| Contents | |
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| About the Authors | |
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| PROLOGUE | |
| "Welcome to the Theater" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | xiii |
| What You can Expect from This Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | xv |
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| ACT ONE: PLAY SELECTION | |
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| 1 MAGIC TO DO: Understanding Your Role as Director . . . . . . . . | 3 |
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| 2 ONE BRICK AT A TIME: How to Get Started . . . . . . . . . . . . | 7 |
| 2.1 Proposed Organizational Structure for Theater Directors | |
| 2.2 A Director's Checklist of Responsibilities | |
| 2.3 Operators, Crews, and Volunteers | |
| 2.4 Checklist to Help You Determine Where Best to Present Your Play | |
| 2.5 Budget Checklist | |
| 2.6 Checklist for Assessing Your Situation | |
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| 3 OPEN A NEW WINDOW: Other Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 27 |
| 3.1 Checklist for Selecting a Children's Play | |
| 3.2 Stage Manager's Checklist for Touring Productions | |
| 3.3 Stage Manager's Checklist for Loading a Touring Production | |
| 3.4 Checklist for Study Guides | |
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| 4 SOMETHING SORT OF GRANDISH: How to Select the Right Play . . . . | 37 |
| 4.1 Checklist for Selecting a Play | |
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| ACT TWO: PRE-PRODUCTION CONSIDERATIONS | |
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| 5 A PUZZLEMENT: How to Unravel a Play's Meaning . . . . . . . . . | 45 |
| 5.1 So What Is My Play All About? | |
| 5.2 Modified French Scenes for the Play | |
| The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde | |
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| 6 PUTTING IT TOGETHER: How to Lay Out a Rehearsal Schedule . . . . | 57 |
| 6.1 A Final Checklist | |
| 6.2 Rehearsal for The Importance of Being Earnest | |
| 6.3 Layout for a Typical Rehearsal Schedule | |
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| 7 PICK A LITTLE; TALK A LITTLE: How to Work With a Set Designer . | 71 |
| 7.1 Facts Your Set Designer Needs to Know | |
| 7.2 Your Impression of the Play or Musical You Are Directing | |
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| 8 PRETTY LITTLE PICTURE: What You Need to Know About Stage Properties | 85 |
| 8.1 Property List for Your Production | |
| 8.2 Property Inventory List | |
| 8.3 Property Checklist | |
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| 9 LET THE SUNSHINE IN: What You Need to Know About Stage Lighting | 91 |
| 9.1 Inventory of Lighting Equipment | |
| 9.2 Lighting Cue Sheet | |
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| 10 THE SOUND OF MUSIC: What You Need to Know About Sound and Special Effects.. 95 | |
| 10.1 Sound Cue Sheet | |
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| 11 PUT ON YOUR SUNDAY CLOTHES: What You Need to Know About Costuming | 99 |
| 11.1 Director's Costume Notes | |
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| 12 PUT ON A HAPPY FACE: What You Need to Know About Makeup . . . . | 105 |
| 12.1 Director's Notes on Makeup | |
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| 13 A LITTLE BRAINS, A LITTLE TALENT: What Your Stage Manager Needs to Know.... 109 | |
| 13.1 Stage Manager's Checklist During Rehearsals | |
| 13.2 Stage Manager's Checklist During Dress Rehearsals and Performances | |
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| 14 I HOPE I GET IT: How to Conduct Auditions . . . . . . . . . . . | 117 |
| 14.1 Sample Audition Notice for The Importance of Being Earnest | |
| 14.2 Sample of Audition Scenes from The Importance of Being Earnest | |
| 14.3 Sample Audition Announcement | |
| 14.4 Sample Audition Form | |
| 14.5 Layout Form for Callbacks | |
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| 15 MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER: How to Make Intelligent Casting Decisions | 131 |
| 15.1 Casting Decisions Checklist | |
| 15.2 Sample Cast Announcement | |
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| ACT THREE: REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES | |
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| 16 IT'S A SIMPLE LITTLE SYSTEM: How to Get the Most Out of Rehearsals | 143 |
| 16.1 A Standard List of Rehearsal Expectations | |
| 16.2 A Standard Set of Warm-Up Exercises | |
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| 17 EVERY LITTLE MOVEMENT: How to Stage, or Block, Your Play . . . | 149 |
| 17.1 Checklist for Blocking Your Play | |
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| 18 HAPPY TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE: How to Help Actors Develop Characters | 161 |
| 18.1 Character Profile | |
| 18.2 Understanding the Period of Your Play | |
| 18.3 Character Journal | |
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| 19 YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE HEART: How to Work with Actors . . . . . . . | 173 |
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| 20 AGONY: How to Direct Period Plays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 181 |
| 20.1 A Selected List of Standard Period Plays | |
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| 21 WITH A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK: How to Direct Your First Musical . . | 187 |
| 21.1 A Suggested List of Musicals to Cut Your Teeth On | |
| 21.2 Where to Obtain the Rights for Musicals | |
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| 22 SIT DOWN YOU'RE ROCKING THE BOAT: How to Run a Smooth Production | 195 |
| 22.1 Backstage Etiquette | |
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| ACT FOUR: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT | |
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| 23 WHO WILL BUY? What You Need to Know About Tickets . . . . . . . | 205 |
| 23.1 Checklist for What to Print on Tickets | |
| 23.2 A Box Office Checklist | |
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| 24 YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A GIMMICK: What You Need to Know to Sell Your Production 211 | |
| 24.1 Checklist for What to Print on Posters | |
| 24.2 Sample Poster-- Into the Woods | |
| 24.3 Postcard Layout-- Example 1 | |
| 24.4 Postcard Layout-- Example 2 | |
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| 25 YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT: What You Need to Know About the Media... 221 | |
| 25.1 Checklist for Preparing a Press Release | |
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| 26 LOOK AT ME, I'M SANDRA DEE: What You Need to Know About Programs | 227 |
| 26.1 Checklist for Program Copy | |
| 26.2 Sample Program Layout-- Under Milkwood | |
| 26.3 Sample Program Layout-- Deathtrap | |
| 26.4 Sample Program Layout-- Ties that Bind | |
| 26.5 Sample Program Layout-- We Bombed in New Haven | |
| 26.6 A Winnie-The-Pooh Christmas Tail | |
| 26.7 Sample Program Layout (8 1/2" x 14") -- Into the Woods (Outside) | |
| 26.8 Sample Program Layout (8 1/2" x 14") -- Into the Woods (Inside) | |
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| 27 BEA-U-TI-FUL PEOPLE OF DENVER: What You Need to Know About Audiences | 245 |
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| EPILOGUE: DIRECTORY | |
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| 28 LIFE ON THE WICKED STAGE: Acting/Directing Terms . . . . . . . | 251 |
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| 29 DROP THAT NAME: Odd Names for Technical Things . . . . . . . . | 255 |
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| 30 THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS: Theater Spaces . . | 261 |
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| 31 PERPETUAL ANTICIPATION: Stages of the Production Process . . . | 265 |
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| 32 TRY TO REMEMBER: A List of Theatrical Forms . . . . . . . . . . | 269 |
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| 33 LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU: A List of Contemporary Plays for Beginning Directors. 273 | |
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| 34 LOSING MY MIND: More Terms About Parts of Plays . . . . . . . . | 277 |
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| 35 THE LITTLE THINGS WE DO TOGETHER: Players in a | |
| Commercial Theater Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 279 |
| 35.1 Players in a Commercial Theater Organization (Chart) | |
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| 36 WHO CAN I TURN TO? A Selected Reading List for Beginning Directors | 283 |