This is my first time director an actual play. This is for my church. Our first rehearsal will be with the cast members. They are all pretty comfortable with each other. What should I do on the first rehearsal? Should I go over the play and the set up of the play, or should I let them just act it out with each other. I just need to know which direction or method I should use in trying to make our rehearsal effecient. Please help, because God knows I need all that I can get.

For my first rehearsal I schedule a read through. We sit around the table and read the play. I make it get clear what happens when. I don't usually follow the stage directions in the script. I like to have at least a rough sketch of what the set will look like. I go over housekeeping things making sure I have all contact information correct and pass out a rehearsal schedule. etc.

This is a great site and there are lots of very knowledgable people.  Keep asking questions.

Linda

I agree with Linda.  The first meeting I have after casting is primarily a "housekeeping" rehearsal: Making sure all contact information is correct, going over ground rules, schedules, and "game plan."  Then we read through the play (where I try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible unless there is some extremely important information I need to give them they can't get straight from the script).

However, by that time, I've already blocked the play in a general fashion (to save time later), made or had made a set floorplan, and gotten most of my lighting, props and other tech crew together.

What show are you doing, by the way?  Have a good time with it.

Thanks for the response. The play that we are doing is something that I wrote. It involves singing and dancing. When should I incorporate the singing into the acting. Would it be overload to start that now, or just let them get the gist of the play first. How long should your first couple of rehearsals be? I am having someone build the set. Would you suggest to do that when we get furthur along or start that now. My main concern about that is storage. And thank you'll so much for your responses, they are already a tremendous help.

Thanks,

Neeshia

POB's Top Five Tips for Rookie Directors:

(off the top of my head )

1.  Let the actors act.  Let them explore their instincts.  Don't tell them what to do (and for pete's sake don't demonstrate!); consider together what works and what doesn't, and why.  Make rehearsal a safe place for the actors to experiment.

2.  At the same time, do have a vision for the play, and communicate that vision to the actors.  Is this a door-slamming farce?  Greek tragedy?  A political polemic?  Any of those could be true of the same play; it all depends on your interpretation.

3.  DO make them say the actual words that are in those little books in their hands.  If the author is any good (and why would you do the play if she isn't?), there's a reason why the lines are written as they are.  Figure out what that reason is.

4.  Get them to play ACTIONS.  Nobody can "be sad" or "be happy" convincingly, in a vacuum.  What is each character DOING at every moment?  What does he want?  How will he get it?  Help your actors to find these actions.  That's why they're called "actors".

5.  Back to #1:  Make sure EVERYBODY, from the star to the SM to the guy that pops the popcorn, knows what your vision is and is working to make it real.

Everything else is mechanics.

PS:  I start with a readthrough too, because everybody does, but rarely have I experienced one that accomplished anything substantive.  It often helps the actors get comfortable with each other, though, so that's good.

Postscript, because you posted while I was writing my reply:

1) Since you wrote it, obviously you have a vision in mind.  Do remember this:  the actual play that will be on stage is now a COLLABORATION between you as DIRECTOR and the actors.  It is no longer solely yours as a writer.  That's the disadvantage to a playwright as opposed to, say, a novelist; the novel is done when the pen is put down.  The play isn't.

2)  Oh, god, a musical.    Do you have a music director?  A voice coach?  A choreographer?  Somebody that can teach some of the cast the dancy-singy-stuff while you handle the book scenes?  I hope you do, because no matter how much time you have, it ain't enough.

3) Is the set just flats, or does it have levels and stuff?  If it has levels, and you're dancing, GET THE CAST ONTO THE SET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!   If it's just flats, don't worry too much until tech.

Hope these help.

Hi Neeshia,

WOW! You wrote a musical. Good for you. What an experience you are going to have writing and directing your own show. 

POB's top five suggestions for rookie directors (plus three more for a musical) are right on the money.

In answer to your practical questions: When I direct a musical I give myself an extra month just for singing and dancing. I always do music and dance rehearsals first. I am doing a musical right now. For the last month all the cast has done is learn their music and dance. I have a very capable music director and a dynomite choreographer. I have watched and kept quiet. (Well, mostly I was quiet.) We have just started to weave music and dancing and script together. I find it easier it that way. Everyone does it slightly differently.

I keep rehearsals to 3 hours: 6:30 - 9:30. I start promptly at 6:30. At 9:30 my stage manager calls time and that is it. We stop and all go home no matter what. This works for me. Other people do it differently. Creatively I might want to keep on going, but my actors have families and jobs.

I am all for getting the set built as soon as you can, and get the actors using it. You said you have to store it. Is it going to be moved once it is built? The sooner it is built the better, especially if they are dancing.

Keep asking questions.

Linda

Hi Neeshia,

Glad to hear that things are going better then you thought. You need to be a little patient with your actors when it comes to emotion and expression. They need time to develope their characters. The characters maybe fully formed in your head, but the actors need time to see what you see. Don't give them too much to think about at once. Give them each a couple of things to work on. When they have that give them something else. It is process.

As far as getting actors off book: again give then some time and a reasonable deadline. No one wants to go on stage with a book in their hand, so they will work on their lines.  Be prepared that when you take them off book they will be calling for lines and you may feel that you have taken a step backwards. But it is temporary and they will catch up fast.

Linda