Directing an Original Piece?
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=4435
Printed Date: 5/01/24 at 4:15pm
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Topic: Directing an Original Piece?
Posted By: Miss Sara
Subject: Directing an Original Piece?
Date Posted: 1/26/10 at 1:40pm
I'm directing an original piece I wrote for a local fringe festival. The performance is scheduled to be shown during the last weekend of March, and I've cast two of my three actors already, merely waiting to make sure that my third actor can do the show for sure. I've acquired my rehearsal space, and read through is scheduled for Monday, February 1.
I've directed straight plays before, and directed a weekly shadowcast of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" for two years. I have not, however, ever directed a play which I've written myself.
The material is complete, and I've had it read through with a few actors, just to make sure that it worked. I do believe that over the course of the rehearsal process, there may be a few changes made - from what I understand, that is typical of a new play.
The play runs approximately 40-45 minutes, and for a play of that length, 4 complete weeks of rehearsal seemed sufficient. I did decide that I would start the first week of February, to possibly give sufficient time for any changes that would be made.
I'm going to try to approach this play in the manner in which I approach everything I direct, but is there anything I need to keep in mind for an original piece? Has anyone done this before, and what were the results? Is seven weeks of rehearsal plus tech week enough time? Would it be appropriate for me, as the playwright and director, to be a little more hands on than usual with the actors?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Replies:
Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 1/26/10 at 4:44pm
Hard to say if you've given yourself enough time. I don't know how good a playwright you are. I hope you think it's performance ready now. This shouldn't be a workshop you're running. It should be a rehearsal.
As a playwright directing your own material (and, yes, I have done it myself), I'd give you the same advice I just offered to johnmh as he prepares to direct "Proof". Be open to what your actors see in the play that you've written. There may actually be an attitude, or subtext, that you've never noticed, but which is obvious to everyone else. Don't get too heavy into "telling" them how to play their roles. Let them discover, and ask you what you were going for. You'll go far if you meet them halfway.
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