Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Prospective Director

Author

Message

Guests
Guest
Guest

Topic: Prospective Director - Questions
Posted: 3/10/01 at 10:57pm

Got a lady coming to our next meeting who wants to direct us. What are some of the things we should be asking her? I appreciate your comments.

Thanks

Bill

IP Logged

Guests
Guest
Guest

Posted: 3/17/01 at 5:31pm

Ask her to describe her directing style. Does it match what you are used to or is it so different that it will cause conflict. Ask about the role of the producer and other production staff (lights, etc.) and look for communication pluses and minuses. Time frames and expectations are also important.

We had somebody come back to us after a 7 year hiatus to direct Little Women and it was a disaster. He didn't believe in blocking, he wanted a personal assistant ("I don't have time to write notes and reminders while I'm directing a rehearsal"), he refused to discuss production matters with producer, publicity, etc. He kept referring to all his "professional" experience and that we were all a bunch of bumbling amateurs. He resigned after his ultimatum for a personal assistant was not met. Since we had so much money invested ($400 in costume materials alone) we had to postpone the production by 4 weeks, got another director (God bless my wife!!!), a new producer (the first one had resigned a week before the director), a new set design and set crew. On a short run of 3 shows (we had planned 5 originally) we were able to salvage the production and only lost $39 overall.

So, yes, asking questions is important to avoid problems. Good luck.

IP Logged

Guests
Guest
Guest

Posted: 3/19/01 at 1:19pm

CHECK REFERENCES!!

I have talked to people with lots of experience - until you start to pin them down - then they get very vague. People who come out of professional theater have expectations that can't be met in community theater - we have lives and jobs outside the theater - we have a limited amount of time we can dedicate to the theater - regardless how much we love it. People with experience at large community theaters expect a lot more assistance from the organization. People with experience a very small theaters know they have to help with all aspects of the production from set building to publicity.

Talk to people who have worked with them in the past - did they stay on budget? Did they meet their obligations to others? Are they committed to making your theater successful or just putting another notch on their belt? Would they work with him/her again? How did they work with very inexperienced actors? Did they pitch in and help with all the little things that goes with directing in a small community theater? Did they burden staff (if you have any) with things they should have taken care of themselves?

Finally, if you are a very small group, do they have the breadth of skills to make it work? Do they know enough about lighting, sound, set design, set construction and costumes to help your people in these areas? In big theaters, this is not a problem but if they expect dozens and dozens of light fixtures and you just have a few par's with a simple two scene lighting board, can they adjust? Can they help your lighting (and other technical) people learn their skills better?

IP Logged

Closed Topics ( Forum Locked)
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Archives :Closed Topics

Author	Message
Guests Guest	Topic: Prospective Director - Questions Posted: 3/10/01 at 10:57pm
	Got a lady coming to our next meeting who wants to direct us. What are some of the things we should be asking her? I appreciate your comments. Thanks Bill

	IP Logged

Guests Guest	Posted: 3/17/01 at 5:31pm
	Ask her to describe her directing style. Does it match what you are used to or is it so different that it will cause conflict. Ask about the role of the producer and other production staff (lights, etc.) and look for communication pluses and minuses. Time frames and expectations are also important. We had somebody come back to us after a 7 year hiatus to direct Little Women and it was a disaster. He didn't believe in blocking, he wanted a personal assistant ("I don't have time to write notes and reminders while I'm directing a rehearsal"), he refused to discuss production matters with producer, publicity, etc. He kept referring to all his "professional" experience and that we were all a bunch of bumbling amateurs. He resigned after his ultimatum for a personal assistant was not met. Since we had so much money invested ($400 in costume materials alone) we had to postpone the production by 4 weeks, got another director (God bless my wife!!!), a new producer (the first one had resigned a week before the director), a new set design and set crew. On a short run of 3 shows (we had planned 5 originally) we were able to salvage the production and only lost $39 overall. So, yes, asking questions is important to avoid problems. Good luck.
	IP Logged

Guests Guest	Posted: 3/19/01 at 1:19pm
	CHECK REFERENCES!! I have talked to people with lots of experience - until you start to pin them down - then they get very vague. People who come out of professional theater have expectations that can't be met in community theater - we have lives and jobs outside the theater - we have a limited amount of time we can dedicate to the theater - regardless how much we love it. People with experience at large community theaters expect a lot more assistance from the organization. People with experience a very small theaters know they have to help with all aspects of the production from set building to publicity. Talk to people who have worked with them in the past - did they stay on budget? Did they meet their obligations to others? Are they committed to making your theater successful or just putting another notch on their belt? Would they work with him/her again? How did they work with very inexperienced actors? Did they pitch in and help with all the little things that goes with directing in a small community theater? Did they burden staff (if you have any) with things they should have taken care of themselves? Finally, if you are a very small group, do they have the breadth of skills to make it work? Do they know enough about lighting, sound, set design, set construction and costumes to help your people in these areas? In big theaters, this is not a problem but if they expect dozens and dozens of light fixtures and you just have a few par's with a simple two scene lighting board, can they adjust? Can they help your lighting (and other technical) people learn their skills better?
	IP Logged

Topic: Prospective Director - Questions( Topic Closed)