Directing Your Peers: A Student Director’s Toolkit

Directing a show for your students can be a daunting task. Teachers are busy people! On top of in-class time, lesson planning, marking, administrative tasks, and all the other jobs that arise, taking on an extracurricular activity–especially one as large as a school production–might seem like a lot. However, this is a great opportunity to make an important leadership position available for one of your students: the student assistant director. Now, some of you might think, “How will it be useful to have a student in such an important role as the assistant director? What will I do with them?” There are lots of things you can do with a student assistant director! Here are six suggestions for tasks and responsibilities that a student assistant director can accomplish. 1. DelegateTake a load off your plate! The student assistant director could be in charge of making a props list, leading warmups, doing line runs with smaller groups of actors, or distributing notes from the previous rehearsal. They could also be in charge of tasks like distributing posters and advertising materials to the cast and crew, assisting with sign-in and sign-out, or taking photographs during rehearsals for publicity purposes (a “behind the scenes” look at the process). 2. Learning through observingPart of the student assistant director’s role can be to watch you interact with the student actors. They can observe how you approach character work, block scenes, and deal with problems that arise. After the rehearsal, take five minutes with the student assistant director to answer any questions they have, discuss what went well at that rehearsal, and plan out what to work on in subsequent rehearsals. 3. Double dutyIf you don’t want to take on two separate students, or you have a really keen and super-organized student who’s up for a big challenge, you could combine the assistant director role with that of the stage manager. They can take blocking notes during rehearsals and call the show during the production run, on top of doing the other assistant director tasks that you assign them. 4. Polishing scenesOnce a scene is blocked, student assistant directors can work with one group of student actors (while you are working with others) on polishing the scene. They should focus on details like making sure lines and cues are correct (and loud enough!), developing interesting physical traits for characters, and ensuring that students’ character intentions are clear (“What does your character want in this scene?”). 5. Directing a scene that you assignGiving your student the opportunity to direct a scene in the show is a wonderful chance for them to learn and practice their directing skills. It also gives you the chance to see the show through someone else’s eyes, which can be really useful! Select a scene in the show that you would like your student assistant director to work on. Sit down with your student and discuss your vision for the show and their vision for the scene. How does this scene fit into the overall structure of the show? Have the student assistant director plan their blocking in advance and have them talk you through the blocking. From there, assign your student time in rehearsal to lead the actors. Stay as hands-off as possible–perhaps schedule yourself to work on another scene at the same time. Just before the end of the rehearsal, have the actors perform for you what they’ve worked on with the student assistant director, and give them feedback. 6. Liaising with the cast and crewStudent assistant directors can be very useful in bridging the gap between you as the teacher/director and the rest of the students in the cast and crew. Students may feel more comfortable bringing problems or concerns to one of their peers rather than a teacher. Have your student assistant director check in with the cast and crew periodically to see what they can do to help out and make the rehearsal process a positive one! Having a student assistant director can really be a positive asset to your production. Who knows–perhaps they’ll be the one directing the school show someday!

Have you ever had a student who’s a natural leader and has a knack for staging? Or maybe a student who isn’t comfortable in the spotlight but loves the creative process? These could be your budding student directors, and giving them the tools to step into this role can be an amazing growth opportunity — for them and your program. Why Student Directors MatterCreating student directors isn’t just about making your life easier (though it does help!). It builds: • Leadership skills • Collaboration & communication • Creative thinking & problem solving • A deeper appreciation for all aspects of theatre Plus, student-directed scenes or one-acts can be an exciting addition to your drama program. Consider the following for your student directors and set them up for success. 1. Start with the basics.Before a student steps into the director’s chair, they need to understand what a theatre director actually does. • Break down the role. Explain that directing isn’t just “telling people what to do”; it’s about vision, visualization, storytelling, and collaboration. • Discuss responsibilities. These include choosing a concept, blocking scenes, working with actors, and overseeing technical elements. • Share examples. Show behind-the-scenes clips or interviews with directors to illustrate how they think and work. 2. Teach them how to read a script like a director.Directors need to know how to analyze a script and use that analysis to visualize the play (taking words on the page and making them three-dimensional through stage pictures, character journeys, and action), and create a vision. In theatrical terms, a vision is a concept, an interpretation. The vision is going to shape the look and feel of the play. A vision is something that can be communicated to every department to give the production a cohesive look. It’s going to affect how the audience responds to the play. A vision is what makes a director’s take on the play unique. It all starts with the script. Show your student directors how to read a script to: • Look for themes and tone: • Ask students to read a script, determine the main themes of the play, identify their point of view on those themes, and then consider how they will visualize their point of view. • Based on the above work, ask students to come up with a one-sentence vision statement. How do they interpret the play? • Do this several times. Get students in the habit of visualizing and creating a vision. • Identify character arcs: • What journey does the character go on in the play? Where do they start and where do they finish? How does the character arc connect to your vision of the play? You want to be able to communicate that connection to actors so that any character development work they do will match your vision. • Ask students to read the same script as above and write out the journey of the main character. How does this character’s journey match your vision? • Highlight key beats in each scene: • Identifying beats in a scene is known as scoring. To score a scene is to mark the moments in which a character’s action/tactics change. • A director needs to know this to help block the action, identify the pace in a scene, and solidify character journeys. It all comes back to visualization. • Take one scene in the above script. Ask students to score the scene and then use that scoring to come up with blocking suggestions. Bonus Exercise: Watch three movies by well-known directors with varying styles: Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, and Alfred Hitchcock, for example. Watch the movies with a director’s eye. What is the director’s vision? What is the theme of the movie, what is the director’s point of view, and how has that been visualized? Compare and contrast the three directors. 3. Let them start small.Give student directors a low-pressure directing opportunity: • Direct a scene or monologue. A quick, one-page scene is a perfect starting point. • Lead a warm-up or theatre game. It helps them practice giving clear instructions and managing a group. • Assist YOU. Have them shadow you during a rehearsal to see how you guide actors and make decisions. The goal is to build their confidence in small steps. 4. Emphasize communication & collaboration.Student directors often think they have to “be the boss.” There is a difference between leadership and being bossy. Teach them that great directors: • Ask questions instead of giving orders. • Listen to actors’ ideas. • Give feedback that’s kind and constructive. Exercise: Role-play common directing scenarios in which directors have to deal with different types of actors so they can practice how to talk to actors in a way that motivates instead of intimidates. 5. Encourage creative problem solving.Things will go wrong — that set piece you really wanted can’t be built, an actor isn’t presenting their character in line with your vision, blocking doesn’t work. Challenge your student directors to figure out ways to solve different problems. This helps them develop flexibility and resilience — key directing skills. • Come up with practice scenarios in which student directors can brainstorm solutions. If you can’t have a couch for this scene, what could you use instead? or How can you further communicate your vision to an actor? or Is there another way to physically show tension in the scene? 6. Give them real responsibility.When they’re ready, let them direct a short play or festival piece with your mentorship. They’ll learn the most by doing it. Be clear about: • Deadlines • Expectations • How you’ll support them and when you’ll step back 7. Reflect & celebrate.After the experience, take time to reflect together. Celebrate their effort and growth. Even if it wasn’t perfect, they took on a huge challenge! • What worked well? • What was harder than expected? • What would they do differently next time? • Do they think they have the skill set to be a director? Why or why not? Additional Reading Exercise: Problem-Solving for Student Directors Seven Tips for Student Directors in the Classroom Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Plays for Student Directors Student Directing: Working With Your Peers

