DIRECTING FOR PLAYWRIGHTS

Directing

Uta Hagen

-First Reading of play with OPEN MIND. “Let the play work on you before you work on
it.” Harold Clurman.
-Actors response of first reading should be similar to that of audience. You are NOT YET
on stage.
-What you read CANNOT be used as a guide for future work. Just communicate/no
acting!
-It is a FIRST IMPRESSION and must be forgotten if you want to create a role from the
INSIDE OUT - until you are at one with it. If you show your selves as being too
good I may have to fire you. Then you wouldn't need me
-No feeling or mood is playable by itself -only expressing them through ACTIONS will
they have meaning to communicate. (Actions: through your body movement,
voice, gestures, etc.)

-What place does your character have in the play?

Ask, What is the play ABOUT? What is the play’s PURPOSE? What are the
PLAYWRIGHT’S INTENTIONS? EXPLORE the play for its MEANING/INTENT
from the POINT OF VIEW of the PLAYWRIGHT.
What is the playwright’s view of the HUMAN CONDITION within the society he
has selected?
Have a GENERAL understanding of the HISTORY of the region. Know the history of
what has led up to this present-day situation (the Wars and the devastation on both sides).
However it is the given circumstances (incorporates all of the background and present
conditions of the characters world, from the scenes setting to the previous action) which is the
catalyst that propels the character into action.
Have an understanding of the DAY TO DAY LIFE o after into actionf the
Israelis/Palestinians .
What RELEVANCE does the above have to YOUR LIFE?
What is the nature of the CONFLICT? How is this played out? How is your character
POSITIONED in this conflict? How does this affect other characters he’s involved with?

-When your character pursues his goal, when he strives to achieve it, he must want or
desire, have a need or a wish or a will to fulfill it. What NEEDS of your character are
being fulfilled by pursuing his goal.

-When we understand the playwrights intent, and we make an intelligent evaluation of

the play’s purpose, we’ll understand WHAT PLACE OUR CHARACTER has in it.
 -How CREATIVE can the actor be with his VISION and CHOICES?
While DIRECTOR and ACTOR remain OPEN and FLEXIBLE, the actor must trust
the Director’s Decisions to avoid being pulled in different directions and not
having the play arrive at the same destination. (Example of rowboat and one
rower rowing in the opposite direction of all the other rowers, the boat will founder and
have difficulty arriving at its destination.)

-ON Directing - Harold Clurman

Every character has his own spine, his own main action.
Trying to imagine a character's life story: early environment, childhood experiences etc.
Which has influenced who he is today. The actor is encouraged to re-create in his mind an
imaginary past for the character he's playing, and possibly his Future. For example, what music
he likes, what food, where was he born, what was the town like, etc.
The spine is an active response to a wish: characters want something and do something to
satisfy that wish - it is called their intention

THE DIRECTORS NOTES

1- What’s to be done - the basic action
The characters are always doing: to warn, to plead, to threaten, to reprove and punish, to
heal, to flatter and so on. Avoid descriptions like: get angry, be modest, feel hurt.
Example: -he want to get a date with someone
2- How it is to be done. Adjustments - the attitude or adjustment which colors the
aformost action in this circumstance of this scene.
-coming on, provocatively or flirtatiously
3-The overt physical activity - the overt physical activity which accompanies the action.
-coming close and caressing the other
-question for the other: "How will you prevent this person from
approaching you?” What can you do to prevent this woman from coming on to you?"

Actions/Businss: Setting the table, putting on a pair trousers, biting into an apple -
almost had a that suits the situation. Hinda sorting the laundry because she is the homemaker
EARLY REHEARSALS
1- explains the set to the actors
2-talk the lines of the play to one another as a conversation - stop them from time to time
and have them just repeat the essence of the line in a conversational way
3-don't interrupt the actors on the first reading unless they are in inaudible
4-a 10 minute break is taken after reading the first Act
 5-the actors are encouraged to listen to one another
6-the first talk deals with the character of the play, it's generally important, its relevance
to the world we live
7-discuss its national and/or historical background
8-the purpose of the talk is to arouse a feeling of the worthiness of our project to create
enthusiasm
9-trace the plays inner action: how each segment and scene reveals the development of
the characters and play’s continuing action so that the pattern of the play as a whole becomes
evident
10-the actors should not try to memorize their part before the rehearsal period starts - it is
best to learn their parts during the interaction with their fellow actors during rehearsal.
11-they are encouraged to just read the play as many times as they can to familiarize
themselves with action of the play and their part in it
12-don't demand pace in the early reading
13 –incessant movement on the stage distracts
14 –the actor says, “I feel so comfortable doing it my way.” I say, “You may feel
comfortable, but the audience doesn’t.”
15-I tell my actors that my early blocking is in no way considered final
16 –have actors run through the whole act uninterrupted, except where they fail to
remember what. they had just rehearsed. The stage manager reminds the actors what had been
previously set for them to do. okay That's good
17 –I often asked the actors to sit down and read the act through once more. My
comments on the motivation of actions, scenes, lines, I'm now more a minute. I tried to stir the
actors to or greater awareness of character traits or to the implications of certain actions which
may previously have escaped them. The company is then asked to run through the act again on
their feet.
18 –I don't proceed to the second act until I feel the first is under control.
19 –remind the actors that they must justify their moves, to understand why these are
required/necessary
20 –the director is chiefly intent on establishing flow and continuity, not perfection!
21 –the director must be acutely aware that the players have all the necessary talent and
trust that they do the right thing
22 –the run-throughs can either be continuous for stop– go in which this director
interrupts the scene to explain what is amiss, how it is to be improved, and what new
adjustments or to be considered.
23 –the actor will perform the lines of each scene truthfully and completely carried out
according to the given circumstances of this scene.
24-inform the actor that a rehearsal may be called for one actor alone to improve an
individual problem.
25 – inform the actors that I may demonstrate/improvise/paraphrase an actor's speech
on occasion, but I believe that the actor must find his/her own way of carrying out the intention.
Say, “I’m sure I'm going to do this badly but it's in the direction of evoking the action or feeling
of the scene.”
26 –it's the playwrights job to slowly build a scene to its climax, and it is the actor’s job to
play that scene building to the climax.
27 –say, “pick up pace/lines” rather than “faster.” Every play has its own basic rhythm,
it's mental agility, the sparkle, the affluent energy of its style, which is part of its meaning.
28 –possible comments to actors: “You are annoyed because your father has just
reprimanded you,” or “The father has begun to plead with you so touchingly that you answer in-
kind,” or “you see in your fathers face the clouds of anger gather and you try to calm his
impending fury.”
29 never win an argument with an actor; persuade him that he's wrong, just get him to
do what you want.
30 –what an actor tells me that he differs with me I usually say”Don't talk, show me.”
“Show me how do you prefer to play the part.” He make convince me that I'm wrong and he's
right. I then made suggest some alternative choices.
31 –the director has the prerogative to call rehearsals after the show has opened.
32 –the director must never released his command. Make it clear what the assistant
director is responsible for.
33 –the spine of the play is to show the humanness of each character on both sides of the
issue who are under great stress. Next find the spine for each of the characters and ask the actors
to find their own spine.
34–

