Directing: Directing an engineer?

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Directing an engineer?

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2871
Printed Date: 5/20/24 at 9:29am
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Topic: Directing an engineer?

Posted By: dmd196
Subject: Directing an engineer?
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 8:49am

As in any community theater, I am directing people who have day jobs and some are new to the world of theater. A gentleman that I am directing is an engineer and sees the stage as a place full of obstacles, especially since his character is in a wheelchair.

Does anyone have any advice for directing more technically minded people and tapping into their artistic side?

Replies:

Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 9:35am

Although not an actor, my father works a great deal for me on set building. He is a chemical engineer and has been for the last 40 years. He is great for projects that need a special engineer's eye, however on many general things he tends to over "engineer" everything. These are a special breed of people with their own way of thinking. (I believe National Geographic is doing a special on the amazing Engineer people of the Savana) Try as I may to explain the needs of lightweight, mobile and manageable sets he fights me all the way to build something that would have withstood Hurricane Katrina. Most times I end up resorting to "because I said so" or even "I'm the Daddy here, that's why".

Good luck with your engineer.

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Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 10:17am

Yeah, but daddy comes through for us quite frequently...

But in answer to your question dmd, I think you might have a unique experince to help him break in... I have played a character in a wheelchair twice. (Whiteside in "Man who came to Dinner" and FDR in "Annie") Anytime you do that you see the world a little from the frustrations of those who live in chairs everyday for real and face those obstacles.....

Maybe there is a way to focus him into the characters deeper side and furstrations that he recognizes as an engineer...???? Tell him he is right.. .those are obstacles... now.. How does your character cope with these obstacles... because in the real world, they must..

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Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 7:26pm

Seeing may be a good thing for him. Some folks are quite literal. So if he goes to a nursing home or is put in contact with someone in a wheelchair for 'research' he may benefit from some observation or discussion.

I like Marty's thoughts. I think if he incorporates some of that frustration into his character it may play well. You might be able to help by some blocking for him or some stage business. Ex: If his character is frustrated with something relevant to the story, maybe he doubles that frustration by starting a certain direction, and having to reverse course because of an obstacle.

For stage business, you might ask him what would his character do routinely with his hands? What might be a habit he develops specific to the handicap? Perhaps running the wheels of the wheelchair with his hands creates callouses that the character rubs, or maybe he stores an object in his chair to make it easier to reach things that drop on the floor.

I'm an engineer--we like to fix things. Maybe this engineer can explore some simple fixes for problems of someone wheelchair bound.

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 12/14/07 at 8:30pm

This may help?
As we know - Techies always make far better actors!
Mainly because acting is based on the same principles as engineering.
'SEX'

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: BeyondKen
Date Posted: 3/17/08 at 3:18pm

technically minded people and tapping into their artistic side?

Encourage them to try their hand at directing.

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~(ô¿ô)~