears you usually see on closing night. Co-directing is a learning experience you’ll be able to draw on when you work on your next production!

Break a leg with the theatre making!

By Carly Rae