Thinking Like a Director. Bloom

1-Determining the characters’ actions as seen, and communicating them effectively are
two of the most critical practices– more intuitive and visual than intellectual – for the director to
learn.
a-defining the action: what is the character literally doing?
b-what is the objective, his desires, behind behavior: is he badgering her, testing her,
or searching for an answer? What does the character want from another character? Characters
are always wanting to get something from other characters.
c- it's helpful to read all the lines in the scene for that character : to sense how the
lines connect to form an action, and how the character’s several actions become the tactics for
achieving the objective.
2-Every change to action produces a new segment, "the beat” which is often defined as "a
single unit of action." The character is then changing the subject he's talking about and the
action he's doing can change or remain the same. The change may cause a change in the rhythm
and tempo of the scene. It is good to punctuate each new beat with business, activities, or
movement. Then whenever actions change they will be underlined by some physicalization.
Movement then becomes the grammar of storytelling. This accomplishes two things: it helps the
audience to understand where the story changes, and at the same time it inculcates in the actors
the play’s beat structure.
Important: how do the other characters in the scene react to the change from this one
actor?
a-different from a pause
b-it may be helpful to break downcourage the scene into segments or beats to clarify
the characters changes.
*c-determining exactly where and how the beat changes is a key matter of
interpretation, and if the director prepares this beforehand the rehearsal will go better.
d-allowing the actor the freedom to make his/her own contributions is best.
e-the obvious change occurs when Peretz announces that all the family is safe, but
beats, or changes, are not so clear most of the time and has to be clarified so that the audience
will understand what is happening in the scene.
f-each scene has an overall objective, but can change at any point in rhythm and
tempo as when Hinda and Peretz have a love scene, when he breaks down, and when Peretz calls
his son, Avi, on the telephone to make amends.
3- The play’s main or central conflict
a-the subject of the play is to get Hanan’s body returned to the family for a Jewish
burial. The central action or event is Peretz versus Avi: protecting the security of Israel versus
justice for the Palestinians. The focus (central conflict) should be on the relationship between father
and son rather then the return of the body!
b-how does each character fit into the central conflict?
c-what is the function of each scene? How does it to contribute to the central
conflict?
d-how does the playwright unfold character, plot, and relationship to be able to
support these strategies?
e-each scene has an event or several events: In the first scene we learn that there
will be an assassination and that Hanan is conflicted over it. We also learn that Rachel is in
conflict with Hanan over the assassination. There our internal barriers/obstacles that Hanan
faces. Hanan tries desperately to get support for his actions (his objective) from Rachel, trying to
convince her that there must be other ways to deal with the situation. Although his heart is not
in it, being the good soldier, and the person that he is, he will follow orders and carry out the
assassination. This is in direct contrast to what Avi has done.
f. There are two plays here, the Jewish family is the first and the Palestinian
Family, which includes the imam, is the second. The two plays begin to come together when
Akeem appears in the scenes speaking out to the audience, and when Peretz and Hasan meet.
The play finally/really comes together in the last scene of the play.
4- the rising action
 a- the scenes needs to build to a climax. Although the pace at the beginning of the
each scene is appropriate, the action must pick up to a crescendo or a climax. The action then
falls to allow the impact of the story to take hold.
5-giving a title to each scene helps to understand the play much better. For example: Act l,
Scene 1 can be called “Hahan’s inner conflict.” Scene 2, “Akeem’s rage.”
6-the audition
a-it's important to determine an actor’s interest, attitude toward the play, and the
rolls, as well as any doubts they may have about working on the project.
b-take notes on the actors performance; whatever appeals to you about his or her
audition.
7-Day one
a-review the schedule with the cast. Actors need to know when run throughs will
begin and the deadline for being off book.
b-discourage the actors from trying to learn their lines before they start rehearsing.
You may email them this information after the cast is chosen. Encourage them to read the script
as often as possible prior to rehearsals so that they can be very familiar with their character and
the other characters they are playing with/against. This will also be important for a meaningful
first read through.
c-the set design and wardrobe/costumes is described to the cast
d-give the actors plenty of opportunity to express their thoughts.
e-give your reasons that you are choosing to direct this play and briefly describe
your vision of how it's to be performed.
f. Encourage actors to just communicate the words rather than "acting.”
g-the read-through may indicate which scenes are more difficult and may need a
lot more rehearsal/work. You may want to read a difficult scene a second time.
h-congratulate the cast on their reading.
i-get reactions from the cast about what they read. Do they see any problems
arising from the reading? Do I?
8-Day two
a-Discuss beats of each scene
b-ultimately, my primary role as director in early rehearsals is to ask questions
and energize actors by articulating the actions and circumstances in vivid and concrete terms.
9-getting the play on its feet
a-it's okay to call the actors to a table to reread a scene, as well as talking about it.
b-the given circumstances: includes every thing of consequence to a character at the
beginning of and prior to the scene. they include relationships, previous actions, and the
environment, among others.
c-it's up to the Director and the actor to decide which one or perhaps two
circumstance befits a scene.
 d-remember that each beat needs to continue to a climax. It may be a good,
especially with speeches, to see where the climax comes and work towards it.
e-a change of action in one character always necessitates a change in the other
actor’s action.
f. A change in the subject doesn't always necessitate a new beat and therefore
change of behavior/action. A character may change the subject of what he or she's talking about
but continues with the same action toward the other actor.
g-whenever I stop the actors for some reason, I have them pick up again just
before or at the beginning of a new beat.
h-“Let's try it!” My reaction to actor’s suggestion.
i- the stage manager oversees issues such as tardiness, learning lines, and
conflicts with rehearsal times. She is in charge of recording the action in her book.
10- allow actors to explore the space and their physical impulses the first few times
through a scene. Some actors need immediate blocking. Actors need the freedom to experiment.
11- Business refers to activities tied to props. Hinder folding the laundry, pouring the
wine and making a toast. Activity is used to define a specific physical task: Avi taking a bite of the
sandwich and putting it down on the table, Peretz slamming his fist down on the table.
12- relationships can be clarified through movement.
13- with less experience actors, it's wise to rough in blocking almost as soon as they
are on their feet, to allow them to concentrate on playing action rather than worrying about
where they should be.
14- Using the turn a definitive turn by one actor taught another is often enough to
make a big change. It is used to highlight a critical moment and the timing of the turn is most
important.
15-physicalizing key moments may help clarify relationships through movement.
16-even before blocking begins, some of it will have already been determined, or at
least influenced, by the ground plan, which has established the entrances and exits, the playing
area, and their relationship to the stage space. Then if the actors are intensively pursuing
objective by playing actions with significant physical activity, even more staging should emerge
naturally. Staging should start as an attempt to create behavior by underlying the action,
elucidating in the given circumstances, and developing the relationships.
17-physical closeness between actors on stage is normally saved. for intense,
passionate moments. If this position as hell too long, the stage picture will feel static and anti-
climatic.
18- words like encouraging, goading, enticing, or commanding are very specific to an
action.
19- don't over rehearse the full scenes, concentrate on the trouble spots.
20- when the actor reacts to his partner it is his responsibility to find
something in the partners playing that generates a truthful reaction from him.
 21-listening is active behavior involving hearing, absorbing, and deciphering
the other person's intentions. A way to encourage listening is to have both actors repeat the
partners last name line they say theirs.
22- to deepen a response you might ask, “What would make you, in similar
circumstances, do what your character does. For example, to one actor, abandoning one's family
might be emotionally equivalent to physically beating up an adversary.
23-to help illustrate the significance of a particular scene you might ask,
“How is the scene different than the other scenes.” In other words what happens in this scene
that is not coming to other scenes. For example, in the last scene of the play Akeem finds out
that he was the target of the assassination. The first-time experience of each scene is one of the
keys to unlocking the energy of a play. The same may be true when a character makes a
discovery like Avi discovering that Peretz is capable of slapping Hinder.
24-raising the stakes is another way of making the scene more intense.
Perhaps the actor only has a few minutes more before he loses his objective.
25-actions are playable, but obstacles are not; they can only modify the
action. A more direct way of accessing an obstacle is to turn it into an action. For example, an
actor must revealed a lack of self-respect as his characters of obstacle could play as an action to
punish or sabotage himself.
26-utilizing internal obstacles: when an actor doesn't think a partner's
action poses a threat, the partners action can be strengthened. But if this does not work,
suggesting an inner obstacle can give friction and intensity to the first actors work.
27-framing: separating important moments from the previous action
which sharpens their physical and verbal clarity, and gives them emphasis. These are key
moments and need to be handled with great clarity.
28-speeches: rehearse a long speech in a separate rehearsal session.
Both characters need to be present. It is just as important to spend time determining exactly
what the listener is listening for. Unless the listener has a strong need to hear, the audience will
be equally as uninterested. Peretz’s speech in the last scene has a problem to work out: how to
convince Akeem to return the body of the son. There are several beats to the scene. The Israeli
soldier in his story is either himself as a young man or someone very close to him. The second
aspect of the speech is to illustrate to Akeem that when the man forgives the soldier, the soldier
goes on his way with a healed heart, but a still greater change takes place in the heart of the
Palestinian. He no longer needs to carry his anger and hatred around with him. He lays his
burden down and with that, he finds . . . peace. He is demonstrating to Akeem that he will
find peace in the same way when he gives up the body.The last beat is Pertez’s begging Akeem
for forgiveness directly through the story of the soldier begging forgiveness from the man he
harmed. We must recognize that Peretz is a broken man here and forgets about his own self and
begs for the body of his son.
29-is there a significant event in each scene and is it significantly
revealed? In other words, “Are there enough changes in the scene to build a progression and
therefore create a complete event?" The events of a scene provides an excellent check on the
playing of actions. In Act l, scene 1 is it clear that Hanan is unsure, confused (his internal
obstacle) by his own actions? Is it clear that Rachel wants Hanan to do “whatever it takes” to
keep their family safe?
30-is there an arc to the performance of the character – a progression
that culminates in a significant event?
31- look for the humor in the play and emphasize it as much as possible.
32-Play up the suspense in each scene: in Act l, Scene 1, Rachel says she has
a feeling which should create some suspense. Hanan seems to go up and down and the audience
doesn't know where he's going to wind up.
33-the speed through: the actors, on their feet, perform the play as quickly
as possible while maintaining the primary acting values and the beat structure. Props and vital
accessories should be used. Speed through can you help the actors delete the fussiness of a
performance by pulling together large sections of text. It also reminds actors of the plays larger
rhythms.
34-notes- the Director should take notes on every scene and give each
actor both critical and positive notes for each scene.

