5 Things (for directors)

I was talking to the fabulous Steve Moulds the other night, one of our latest additions to the playwriting program, about directing.  He gives a workshop on it, that is "five things to think about as a director."  They're listed below.  Thanks, Steve!

1.  Look for contrasts in the script.  These contrasts generally point to the main issues at hand, and being mindful of them energizes things.

2.  Pay attention to character diction.  Rhythm, repetition, etc.  Especially helpful if the play doesn't tell you much about a character, or if you have multiple members of an ensemble you have to draw distinctions between.

3.  Look for explicit clues from the playwright.  Simple, really.  If the playwright took the time to point something out, pay attention to it...good for directors who think it's their duty to ignore stage directions...

4.  Come up with your provocative questions.  What are the questions the script leaves open to interpretation?  Pose these to your creative team -- don't try to answer them yourself.  Coming up with answers together can unite an ensemble.

5.  Find a way to tell the story of the play through an overarching metaphor.  Nothing too rigid - the play wants to tell its own story.  But this can be useful for designers trying to figure out what this particular production is focused on.