Adventures in Directing, Part I
- G. Schaffner
- Oct 13, 2019
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 17, 2019
My latest community theatre project finds me in the role of director. This is only the second time in my community theatre career that I have directed, and it's the first time in almost fourteen years. Why so long in between directing gigs? Well, the first time wasn't the best experience. I simply wasn't prepared for the amount of work that comes with directing, and because of that, I have been reluctant to throw my hat into the directing pool again. So, why now? I can honestly say, I don't know.
For folks like me who have been on the community theatre stage for a long time, the natural progression for some is to eventually move up to directing. However, some people are quite happy to remain in the role of actor and choose not to step up into the role of director. I was one of those people. I always preferred being on stage, being responsible for carrying only my portion of the story through the art of acting which comes with the perk of being loved by an adoring audience (or at least telling myself that last part). Directing brings with it a lot of power, the chance to choose the play, the cast, the costumes, the set, the special effects. It also brings an overwhelming amount of responsibility regarding the play, the cast, the costumes, the set, the special effects.
The first thing that must happen if you want to direct is you have to decide you want to direct. Well, let me clarify. Sometimes in community theatre, you don't get to decide. There is often an urgent need to find anyone who will step up and direct a community theatre show, qualified or not. Many times, the call goes out to the community at-large begging for directors to come forward. At that point, those who step up may or may not get to choose their shows. Sometimes, the shows are chosen long before and the volunteer director finds him or herself directing something they've never seen or read before. In the case of the first show I directed, I was asked to direct a specific show that was chosen by the theatre board called Black Comedy. The board members thought I was a perfect choice to direct this show as it was a broad physical comedy, which some people think I have a talent for. But, without knowing the show and without really choosing to direct (it was one of those times where directors were difficult to find), the experience turned out to be regrettable, though we did have some fun along the way.
Let's just ignore that last paragraph for now. In the perfect world, the first thing that must happen if you want to direct is you have to decide you want to direct. There has to be a feeling within yourself that you would like to put your own creative spin and point of view on a story that means something to you. There are several plays that have great meaning to me and I have tossed around the idea of directing again for many years, though I never stepped up. As it happened, I ran into the president of one of the local theatre groups in the grocery store and we started chatting and, for some reason which still baffles me, I mentioned that I might want to direct again. Long story short, a week later, I received a text stating that the board would happily welcome me as a director and I should submit some shows for the board to consider. I'm not sure whether or not I really decided that I want to direct, but here I am in the role of director. (You're probably realizing that I am a pushover. I could have said, thanks but no thanks, but....)
I submitted several shows to the board and the one they chose is Crimes of the Heart. It is a Pulitzer Prize winning show by Beth Henley about three sisters in a small town in Mississippi in 1974. I had first found this script some years ago on a trip to the Samuel French Bookstore when it still existed down in the San Fernando Valley. I enjoy looking for scripts that I might someday want to present either as an actor or as a director. This script appealed to me as one to direct simply for the fact that it had three strong female roles. Our community, like many local non-professional theatre communities, is heavy on the females and lean on the males. Knowing this, I felt Crimes of the Heart was an opportunity to allow the females in our community a chance to shine in these juicy roles.
With the decision to direct made and the show chosen, next comes choosing the creative team. These should be people whom you trust. Most importantly, they should be people with whom you have a strong enough relationship that it can withstand the rigors of producing a community theatre show together. I have seen many friendships end over this fun, creative and ever so enjoyable process. A theatre production usually requires an assistant director, stage manager, tech people, costumers, set builders, and, if you're doing a musical play, vocal director, rehearsal pianist and conductor. That's a lot of potentially ruined relationships. These people should be chosen carefully. They will all put in a lot of time, work hard and lose sleep for your production.
Building the creative team takes some thought. It is one of the most important things that the director will do. It often requires a certain amount of begging and letting go of your dignity to get the people you want. Luckily, my team consists of a mentor and former director of mine, a fresh face to the community who was highly recommended by my daughter, one of the best tech guys in our valley, the two most supreme costumers a person could wish for, and family members that simply had no choice in the matter. There was no begging!
My team for Crimes of the Heart is in place. We have met and discussed my vision for the show. Though each team member will be in charge of a certain aspect of the show, the director is the final say in all the decisions. You have to be prepared to decide things that you really don't care about like, should my characters shoes be lace-up or slip-ons? Yikes! There are days when I can't decide which pair of socks to put on, but I have "chosen" the role of director and decision-maker and, by golly, I will give all decisions a spin around my brain and come up with an answer because to someone, lace-up or slip-on shoes is an important decision. Ah yes, I can feel the power!
There will be additional blogs detailing the directing process of Crimes of the Heart. So far, it's been a drama-free and enjoyable experience. I would love for you to post about your adventures in choosing a show to direct and choosing your creative team. Hope to hear from you.
Gary S. is your average community theatre geek, residing in the Antelope Valley in Southern California where he participates in community theatre productions once or twice per year. He works a 9-5 job in the medical field. He has the two most brilliant and talented kids. This blog is written simply for his need to write and for his love of theatre.
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