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Learn about the role and function of a theatre director, who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production. Explore the history of theatre directing from ancient Greece to modern times, and the different approaches and techniques of various directors.
- Read Through
- Scene Breakdowns
- Blocking
- Runs
- Tech Week
- Previews
- Opening Night and Performance
- Conclusion
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Unless the play in question is being devised in the rehearsal room, most rehearsal periods start with a thorough read through of the script, sometimes referred to as a “table read”. The director will guide this process and may ask the actors to bring a certain energy to it. Some directors spend a lot of time around a table, working through the scri...
Table reads inevitably transition into the process of analysing the script and breaking down the individual scenes. This part of the process is director-dependent, but most do their best to analyse the entire text as closely as possible with the cast. Actors locate the playable specifics, units of action/beats, character objectives and obstacles. O...
Directors work with actors to ‘block’ the play, which is a term used in theatre for working out where everybody stands and how they move. Some directors are very prescriptive—working from their own notes, or from the stage directions written by the playwright—while others tend to work off the actors’ impulses in the rehearsal room. Either way, bloc...
Once the play is blocked and the scenes are beginning to take shape, it’s time to start doing runs. Runs of the play, help actors get the flow of the piece and allow the director to see where the issues are. Earlier runs are usually called “stumble throughs” because they can be a pretty messy, stop-start affair. However, messiness is all part of th...
“Tech week” is the period a show spends in the theatre before previews. During tech week, all of the technical aspects of the production are installed and tested: set design, lighting and sound. For directors, it’s an insanely busy period that requires their attention being split across multiple departments. However, it’s also an exciting part of t...
When audiences first see the show in previews, the director will lurk in the back row and take copious notes. They will pass these along to the actors, stage manager and creative team to make necessary adjustments to the performance. The length of a preview period differs wildly. Large-scale musicals and theatre productions may spend weeks in previ...
And finally, we arrive at opening night. Here, the director can step back and bask in the praise (or not) of their months—sometimes years—of effort. Once the play is up and running, it is, again, director-dependant on how they proceed with their involvement. Some like to be present for the entire run of the show and give light-to-heavy notes along ...
So what does a theatre director do? As it turns out, quite a lot! They have an immense pressure placed upon them; often, it is the names of their cast in the reviews when things go well … and their own if the play goes poorly. They have to make countless decisions, balance egos and budgets alike and plan every move of a play’s production months in ...
Learn what a theatre director does, from finding a project to leading a team and bringing out the best performance from the actors. Discover how a director develops and maintains their creative vision, casts, blocks and rehears a play.
Apr 12, 2021 · Learn what a theater director does, what education or training you need, and how to start directing plays and musicals. Get tips from working directors and examples of famous theater directors.
- Casey Mink
Aug 15, 2024 · Learn what a theatre director does, from overseeing live theatre productions to collaborating with other artists. Find out the skills, work environment, salary and job outlook for this creative profession.
Feb 20, 2024 · Find out what a Theatre Director does, how to get this job, salary information, and what it takes to succeed as a Theatre Director.
- Career Insights
Learn what a theater director does, how to become one, and what skills and education are needed for this profession. Find out the salary, job outlook, and challenges of working as a theater director in various settings.
Learn the skills and qualities of a masterful directors for stage and screen. Explore the roles, challenges and responsibilities of directing theatre and film, and how to lead and inspire a creative team.
