have you ever directed a play?

Question

if so was it more work then you thought?

Answer 1

I considered myself a director for about 40 years. No, it wasn't hard. What makes it easy is a dependable technical director, a good script and a good cast. One of my pet peeves about directing is that people who know nothing about what a director's responsibilities to a production are are allowed to direct. High school students should never direct their peers. Even professional directors often exhibit ignorance about what their job is supposed to be. It is more than depressing to comtemplate it.

Answer 2

As a director, you should be prepared to handle a lot of things. Depending on WHERE you're directing you'll have to deal with more things than at others. I'm a high school teacher, so that means I'm also the technical director and the designer with occasional helpers here and there, but in general, I oversee most everything that goes on there. If you're in a more professional setting, you have other people to fill those roles for you. It's almost always going to be more work than you expect because there are so many things to deal with. Even when you do have the tech director and all of those things, you're still responsible for all things artistic in the show. The best skill you can have as a director is the ability to comminicate. Do that well, and things will happen a lot easier for you.

Answer 3

I directed a staged reading of a Tenessee Williams one-act for a class a couple years ago. The directing would have been a lot more work had I really dedicated myself to it the way I should have, but I was also serving as the entire technical crew for two other one-act productions for other people in the same class and stage managing a full-length play that went up the week after the one-acts, and getting ready for finals for 3 other classes. So I was a bit short on time. I am forever grateful to my wonderful actress (who semi-directed herself for a lot of it) and to the two people who ended up filling in last minute for my flake of an actor.

Answer 4

I have about 40 years of experience in the theater as actor,director, designer et. al. The experience can be exciting and exilerating to nightmarish. Be sure you have a good production staff that will handle everything from plant maintenance to avertising. Then gather together a good Technical crew to handle design construction decorating and lighting. In most amature companys there will be one person who will design and build and decorate the set. another who will design, set and run lights. This is usually the weekest link in the chain for amature theater. search for a good lighting tech. you will need a good costumer and a properties master who is willing to do the leg work and who has a good eye for the style of the show who will, if they need to be borrowed, get them returned promptly and in good condition to the loaner. One of the most important persons on your staff is going to be a good stage manager/rehearsal assistant. This person needs to be a good organizer who can see to it that actors are waiting in the greenroom and not hanging out in the wings getting in the way of the shift crew etc. The next thing you want to do is get the word out early for casting call. The better job you do of casting the easier will be your job of directing. You will not have the time or energy to teach acting lessons. Once you get on stage your job is simply to block the show so that you get nice balanced pictures and that the show moves along at a good rythmic pace, both dialogue and movement. I like to think of it all as music and dance whether of not it is a musical. Yes it can be hard work. It can also be a great deal of exciting and rewarding fun, especialy if you have a hit show.

Answer 5

I directed a TV show on Youtube and am currently making a movie. It kind of is. I mean, you have to work hard on the script and work with your actors. I would tell you the link but I don't think you would want it. It's about these two sisters and how one girl meets this other "girl"...

Answer 6

I have directed 5 plays now on my own. I was terrified the very first time, but it gets relativly easier the more you do it. There are still challenges and issues you work with and through, but it's the love of my life!

Answer 7

yes, in high school I directed a play. It was so much work, no one wanted to listen. I hated it.