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 entire parody universe. Patty and Selma Bouvier know what’s up. The mightiest part of MacGyver’s magnetism was his malleability. No circumstance was too harrowing because Angus always had the ability to adapt and not just survive, but advance.
What is MacGyvering?
MacGyvering is understanding that the solution needed does not require perfection, but functionality in the present. There’s a zen quality to it that transcends all forms of theatre. I have directed children’s shows where the cast is barely able to read and worked with some of the best actors to ever walk this earth. I worked in hallowed venues and put up shows in warehouses. The circumstances surrounding a show will always be unique, but the one thing that remains consistent is the ability to adapt, which becomes invaluable. This quality is tested under varying degrees of stress; some adaptations occur weeks out and are unnoticeable to everyone but you, while others require compromise not only on the part of the director but also on the part of the designer, whose initial plan can’t be executed. To successfully MacGyver requires a few qualities that all directors should possess.
1. Save the Drama for the Performers
Like Angus, you always have to keep a cool head. It’s okay to acknowledge to your collaborators that not everything is going exactly as planned. They’re not looking to you to be flawless; they’re counting on you to guide. In fact, when things go awry is often when genuine inspiration arrives in the guise of problem-solving. This only happens when you trust your collaborators.
2. Trust Your Collaborators
Even the most clever secret agent ever needed the Phoenix Foundation, and you need your team, too. Every member of your production is brought in to execute their task with a talent and perception distinct from yours. Embrace that…no, cherish that. Your team will bring their own experiences and resources to the production. Trusting them, through trial and error, allows them to grow in their trust for you. This is particularly true of actors. Rehearsal is literally nothing but a series of attempts that inch us towards a mutually acceptable solution. Trust comes when you embrace your background.
3. Embrace Your Background
This is the core of MacGyvering. While Angus worked in gum wrappers and duct tape, you work in the palette of your past. Use that music lesson to convey an idea. The analogy of a baseball swing being prepared through practice but reactive in the moment applies perfectly to performance. That recent documentary you watched may have some aspect that you can use to explain, inspire, or even just connect. The vocabulary of a director goes beyond theatre terms. All of you are in play, your life experiences, passions, anecdotes, and pop culture knowledge; you never know which rubber band will save the world.
Conclusion
That’s it. That’s the craft behind being the coolest person on the planet, which just so happens to align with being a functional and successful theatre director. So go get that bomber jacket and boldly go into your next show knowing everything you need to know is already in you. The moment of testing will arrive, and know that you are a (metaphorical) paperclip away from shining.
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