National Thearter
1-For then first on your feet rehearsal say: “Let’s explore/experiment.” We have fifteen
creative minds in this room, let’s see what we can do together.”
2-Switch roles=a way of exploring the play. / play scene as if you were rowing across a
lake-keep rowing/storm.
3-if the actor is not opening up (to his scene partner) and feeling deeply it’s because the
director is not opening up and feeling deeply.
4-to provoke actors to anger, use words like: threaten, bully, menace, retaliate,
intimidate, scare, torment, browbeat, terrorize. Tell the actor to ball-up his fist and be physical.
AND “let’s dig a little deeper.” Have them repeat things aloud before the scene: I hate you/I’m
sorry/you’re stupid, stupid, etc.
5-We want the acting to be real to be truethfull!
6-Assure the actor who is “afraid” he is failing: “I got your back.”

Directing Actors - Judith Olson

1- If you want the actors’ help in evoking a particular mood, you might try
instead an
imaginative adjustment.
An adjustment can be an “as if.” For example, if you wanted a “chilly”
atmosphere in a family dinner scene, you might ask the actors to play the
scene “as if the first person who makes a mistake in table manners will be
sentenced to a prison term.
2- “Can you take it down?” Or, “Can you give it more energy?”
These are the commonest requests actors get from directors. What’s wrong
with these
directions is that they are vague or general. is overacting, not listening to the
other actors, or should make another choice. Or, “Can you give it more
energy?”
These are the commonest requests actors get from directors. What’s wrong
with these directions is that they are vague or general.
And actors, when responding to these directions, can fall into bad traps.
Asking for “more energy” can cause them simply to add emphasis to the
uninteresting choice they have already made. “Take it down” may be
interpreted as a request to flatten their affect or say the line in a monotone,
and dampen their expressive fires. How can that be a good thing for an actor
to do?
3- “Don’t say, ‘You always do that.’ It should be, ‘You always do that.’”
This is called giving the actor a line reading, that is, telling the actor what
inflection to give to a line. The meaning of the line, not the inflection, or
result, is what the director should be
communicating to the actor. It is the actor’s prerogative to create the
delivery that
conveys the meaning that the director wants. The worst problem with giving
line readings is that they may signify that the director doesn’t really know
what the line means, or what the intention
of the character is, or what the scene is about.
4- I think the character is disappopinted.
Telling the actor what feeling the character should be having, or what state
of mind to be in — for example, angry, disappointed, worried, annoyed, excited, in love,
frightened, resentful, disapproving — is a very usual way that direction is given. It may
seem radical of me to tell you not to do it. But it is not actually a playable
direction. As soon as an actor tries to have a feeling, or produces a feeling on
demand, he looks like an actor, not a real person. An actor caught trying to
have a feeling is not believable. A playable choice must be choosable, and we
can’t choose our feelings.This idea is sometimes very hard for people to take
in, but I want you to think about it: We don’t get to decide how to feel. Bad
actors, as well as much of the general population, go to great lengths to
make the world believe they feel something that they don’t actually feel, but
most of the time no one is fooled. Of course feelings can be hidden or
repressed, but we can’t selectively shut down just one feeling; when one
feeling is held back, all feeling gets shut down. Clearly, this is not a desirable
condition for an actor. Actors need to have their feelings available to them.
A person can be crying one minute and laughing the next. In fact the more
you let yourself feel whatever you are actually feeling, the more available you
are to a new feeling. This goes double for actors.
Emotion and impulse are the very province of the actor. The ability to be
emotionally
free and available to many subtleties of feeling is central to her talent.
The director is in a position to do violence to the actor’s delicate emotional
mechanisms. It can have a shrinking effect on actors to tell them their
emotions are wrong, as in “Don’t play it so angry.” When actors try to have
“less” feeling, for example in response to the direction “Don’t play it so
angry,” they may simply shut down or become cautious. When they try to have
“more” feeling, as in response to a direction to “be more nervous,” the
temptation is to push, to overact. Whenever they try to have feelings because
they think the character should have them, or because the director tells them
that the character should have them, there is a danger of their acting
becoming indulgent and actorish.

Wht will DAN normally do wen he comes in from the cold. Is it raining, snowing. Does he
change to more comfoftable clothing?
Chris takes selfi

PRE - PRODUCTION PREPARING YOUR MANUSCRIPT FOR REHEARSAL

So it is important that you give the actors a different script than the one you send out for
submissions.
A Submission Script describes all the action, events and emotions in your play as
specifically as possible so that the READER can get a sense of the play in performance.
For the Rehearsal Script that you will be giving to actors, you need to pull out anything
that describes the emotions of any of the actors in any way.
This is super important for if you leave: (with disgust) “I don’t think so.” The actors will
immediately make that choice to play DISGUST and it will effect the aliveness and congruence
of their performance.
Also, in the descriptions of the characters, pull out anything that describes their
demeanor or their emotions, or TYPE of character they are. It will be your job as director to lead
them into making the proper character choices.
SET UP A CHAIN OF COMMAND IF THERE IS A PRODUCER PRODUCING YOUR
PLAY THAT YOU ARE DIRECTING
So it is super important to have this conversation, and to get it in writing if you can, that
YOU will have the last word on anything about the direction of this production and the script of
this production. Basically, you need to set it up that you are the boss of the production. That you
are running the show.
When I am directing a play that isn’t mine, I always defer to the playwright and producer,
and I like to have on-going conversations to make sure we are on the same page. But if someone
is paying you, to direct your play, you need to make it very clear that this is not a collaboration
with the producer. You are the creator and the director. When you are directing your own work,
you have a lot on your hands. The last thing you need is the producer coming in and giving his
pointers on the direction of your play especially when you are still in rehearsal.

CASTING
HOW TO GET THE BEST ACTORS FOR YOUR PLAY
You should always cast for Passion first, and then talent.
A super talented actor without passion for the craft will be the weak link in your
production. A passionate actor will do what it takes to be great.
So how do you do this? When you are holding auditions, make sure you have time to
interview your actors. The interview doesn’t have to be long or extensive, but by following this
simple process below, you will find a passionate and amazing cast of actors.
1. Ask them to tell you about themselves.
2. Ask them this question: What is most important to you about THEATRE?
When they talk about themselves you will see immediately how they feel about
themselves and their craft and you will get a sense of their passion not only for the theatre but
for life. If it is low energy, and closed off, don’t hire them. It is not going to change in rehearsal.
When they answer the question: What is most important to you about THEATRE? You
will then hear their values about theatre and often in order of what is most important to them.
So someone might say, “ I friggin’ love theatre. It is the reason I get up in the morning and it is
why I continually study for I just want to be my best. The experience of performing on stage is
like nothing in this world, and I love helping making a difference in the world by performing a
play, for plays make people think and make new choices about the world and their personal
lives. There is nothing like theatre. Nothing like it. I just love it.”
And when they answer it this way, “I like theatre but Film, that is what I love the most. I
have done 43 student films now and 30 of them got awards in festivals around the country. 16
awards for me personally for best actor. So a play is ok, but if a movie gig comes along, I am
there.”
Follow your gut! Make sure each candidate you choose, feels right.

