Hi,
I am about to be made the director for next year's play. It's been ages since I directed a full-length play. I have been in a fair number of plays and I always observe what is going on like how the director gets people to do what they do and so on. I hope that the saying "You are never too old to learn" works. But where do I begin?

I should explain that we are a senior community in southern Arizona and have a lot of talent here. I am technical director for this year's play, Neil Simon's Rumors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Barb

Thank you. I just read them both. Good articles. I also looked at the books you recommended. I will decide which I should order.

The play I will be directing is a full year away. But we will be having try-outs the middle of March so I get my feet wet right away by casting. Then when everyone returns in the fall, we will start rehearsals. We will rehearse over a fairly long period of time--a few in November and December then begin serious in January. The play dates will be the end of February next year.

I started out this year by being the understudy director under a very insecure director who had a lot of community theatre experience. She made it very clear that I was to be silent. But she didn't teach either. After I was voted the president of the Village Players, she would hardly talk to me (she said it was a conflict of interest), but I watch what she does. A lot of which I would do differently. In our current play, Neil Simon's Rumors, she wants the actors to move the first act along faster and most do, but one gal drags her lines out so that it is like putting on the brakes and it drives me crazy and she has done that from day 1. Right now we are only 2 1/2 weeks before opening. Another actor always turns toward the center of the stage leaving his back to half of the audience. Also he is supposed to have whiplash but moves his head much to freely. I have never heard her direct either of them in this. Believe me I don't say anything; I just observe.

We are in a large senior community and share the stage with the chorus and dance bands who come to play for dances and anything else that comes along so some of our problems have to deal with getting the set up. Our play dates this year are February 24, 25, 26 & 27 and our set only goes up on the 13th. It will be that way next year too. The set is built and in storage. The furniture is ready and so is everything else. I just wanted to share some of the hurdles we have to jump over.

Thanks again.
Barb

I imagine it'd be listed in the script

Originally posted by avcastner Get the script now and start analyzing it.

Since her auditions were last March, I'm guessin' she's got the scripts by now . . .

You've posted to a bunch of really old threads.  Not that there's anything wrong with that  -- just not sure you were aware of it.