Directing
How to Deal With Rehearsal Burnout
Rehearsing for your school production is hard work. There is an abundance of decisions to be made, students to manage, and schedules to maintain. It can be overwhelming to even the most organized...
Directing
Bring your vision to life.
Explore practical directing tips, rehearsal strategies, and creative approaches for both student and teacher directors. From first read to final performance, find what you need to shape strong, confident productions.
Directing
Fun Rehearsal Warm-Ups to Get Everyone Ready
Warm-ups are vital for the rehearsal process, to get students’ bodies and minds ready to work. They should include three parts – physical, vocal, and mental. Some students will resist warming up,...
Directing
Should You Cancel a Show?
Cancelling a show is a difficult decision. There isn’t a “one answer fits all” solution – it must be handled on a case-by-case basis. As much as possible, I believe that “the show must go on.” But...
Directing
Adjusting Your Expectations During the Rehearsal Process
We all have grand plans when we’re directing shows. We want our students to engage with the material and rise to the challenges presented. We want our shows to look spectacular. However, in the...
Directing
The Importance of the Off-Book Rehearsal
Creating an effective rehearsal schedule is a crucial part of a school production’s success. There are many important rehearsals to allot time for, including this one: the off-book rehearsal. What...
Directing
Practical Uses for Smartphones in Rehearsal
Mention “smartphones” or “cell phones” in front of drama teachers and most will immediately grimace or roll their eyes. Phones can be the bane of any teacher’s existence – it seems like students...
Classroom Exercise
Rehearsal Warm-Up Game: Switching Roles
Here’s a warm-up game you can try at your next rehearsal: Switching Roles. Students will use an improv game to take on a different part in the play you’re currently working on. It’s a simple enough...
Directing
Top Tips for Directing Your First Show
Directing a show can be a challenge. Directing your very first show can seem overwhelming. So we asked drama teachers: What are your top tips for someone directing their first show? Material...
Directing
Rehearsing “Backwards”
It’s a common occurrence when rehearsing a production that the cast and crew will eventually practice running the whole show from the beginning to the end. This way, students will see how all the...
Directing
Communicating Classroom Expectations vs. Rehearsal Expectations
Have you ever stopped to consider your expectations of drama class compared to your expectations during show rehearsals? It’s interesting and useful to compare the two. Do you notice yourself being...
Directing
The Importance of Ensemble Thinking
What does it mean to focus on “ensemble thinking”? Ensemble thinking focuses on a whole-show mentality. Rather than an “us versus them” mentality for leading actors versus ensemble/chorus members,...
Directing
What’s Changed? A Rehearsal Reflection
Countless hours are spent in rehearsal: learning, reviewing, and practicing material. Let’s focus on the first aspect: learning. At the beginning of the rehearsal process, everything is new. From...
Directing
Practice Makes Progress
Everyone is familiar with the term “practice makes perfect,” right? But in the theatre, there’s really no such thing as a perfect performance, and there is especially no such thing as a perfect...
Directing
Communicating Rehearsal Notes in Three Different Ways
After every run-through of a show, directors will have a notebook or word document packed to the brim with notes – praise, corrections, problems, solutions, changes and adjustments that need to be...
Directing
Communicating Your Directing Vision Through the Senses
So you’ve selected the show you are producing this year and you have come up with an incredible vision for the show. This is going to be awesome! Obviously, you want your students to share in your...
Directing
Script Analysis for Directors, Part 2: Going Deeper
In Script Analysis for Directors, Part 1: Scanning the Script, we started our pre-rehearsal planning process with a simple scan of the script to get our early thoughts and ideas out on paper. Once...
Directing
Script Analysis for Directors, Part 1: Scanning the Script
When I’m doing my pre-rehearsal preparations for a new show I’m directing, the first thing I do is an initial scan of the script. This is a useful way to start getting your primary thoughts and...
Directing
To Mic or Not to Mic?
That is the question…and it is yet another decision you must make while producing your upcoming school show. Yes, your students are making smart character choices and acting their hearts out; yes,...