CREATING A GREAT PRODUCTION TEAM

Follow the same guidelines for building your production team.
Interview for values and passion not just production history. And get personal references
and follow up on them with phone calls so you can get a better sense of the people you are hiring
for your team. You need a team that works well together, if not, problems might ensue.
Questions to ask the applicants:
1. 2.
What is most important to you about theatre?
What is most important to you about (Stage Management, Lighting Design, Sound
Design, Set design etc.)
3.
4.
5.
in
6.
away, but don’t say that.)
What was the best experience you ever had on a production team?
What was the worst experience you ever had on a production team?
Find out where they live, (Are they close to the theatre or are they driving
from Ohio?)
Find out if they are involved in other projects? (which might get in the
Questions to ask people you are calling for references:
1. What was it like working with...?
2. How many times have you worked with...?
3. What is great about...?
4. Did you have any challenges with ... during the production process?
5. Would you hire ... again and why?
Follow your gut. Make sure each candidate you choose, feels right.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN’T FIND OR HAVE NO BUDGET FOR A PRODUCTION
TEAM?
Do it yourself. The basics of what you need to learn can be found on-line or in books.
Commit to your project and make it happen. Production elements are the least of your concerns.
Yes, you can do this. Set, Lighting, Sound, Costumes and more. You may need to find a
technician to run the board or you could learn that too.
 There is always a way to do “Production Things” simply, cheaply and elegantly. We will
talk about this in the seminar in more detail.

THE AUDITION PROCESS Here is my rule for Auditions:

Make sure the actor auditioning feels as good if not better about themselves at the end of
the audition as they felt when they walked in the door.
It is imperative you do this for you are going to be working with some of these actors, and
you may be wanting to work with some of these actors in the future, and you have to treat them
with the utmost respect and compassion.
No talking or texting by you or your Stage Manager and or the Producer while and actor is
auditioning in the audition room. The focus must be entirely on the actor and on making it a
pleasant and professional experience. You are hiring these actors and they deserve the utmost
respect.
Always do monologues at the first audition. You can read actors at callbacks.
With monologues you can see a fully developed character (or not) and you will know that
the actor can memorized lines. (This is an important skill.)
If the actor messes up the monologue, let him or her start again, and give them total
respect. You probably won’t be hiring them but give them the respect they deserve. Auditions are
not easy for many people and you need to be compassionate and caring, if you want to do the
right thing, and keep up a great reputation in the theatre community.
Ask for monologues 1 minute or less. You will know after the first 10 seconds whether
they might be right for a role. Don’t stop them. Let them finish, unless they go over 1 minute.
Also, the most you will learn about an actor’s character is in the first 20 seconds when
they enter the audition room, so do not let actors in until you and your team are focused, for
those 20 seconds will tell you so much about the actor by the way they walk in and communicate
with you. So make sure you don’t miss it with chit chat.

SCHEDULE AUDITIONS THROUGH EMAIL

I like to schedule auditions through email, so that I can email back every actor, even if I
am not casting them, and thank them for auditioning. It is a great practice to develop. It makes a
difference to the actors and it feels right.
When I send out for an audition, I ask for the actor’s availability for all of the rehearsal
dates and if they can’t make all the rehearsal dates, I respectfully request that they don’t
audition. And then, at the audition, I check with them again, if they are available for all the
dates.
If I cast an actor, and once cast, he or she tells me there are dates that they can’t make, I
let them go immediately, for, from experience, it is only going to get worse with these actors.
More dates will be asked for, and often they are incredibly self-centered and hard to work with.
So now, since I have learned my lessons over the years, I always let go actors who tell white lies
from the get go. It is a good practice. You can be very nice and simply say “ I’m sorry. We need
all the actors to be available for all of the rehearsal dates. I am sorry that you can’t make it.”
 CALL BACKS
I very rarely have callbacks for I know from the audition who I want to work with. If you
need to do call backs, please be mindful of the actor’s time and call them in for a specific block of
time, like 1 pm to 2:30 pm. So that they can be aware of how long they will be needed.
Have all the scenes printed out and organized so you can easily set up the readings. Allow
at least 5 minutes for the actors to review and hopefully make choices about the material that
they are going to read if you haven’t sent it in advance. Make sure you have a couple people
helping you, so that all can go smoothly. I like to offer water to actors as they wait. It is a good
practice.
When making your choice, don’t let talent fool you. Use the call back time to learn more
about the person you might be hiring. Don’t let being awed by talent fool you. Again, talent
without true passion could be the weak link in your cast, and adversely affect your production.
Follow your gut. Is this person the best choice?

SCHEDULING REHEARSALS
For a Non-Equity production, try not to schedule rehearsals more than 3 hours long,
unless you have to. If you do need to schedule a longer rehearsal 4 or more hours make sure you
take a 10 minute break every hour and at least 30 minutes in the middle of it all so you and your
actors won’t creatively BURN OUT. Staying awake, refreshed and alive is imperative to the
creative process, so always give your actors time to break, and refresh. If you are working on an
Equity production, your Stage Manager will manage the breaks and let you know how it all
needs to work.
Also, if you can, do not schedule rehearsals on consecutive days until you are running the
show and a couple weeks before opening. By giving alternate days off and on for rehearsal, you
will give you actors time to do their work and time to memorize their lines. Also remember, you
need to set up clear dates on the calendar as to when lines need to be remembered by. This is
super important for many actors are so busy, they attempt to memorize lines during rehearsal
while they are rehearsing, and it just doesn’t work. So please give a clear deadline as to what
scenes need to memorized. And if they are not memorized by then, have a private conversation
with the actor or actors not stepping up to the plate, to find out more information on their side,
and then set some clear and polite boundaries so that moving forward the lines will be
memorized on time. Have this conversation as soon as the first deadline is missed. Don’t ignore.
Have this conversation. If not, you will be jeopardizing your own production.

THE DIRECTING PROCESS. Have cast describe other characters. What do they
want from each other. First general and then, line by line later.

THE NUMBER ONE RULE OF DIRECTING

Each rehearsal, start with Beginner’s Mind.
Each rehearsal, show up today in the moment working with the actors now. Come with no
expectation other than to discover what the play and this collaboration with director and actors
will bring today.
And this is the toughest thing to do, but the most important principle in bringing a play to
fantastic life:
“Give up any expectations of how the scene you are working on should be.”
Yes, this is hard because you have written the play, and you have a very strong idea on
how you want the scene to play, but from my experience, if you let go of your playwriting
SHOULDS, you often DISCOVER things in rehearsal that make your play more powerful,
funnier, more dramatic and more ALIVE!
What you discover in rehearsal makes your play better! It is like magic.
For me, discovery of what a play is, and discovery of what a scene is, is the most exciting
part of the rehearsal process for me. The play and the actors making congruent and dramatic
choices will inform you as playwright and as director.
“No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.” - Isaac Newton -
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new
eyes.”
-Marcel Proust -
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” -
Andre Gide -

THE NUMBER TWO RULE OF DIRECTING

Never tell your actors anything. Ask Questions. Ask a sequence of questions and lead
them to discover things.
If you tell an actor do do something or say something in a certain way, you often suck the
life out of a moment, because it becomes an intellectual idea, and it isn’t developed by the actor
organically from the inside out.
If you ask a question, you let them come up with the motivation and perspective from the
inside out, and often actor choices discovered by
a director asking a question, are congruent, interesting and unique.
Even if you wrote the play, a congruent actor choice about a character or an action, can be
surprising and work better for your play than you ever imagined.
“Everything we know has its origins in questions. Questions, we might say, are the
principal intellectual instruments available to human beings.”
- Neil Postman -
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” - Francis Bacon -
“Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.”
-Tony Robbins -
“The master key of knowledge
is persistent and frequent questioning.” - Peter Abelard -

THE NUMBER THREE RULE OF DIRECTING

Always start a scene with strong and specific intentions and emotional states in your
actors.
If you start a scene where the actors are in wimpy and unspecific emotional states without
a clear intention, your scene is going to be wimpy and unspecific. A play is a condensed reality
that happens in about 2 hours or less, so all the scenes require your actors to be in a specific and
strong emotional states with clear intentions when the scene begins.
Here are some specific and clear emotional states:
happy, joyful, ecstatic, excited, sad, miserable, depressed, lonely, heartbroken, irritated,
angry, mad, out of my mind Crazy, fearful, scared, paranoid, confused, stressed, terrified,
anxious, nervous, worried, frustrated, infuriated, vengeful, bored, tense!!
Here are some clear intentions:
I am going get her to forgive me.
I am going to make him kiss me.
I am going to make him so uncomfortable he will leave the room. I am going to make her
change her mind.
I am going to force him to give me what I want.
I am going to seduce her.
I am going to shame him into leaving the presidency for good.
I am going to threaten him
and get him to tell me everything about the affair.

