Category: Directing
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Seven Ways to Shine Up Your School’s Shows
Curtain Up What makes a piece of educational theatre successful? For starters, it is important that theatre educators remind themselves that, ultimately, everything they do is about the student experience. This does not mean that school productions can’t have a certain level of polish, and students can have complete confidence in what they’re doing onstage. No matter…
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How to Give Better Feedback to Young Artists
Recently, my son asked me to help interpret feedback that he received on a short film he submitted to a contest. Some comments were specific and useful, grounded in what he actually created and what a young filmmaker can realistically do. Others were far less clear. One in particular stood out: “The performer does not…
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The Production Calendar: A Living Document
Whether you’re part of a multi-disciplinary arts team or a solo drama teacher at a small school, one way to reduce stress throughout the year is to spend some time on your production calendar. The calendar is never actually done. Think of it less like granite and more like sandstone; solid enough, but shaped by…
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Pocket Lint and Paper Clips: A Guide to MacGyvering as a Director
Angus MacGyver was a hero of mine growing up. Yes, the super-sweet brown bomber jacket and the somehow-sweeter sun-glistened mullet played a large part in it. You read that right: mullet. We’re talking 80’s Angus, the Richard Dean Anderson version. A character so awesome that he not only spawned the 2016 reboot but also an…