THE NUMBER FOUR RULE OF DIRECTING

Create LIFELINES with the actors. Make them specific and fun!
In every scene the characters should have their own specific “lifeline” - the things that
they do in that particular situation.
For example:
If someone comes home they’ll put their keys on the hook by the door and then they’ll
take off their shoes and put them in a certain place and then they may change their clothes or
they may get a beer in the refrigerator, but there’s a specific lifeline that they do almost every
time when they come home. It is important to take the time to work out these lifelines for your
actors because it’ll give them something real and congruent to do and they will feel like they are
really in the scene for they are doing something real.
Examples of more Lifelines: In a kitchen:
A character is making a cake or an omelet or washing dishes, or emptying out an old
drawer.
In a Diner:
A man is eating fries by first dipping them in the ketchup bottle and then sucking on
them, while sipping on a Milkshake.
Or the character is disturbed for the cushion is lumpy and keeps trying to pat it into shape
while her wife is talking, finally he takes about 20 napkins from the dispenser and sits on them.
And even better, do both of these LIFELINES in the diner at the same time.
 Getting ready to go to a party:
The character is doing her makeup and getting dressed, while texting her friends and
posting pics she takes of her outfit on social media, while she argues with her boyfriend!
See what I mean? Sometimes these things are written in the script, but most often, they
are not. Make sure, with the actors, you create a clear and very specific LIFELINE for every
character in every scene.
And then, as you work the scene, you will see the most amazing and fun ideas pop out of
the behavior you have created! The woman in the kitchen could pick up the rolling pin and chase
after her husband. The man in the diner could start making points using the ketchup covered
French fries, and the woman getting ready to go out, could do a selfie of her and her boyfriend in
the middle of their fight! And all of this manifests out of your lifelines. Lifelines create specific
character behavior and amazing character ideas that are created in rehearsal. As a
director/playwright, you will love these rehearsal ideas for it will look like you wrote it, and it all
comes out of the collaborative work in rehearsal!
Lifelines are the key to creating fun character behavior, exciting acting moments and a
congruent reality.
An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words. -Sanford Meisner-
Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
- George Burns-

THE NUMBER FIVE RULE OF DIRECTING

MAKE EVERYTHING FUN!
If you come to rehearsal with the intention to have fun while you direct
a fantastic production, you are starting on the right foot. Fun, breeds creativity like
nothing else on this planet, and if you can keep a FUN rapport with your actors, the process of
bringing a play to life will be easier and so much more creative. Yes, you want your play to be
great, and now on week three of rehearsal, you are getting nervous and you feel everyone has to
work harder. Yes that is probably true, but find a fun way to approach it. Bring cake or
something cool like good pizza to rehearsal - (Most actors I know love to eat!) And as you and
the cast are chomping down, let them know how well the work is coming along, and how now we
need them to kick in so we can get to the opening night after party!
Whenever anything goes wrong in your judgement, accept it, and find a fun way to make
it work. I was directing a Spanish American War Drama that took place in 1897 in Spain, and a
week before opening, the costume guy told me he couldn’t get it together in time. So I said
“hmmmmm." Accepted it, went home and put together a plan with my stage manager to build,
buy, and borrow 13 historical costumes. And we did it with pizzazz, for we also chose to make it
fun! The costumes turned out better than if we rented them. And it was actually a fun process
getting there, for I decided it would be.
Ways to make rehearsals fun:
Do fun new and even silly things to warm up. I love my word game and so does most of
my casts, so some days I would come in and we would do GENRE word game, and I would call
out a genre (romantic comedy, Sci-fi, War) and the one word storytelling would begin there and
it was always fun.
Play charades at the top of rehearsal. Always good fun.
Check out Theatre Games by Viola Spolin for cool theatre games
Or if an actor is a Yoga instructor or trainer, have them lead the warm up.

My second favorite warm up game is to get soft foam balls, as many as there in the cast,
and then, everyone passes a ball to another actor as they catch a ball at the same time, and I say
that the game is not going to end until we all throw and catch a ball five times. It is great fun and
great team building for all must work together. We often stand in a circle and throw it to the
person on the right, and then catch on the left, or to make it really hard, create like a star pattern
around the circle, and everyone knows who they throw to and who they catch from. Super fun!
Creativity is intelligence having fun! -Albert Einstein-
Never underestimate the importance of having fun! -Randy Pausch-
“My philosophy is: If you can’t have fun, there’s no sense in doing it.”
- Paul Walker -
“If you are not having fun, do something different.” - Larry James -
“Work hard, have fun and make history.” - Jeff Bezos -

THE FIRST REHEARSAL

The first rehearsal is not about acting at all. It is about everyone meeting, introducing
themselves and then reading the play simply with the intention of connecting with the person
with whom you are talking with. I look at a first reading like a Blind Date. No one really knows
anyone, and we are all learning about each other, and it is all kind of nervous at times, so I
totally focus off acting or choices or anything, and make the first reading an introduction to each
other and the play.
Take time at the top to have everyone on the team introduce themselves.
I often ask people to introduce themselves, tell us us your favorite action movie, and tell
us a little about yourself. It is a great way to break the ice and begin to create rapport.
After everyone has been introduced, take a break, and then start reading the play. Before
you start the reading, let them know that his reading is like a first date and the reading is simply
about connecting with the person you are communicating with in the play. “You don’t have to
worry about acting or anything. This is simply for you to get a sense of the play and who you will
be acting with.” This takes off any performance anxiety that could mess with folk at the first
reading. This is a great way to start building a great team.
Always take a break after an hour of a reading the play, so all can return refreshed and
focused. And then afterwards, you can all talk about the play and their character if they want.
Specifically ask them to talk about their character not other characters, for we want them to
focus on their work, and not tell other actors what they think their character should be.
Have the entire rehearsal schedule printed out for the actors, and have your stage
manager also get everyone’s cell phone numbers and give his or her text number in case actors
are stuck in transit.
Keep the first rehearsal to introductions, reading of the script and talk about characters,
and then end it. It is a lot to take in for all, and you need to keep it simple and fun. At the first
rehearsal, take notes on the PLAY, not on the actors and their on the spot choices. The first
reading will help you hear and see the

play in a new light with these particular actors. So take notes, listen, connect and keep it
all fun.
Keeping a rehearsal fun is one of the most important elements of directing. Fun will keep
the passion alive, and help all work together! No matter what happens in rehearsal, always
frame it around FUN if you can. Fun, in rehearsal, will help you get the best work every time.
THE SECOND REHEARSAL Creating the set with the cast
At the second rehearsal, the first thing I do is to create the set design with the actors. (If I
have a set designer, I have she or he attend.) We go through the play and I ask the actors
questions about the set. “How is this set up? What furniture is here? What is on the walls? When
you are in the Living room which way do you go:
• to the kitchen.
• to the upstairs bedrooms • to the garage.
• to the basement.
• to the front door.
• to the garden.
• to the bathroom
If there is a matriarch or a patriarch in the play, I let those actors have the final say on the
design of the house because in the play it is their house. Fun, right?
I do this set creation exercise because it gives the actors ownership in a way over the set,
and because they made choices on it, it somehow makes more sense to them and feels right,
AND often the ideas that come out of this SET creation brainstorming session, are amazing. The
cast will come up with things which I never would have thought of that will totally transforms
the play in really exciting ways. Plus, this process also builds incredible rapport, for the cast gets
that I value their input into this production. It is a total win win proposition and it is super fun.
And then, we go through the play and any other scenes, we also design those sets
together. Do this. You will love the results and its fun.

Reading the first draft of the play again with questions

Then, I like to read the rehearsal draft again with the cast, but this time, at various
moments in the reading, I will stop and then ask the actor questions like:
What specifically is this relationship all about? What do you think? How many years have
you been together?
What was it like in year one, and what is it like today?
What are you fighting for in this scene?
How does that feel when he says that to you?
 How does it feel to be abandoned?
How did it feel to cheat on your wife?
How do you feel about donating your kidney to save the life of someone you hate?
How does it feel to be talked to like that? How do you feel about getting older?
And my number one question is this: HOW DOES THAT FEEL (she just said this this and
this to you.) HOW DOES THAT FEEL?
And, then I listen to their answers, and if they are too easy, or weak or wishy washy, I will
ask another question to increase the drama or urgency like:
What if you really loved each other? How might that change the scene? What’s stronger
than “asking”? What if you really have to make this happen
now? What would you do? What is worse than sad?
Irritated? You are just irritated? You heard what he just said to you, right? So how do you
FEEL?
How badly do you want revenge? Is it anger or rage that you are feeling?
What if you were feeling something even more powerful? What would that feeling be?

And then if the answers are empowered and big, either in the original questioning or in
the amping up the wishy washy question, I ask a verb question:
So, what do you want to do?
So, do you want to hurt him back?
How badly? And how are you going to do that? Are you going to stay here and take this?
What can you do to make yourself feel better?
And often what comes up, is their action/intention for the next part of this scene? The
verb question will lead them to a doing.
So this whole process is to help the actors make powerful choices. And the second
rehearsal is where this process should take place so you can lead your team to powerful actions,
and to thinking in that way.
I find if I ask actors to go home and make some choices, they are often wimpy, and they
are more committed to the wimpy idea for they sat down and did the work to come up with the
idea, but if I lead them to making more powerful choices, that they actually make on the spot in
front of all, they are often really committed to the amped up choice. Fascinating, huh?
Leading actors with questions to make powerful actor choices is one of the most
important skills you can learn as a director. An Actor who commit to powerful actions and
intentions, and owns them, will soar on stage! Powerful choices are more of the rocket fuel of a
great play production.
“If all the circumstances of acting are made too easy, then there’s no grain of sand to
make the pearl.”
- Peter Sarsgaard -
“Conflict is what creates drama. The more conflict actors find, the more interesting the
performance.”
- Michael Shurtleff -
 THE THIRD REHEARSAL - Bringing the play to Life!
So by the third rehearsal, it is time to start to bring the play to life.
One of the first things, I like to do, it to take the basic set we created for the play on Day
Two (put chairs together for a couch etc etc for now) and get everyone up on stage to walk about
the “set” and talk with each other, in character, and play with all the things that one can do in
this place. It is a great and fun way to get the actors to have even more ownership of the place.
What do they do here? Who do they hang out with here? What is an average Saturday afternoon
like in this place?
Give your actors about 15 minutes to have free reign of this universe you are creating with
them, and then after the 15 minutes, get some feedback with this question: “What was your
experience of this?” And let you actors talk about it.
Then take a break, come back and you will start to “block” the play and begin to work out
the starting emotional states, the character intentions and the Lifelines of the characters.
Creating specific Lifelines for the characters
Ask each actor in the scene “What could you be doing in this scene that will help express
the life of the scene? An example: You are getting ready for bed or you are cooking dinner.” So
what could you be doing?
Listen. If there idea is just ok, ask “What could be more fun, or even more difficult to do
during this scene?” If the actors say “I don’t know.” You can respond with, “If you did know.”
And wait. Or you can say, if you were to Zoom up into the sky and look down at yourself during
this scene. What would you be doing?”
If the actor doesn’t or can’t come up with anything, you can suggest an Idea.
“How about sewing a patch on a pair of Jeans? How does that feel?”
Keep offering suggestions with “How does that feel?” Until a suggestion feels right. And
then try it, not reading the scene, but as if the actor was just by themselves in the scene, doing
the task.
And then do this process with the other actors in the scene until their personal LIFELINE
in the scene is clear and active.

Now work on finding the right emotional state and intention to start the scene
Asking a Sequence Of Questions to find the right emotional state and intention to start a
scene.
The Emotional States of each actor and their intentions at the start of the scene is the
rocket fuel that will power the scene.
Make sure the actors are in the right emotional state with a clear intention! Having a clear
intention and being in a specific emotional state will keep the actors connected to their inner
reality, and not to the bizarre reality of being on stage. It will help them stay focused, and not
self-conscious and it will help them be spontaneous and in the moment.
To simply block the actors, without an intention or a specific emotional state to start the
scene, is like putting a cake in the oven without mixing all the elements of the batter. The results
will turn out half-baked. The same applies for actors given outer directions - ways to walk, talk
and more, and how they should feel, The results often turn out stale.
So the key here is to ask a series of questions to get them to discover and amp up their
emotional starting state and their intention in the scene. You will hear me say DISCOVER in this
manual all the time, for when actors discover something in rehearsal, they often own it in a
wonderful and congruent way.
Here is the process of asking a sequence of questions to elicit the right emotional state
and intention to start a scene.
Ask an action-oriented Question that contains a strong verb.
Affirm what is said and then follow up with a question that up the stakes or make things
more powerful? (or funnier if it applies.)
Always refer the question back to the actor.
Check for congruency with the new actor choice.
Ask an “past experience” question to associate with a starting state. Amp that up.
Try it out with the first page of the scene and see what happens. If great, keep it. If not,
rinse and repeat the above.

Example of this sequence in action:

Director: What are you are fighting for in this scene? (Action-Oriented Question.) Actor:
I’m want my girlfriend to forgive me for cheating.
Directing: Good. What’s a more powerful action than wanting? (Affirm & amp.) Actor: ...
I don’t know. What do you think?
Director: I don’t know either. I am just the director here...So if you did know a more
powerful action than wanting, what would it be? (Always refer back.)
Actor: I don’t know.....well.... Begging.. I am begging her to forgive me. I want her to
forgive me.
Director: Good! You are begging her to forgive you. You want her to forgive you. Have you
ever had an experience in your life where you were begging someone to forgive you?
Actor: Yes.
Director: Close your eyes a sec. Takes some time....Can you remember how that felt in
your body? Can you remember the emotion and the feelings in your body?
Actor: Yes, I can now.
Director: Can you make those feelings even stronger?
Actor: Yes.
Director: ... Now how does that feel? Does this feel right for this scene? Actor: Yes
Director: So hold on to that feeling and now we are going to start the scene. I want you to
get her to forgive you.
(The actors start the scene.)

If actor has no experience of the strong action/verb, chose follow with something like
this: (Leading them to discover a real emotion from their experience.)
 Director: Good! You are begging her to forgive you. You want her to forgive you. Have you
ever had an experience in your life where you were begging someone to forgive you?
Actor: No.
Director: Never. You have never had an experience like this?
Actor: No, never.
Director: Can you imagine what it would feel like to have to beg for forgiveness?
Actor: Maybe..
Director: Ok let’s try this, there is no right or wrong here, what would you be feeling if you
felt compelled to beg for forgiveness?
Actor: Kinda desperate!
Director: Yeah, have you ever felt desperate about something?, take a sec. Actor: Yes.
Director: How does it feel to be desperate? Where do you feel that in your body?
Actor: I have sort of energy going up my spine, and my stomach feels tight.
Director: What if you were to increase that feeling, amp it up with your imagination? How
do you feel (present tense) now when this feeling is stronger?
Actor: Yes, I feel it even stronger now.
Director: ... Now how does that feel? Does this feel right for this scene?
Actor: Yes, it could be.
Director: So hold on to that feeling and now we are going to start the scene. I want you to
get her to forgive you.
(The actors start the scene.)

If actor has no experience of the strong action/verb, and the previous script didn’t find
an emotion, chose follow with something like this: (Leading them to creatively imagine and
emotion from their experience.)
Director: Good! You are begging her to forgive you. You want her to forgive you. Have you
ever had an experience in your life where you were begging someone for forgiveness?
Actor: No, never.
Director: Me too, I’ve need had this experience either. Can you imagine what it would feel
like to have to beg for forgiveness?
Actor: No.
Director: Ok let’s try this, using your creative imagination, what does it feel like to be
begging forgiveness? (Present tense.)
Actor: I’m not sure.
Director: It’s ok not be sure. If you were, begging for forgiveness, where do you feel
emotion in your body? (P.T.)
Actor: Probably my heart.
Director: Good. What feeling are you feeling?
Actor: Pain.
Director: Specifically what?
Actor: I feel like I want to cry and throw up at the same time
 Director: What if you were to increase that feeling, amp it up with your
imagination? .....How do you feel (present tense) now when this feeling is stronger?
Actor: Yes, I feel it even stronger now.
Director: ... Now how does that feel? Does this feel right for this scene?
Actor: Yes, it could be.
Director: So hold on to that feeling and now we are going to start the scene. I want you to
get her to forgive you.
(The actors start the scene.)

WORKING OUT THE “BEATS” OF A SCENE.

After you have created the opening emotional states of your actors and started the scene
with strong and clear intentions and emotional states and made some great choices on the
Lifelines in the scene, you will need to take the time to discover the “beats” in a scene. Often, the
scene might run a minute or two with the opening emotional states, but almost alway in
rehearsal, it begins to fizzle out, for things change, etc and etc. So now, with the actors, you need
to build the “beats” of the scene.
1. Read through the entire scene with the actors.
2. Get clear on the emotional states at the beginning of the scene and what
the characters intentions are and what their LIFELINE ritual is.
3. Start the scene and then stop it when it loses power - or energy - what that usually
means is that there is an event there or there needs to be an event there. - or some sort of shift?
4. Ask the actors; so what do you feel is going on here? or what could happen here?
5. If they come up with a good idea try it or if when listening to them you come up with a
good idea say: “Llet’s try this” and offer the idea.
6. Run the idea see if it could work. If it’s sort of just OK see if you can amp that up by
getting the actors to again associate with the feeling the emotional state they’re in.
7. Run it again. It doesn’t have to be perfect but if it feels right move on to the next beat.
This is done just to get a sense of the events in the scene -bigger events and the little events and
to integrate all with the characters lifelines.
Talking is not an event unless it is a coming out story or breaking up conversation etc. etc.
Discussing is not an event. Debate is not an event on stage unless it is fiery!

Kissing is an event! A fight is an event! Breaking a glass is an event. Threatening

someone’s life is an event. Seducing someone is an event. Kicking over the trashcan is an event.
And on and on...
In the middle of a fight that character can go to leave the room or the character can
actually leave the room and the other character will have to go out and get them back. I love
when characters leave the stage in a fight. It’s super fun.
This is often a long process, but it is important that in addition to their lifeline, they also
have a “sense” of the beats in the scene, for eventually, when they do the work and are off book,
it will all integrate into a beautifully designed scene.
 Working out the beats of a scene will require you to say, “Ok good, after that line, can you
get up and move to the wine cabinet to get something to drink. Or “How bout this? After you fall
to the floor, and you both take a second and make eye contact? And then break away? Let’s try it.
THE ON-GOING DIRECTING PROCESS
Basically, you just continue on in this process of working the scenes with questions and
setting up the opening Emotional States, Intentions and Lifelines and you tweek as you go. I
initially like to schedule in memorization for the scenes so that those scene deadlines come in
about a week after the scene is worked. And on those dates, I like to go back and rework the
scenes off book.
This process is always slow for the actors always forget their lines when integrating
emotional states, intentions and lifelines, so it is a slow process and you simply need to be
patient and supportive. It may look like they haven’t studied enough but that is not true if they
are passionate actors. Putting all these elements together causes the lines to fly out the window,
until the piece are all put together, and then the lines become solid for they are so connected to
the action, intention and lifeline. I find actors without clear intentions and lifelines in
performance will often miss lines for they are not integrated and anchored to the actor.
Always be gentle with your actors. Treat them like your best friends because they are. A
passionate and happy actor will make your play soar to places you never could imagine. A great
actor is GOLD to a director!

WHEN TO RUN SCENES IN SEQUENCE TOGETHER

The sooner you can start running scenes off book in sequence the better.
If you don’t run scenes in sequence early on, when you get to running the full show, the
actor’s will often forget what scene is next. I am not kidding. As an actor, I have acted in my own
play, and at dress once, I couldn’t remember what scene was next in the middle of it all.
WHEN TO RUN THE ENTIRE PLAY
Make sure that you start to run the entire play, at least a week before TECH rehearsal if
not sooner. It is important for the actors to run the entire play and go on that journey for they
will carry things from one scene to the next and it will change all for the better. They will
experience the journey of the play, and the more congruently they experience that journey, the
more experience the audience will too.
TECH REHEARSAL
The Tech Rehearsal is when you put together all the technical elements with the actors
and your crew. The lights are set with the actors. The sound elements are set with the actors.
Any moving of set is also orchestrated during tech so that the show runs smoothly.
My best practice is to set a light cue or a sound cue, and then run it in real time with the
actors where it happens in the play with lines and all, AT LEAST TWICE, so that the actors
understand it and get it. Set it, and then run it at least twice.
If you have a challenging set change, run it until it is perfect (and hopefully under 30
seconds,) and then once it is perfect, run it twice more, so that it is super perfect and everyone
gets what they need to move etc etc. I have seen scene change debacles in performance because
the director didn’t run the scene changes enough or with any detail. What a way to kill a play!
Take extra time at tech rehearsal to make the tech perfect. Don’t worry about running the
play that night unless the tech is simple. If it is at all complicated, take the time to do it right and
run it again and again till it is perfect, even though the actors might hate it. They will thank you
when opening night the tech serves all that they are doing.

DRESS REHEARSAL
The Dress Rehearsal is where the play is run from beginning to end with EVERYTHING
IT NEEDS as if it is OPENING NIGHT. All the costumes pieces, lighting, set pieces and changes,
and sound cues more must be in place, if not, there is a huge possibility that one of these missing
elements or cues, might totally mess things up on OPENING NIGHT. I am incredibly anal about
this for I have seen opening night disasters, because the director allowed NOT everything to be
in place for the dress rehearsal. So please make sure you have all the tech elements, costume
pieces and set elements in place for your Dress Rehearsal, if not, you are courting with disaster.
Also, make sure all the costume, prop and set pieces have an individual place where they
are put after the Dress Rehearsal so that you don’t lose anything important that could jeopardize
your opening night. I was running the box office at Manhattan Rep years back, when an actor
came running into the office during a show, and he said, “The Gun! The Gun! I can’t find the
prop gun that we had last night at the dress rehearsal!” He was freaking out. Thankfully, I had a
prop gun in the office that he was able to use, but could you imagine if I didn’t. What could he do
then, pull out his finger and say “bang?”
For the Dress Rehearsal, make it very clear that the show will not stop, unless there is
DANGER, where someone could be hurt. If something goes wrong with the lines, the actors need
to find a way to get out of it and staying in the scene. Please make it clear that any calling of lines
during Dress Rehearsal in unacceptable and lines will not be given, for the actor’s need to learn
before opening night what to do if something goes wrong.
After the Dress rehearsal, make sure to give compassionate notes. If something isn’t
working, take time after notes to work it if there is time.
But make sure your notes are upbeat on this night, be honest but not nasty, and let your
cast know how great they are and how much you appreciate their work. As the team leader, you
need to keep them in good emotional state for opening night.

OPENING NIGHT
So the most important thing you can do on opening night, is to NOT give notes on last
night’s Dress Rehearsal. If you can’t do them right after dress rehearsal due to time, you need to
stay up and give your final notes by email and you need to be upbeat and supportive.. Do not
under any circumstances give notes to an actor right before opening night.
It is not a good practice. Either he or she is going to integrate your notes into his or her
performance or not. If you are worried and concerned, and are anal about giving notes or
additional notes on opening night, you are jeopardizing the performance.
Opening night, everyone has butterflies and every actor needs to prepare in a specific way
for the performance. Your note on opening night can actually cause the actor to pay too much
attention to THAT MOMENT, and actually mess it up. I used to give notes on Opening Night,
and I learned my lesson the hard way.
On Opening night, you need to trust the work the actors have done and trust the work
that you have done, and let it all go, at least for the performance. Obsessing on notes or any
moment of a play with notes, will likely kill the moment on opening night.
If you are worried about a moment, get the actors together early and work a moment for 5
minutes. This is a much better strategy, because it is not in their head. So if you are obsessing
about a moment, don’t give a note, work the moment before the performance.
Also, always, on opening night, if you can, give flowers to ALL of your cast and crew, and
thank them and wish them well before the show. This makes a huge difference to the actor and
the team and can only help the show. If you are worried about the show, do not let the actors see
you sweat. Feel confident and proud of you team and make that clear to them when you wish
them well.
And as we all know, even when things are not perfect at Dress Rehearsal:
Plays often turn Magical on Opening Night!

ADAPTING THE REHEARSAL PROCESS FOR THE GENRE OF PLAY YOU ARE
DIRECTING.
The rehearsal and directing process outlined so far is what I use for a straight dramatic
play. When working with different genres of plays, I will often approach a play in another way.
Approach for a comedy:
Depending on the genre of comedy - realistic comedy, romantic comedy, or farce, I will
adapt my directing process. With a comedy, I often don’t take much time with the emotional
state work - it is often pretty clear and accessible for a good actor, and I spend more time with
Lifelines and intentions, and with making things funny. As I direct, I ask myself, how can I amp
this up? What can I do that is surprising or ridiculous? How can I with these actors have more
fun with having fun?
I spend a lot more time on building “beats” with actors in a comedy to create fun and
surprising moments. I am really good with this, and miraculously I channel in some things that
make me us with laughter, but it is the questions that I ask myself that activate my creative
consciousness to come up with these novel ideas. If you are ever stuck creatively, ask yourself a
better question!
I like to push the comedy far and I try to create CLEVER things that will surprise the
audience. If I do a pie fight, it is not just a pie fight.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PIE EVENT!!!!!
I directed a play in March a year ago, and I got the idea for a pie fight, and with the
playwright’s agreement, with the cast, in a collaborative rehearsal where we all threw out ideas
on how to make the Pie combat choreography super cool, together we created an INCREDIBLE
PIE EVENT! Like no other pie fight ever created as one character was putting a pie in someones
face, someone was landing a pie on his head. It was so beautifully choreographed for we used
GROUP think to create it.
So awesome!

Approach for an absurdist play:

The big challenge with many absurdist plays is that there is often no plot, and characters
that don’t have a dramatic through line or even say things that make sense.
So the best way to approach this type of play is to work the “beats” and the specific
movements of the characters to the extreme, so it is intriguing and interesting in the oddness or
the incredible specificity of the staging. But you have to work like crazy to get the movements
exact and synchronized with the lines and more. I have directed a number of absurdist short
plays, and the work is incredible for you need so much detail in movement, speech and sound
and lights to pull it off.
Absurdist plays often create feelings in the audience though stage images and bizarre
events, so give yourself some extra rehearsal hours when you tackle an absurdist play
Approach for a Musical:
If you are directing a musical, you also need to remember these important principles:
Every scene leads to at least one song.
A character sings when the emotion is so intense the only way it can be expressed is
through song.
Every song needs to be some sort of event in itself in some new way. The scenes and
songs must top themselves.
If you have an intermission, you need to create a compelling end to the first act, that will
get the audience to return for the second act.
All the rules of playwriting apply to a Musical:
There needs to be a problem that needs to be solved.
The problem needs to get worse as the story unfolds.
The main character or characters need to be likable.
There need to be events that happen on stage in real time that lead to a climax and
maybe, a resolution.

TRAPS TO AVOID WHEN DIRECTING YOUR OWN PLAY

Be willing to cut sections of your play that you love if they are not working. Be honest with
yourself if it is two days to opening and your underwater ballet scene isn’t working and isn’t
important to the dramatic through line of the play. Just cut that mess. Your job as a director is to
make every moment perfect, and if a moment is not perfect in reality, (which you love on paper)
- CUT IT! Cut everything that is not working if you can’t get it to work. Sometimes scenes that
read well have too many words or no real event in them and when brought to life they suck.
When you direct your own play, nothing is allowed to suck for you wrote it and you can easily
change, cut and rework anything! Don’t be addicted to anything in your play, especially if it is
not working.
Make sure you are really telling the story to the audience and not just projecting the story
you know so well in your head on to the actors you are directing. This is a tough one, for often, if
we know a story, we will project our knowing on to the actors, and to us, it will make sense. But
to an audience that doesn’t understand your play, you need to be damn sure the audience is
understanding your play.
Be willing to rewrite scenes that are not working.
You are the director, and you are also the playwright, so you can rewrite anything to make
things work. If you are stuck on time, get the actors to improv the part of the scene that is not
working, and then write in their improv lines that worked into the play. Always go to the actors
when you are stuck on a rewrite, for they know the characters from the inside out, and often,
they can improv the scene of yours that that is not good and make it great.
Commit to making your play perfect, and listen to Winston Churchill:
“Never give up. Never never never never never give up!”

TRUSTING YOUR ACTORS AND YOUR CREATIVE INTUITION

If you trust your actors, and if you trust your creative intuition, you will never fail as a
director. Often directors have huge Egos, (which is often what leads someone to direct,) but as a
director, you need to go in the other direction.
Directing a play is about collaboration between playwright, director, actors and design
team, and to win in so many different ways, you need to focus on that collaboration, and trust it,
and trust your intuition too.
I will be in the middle of rehearsal in the process of building a scene, and BAM, I will get
an intuitive idea, and I will instantly follow it. 3 out of 4 times it is amazing and super good, and
one time out of 4, I have to say “Nevermind, guys, I was wrong. This is not going to work. Let’s
try something else.”
Give every intuitive idea that literally comes out of nowhere a chance to see if it will work.
You never know if something will work until you try it out. You can think it is terrible, and then
when the actors do it, it speaks in a brand new way you never imagined, so try out every intuitive
idea you get, and give it a whirl. Allow yourself to be wrong, and you just might be right a lot
more. Risk not being a genius, in order to be one.
If there is anything that I can leave you with that will literally change your creative life, it
is this:
Trust that innate creativity that you have inside you that writes plays, and when directing,
trust it like you trust it when you are writing, and you will be amazed at the amazing moments
and events you create in your play that you never knew existed!!
Directing is creative collaboration at its best. All these amazing artists come together,
share, experiment, bitch and moan, and celebrate together the amazing creative process of
bringing a play to LIFE! Nothing better.

FINAL WORDS AND YOUR HOMEWORK

Stop listening to your fear. If you are fearful about directing, that means you need to
direct and you need to direct right away. This little thing called EGO was created in our psyche
to help keep us safe from danger, but there is not danger in directing a play, just like there is no
danger in writing a play. If you get bad reviews, you go out and have a couple beers, and come
back see what you can learn from the experience and immediately start on your next project.
You took this seminar for a reason. And that reason that caused you to sign up, is the
reason you have to continue on in this process and start directing your own work. Being a
playwright is often very solitary. Directing a play is just the opposite. It is joy, love, compassion
and good FUN.
Here’s your homework:
Commit to directing one of your short plays on Zoom, and start rehearsals within 30
days. Yes, Zoom is not the best forum for theatre, for it’s video, but you need to start practicing
your skills now.
Try out my directing rules and see if they will work for you, and have some fun, by taking
a tiny risk and directing one of your plays. You have nothing to lose, and a lot of fun to
experience!
With great gratitude,
Ken Wolf
Artistic Director
Manhattan Repertory Theatre