One of the most empowering projects you can take on in your program is to give your students the opportunity to run a production themselves from beginning to end. It shows students that theatre is not just about being onstage. It’s also about directing, designing, managing, problem solving, and supporting others. A student-led production will build leadership, confidence, collaboration, and ownership. And it doesn’t have to be huge or complicated. Start small and simple. Focus on the process of letting students lead themselves through each task rather than a perfect product. This is educational theatre at its finest. Here is an easy way to get started with your first student-led production. Step 1: Choose the right show.Discuss and decide with your students something manageable. For your first time out, pick a project that has some unique characters and a few tech options (e.g., vignette plays that need lighting and sound transitions from scene to scene, different character costume options) but keep it short and relatively “easy.” Good options include: • One-act play • Series of short scenes • Readers theatre presentation • Showcase of monologues or devised work • Student-written piece Look for pieces with: • Relatively easy tech requirements • Small casts or flexible casting • Simple costume and set requirements Keep reminding yourself and your students: The goal is not a Broadway spectacle, it’s growth. Get through all the steps with confidence, communication, and collaboration. Step 2: Assign student leadership roles.What roles will your students fill? Who are your leaders? Do you have students who have indicated what they’d like to do? First, you want a student leader in each of the following roles: • Student director • Stage manager • Tech designers: lighting, sound, costume, set, props, hair and make-up You may find that you don’t have enough tech students and have to combine roles. You may find that you need to simplify the tech and just focus on one or two, for example, lighting and sound. You may find that you have more than one student who wants to direct. Discuss and determine how the leadership roles will be assigned in your situation and with your students. Once you decide on your student leaders, determine who will assist your leaders. Emphasize to students that it’s important to work as a team. Theatre is not a solo venture! Will you have a student director and an assistant director? A stage manager and an assistant stage manager? Who will operate your lighting and sound board? Who will be on your stage crew? Emphasize to student leaders that they are in charge of communicating with their departments. For example, the costume designer must work with the costume crew to determine where the costumes will come from, how they will be organized, and who will execute any quick changes during the show. Another area of leadership which you could add to your student-led production is marketing and publicity. How will your students publicize the play? Your marketing lead could also do double duty as the house manager during the run of the show. Step 3: Set clear expectations.Students thrive when they know what is expected of them. You may find that many of your students have no idea of the many steps that go into a production beyond what they’ve experienced onstage, or how to execute those steps with regard to communicating and collaborating with others. Clarify: • Rehearsal schedules • Attendance expectations • Communication methods • Deadlines • How students are expected to collaborate with each other • What decisions students truly control • Your role as facilitator and when you will step in for safety or legal reasons Create a short written agreement at the start of the process outlining that students understand what’s expected of them. Nothing formal or scary. Just a reminder that they are taking on responsibility and that others are counting on them. The hardest part will be letting students make their own decisions. Your role should be more of an outside eye rather than a traditional director. For example, when students are blocking a scene, watch what they’re doing, ask questions, and only offer suggestions if asked. Step 4: Practice ensemble building.The biggest secret weapon to a well-run student-led production is a strong ensemble. If you want students to work together, communicate well, and collaborate, they need to feel like they belong in the group, that they are in a space that encourages risk and supports failure. Start the process by having your student leaders take the class through ensemble building exercise such as: • Improv games for collaboration • Warm-up games • Games that encourage communication • Trust building Step 5: Teach them how to plan.The last thing you want to do is throw a script at your students and say “See you on opening night!” There are parts of preparing a show that your students won’t have done before. Teach them how to plan out the needs of the different departments, identify who will execute tasks, and let your students take the lead. Some example tasks are: • Create a rehearsal calendar. • Identify props, costume, and set needs. • Assign specific tasks to crew members with deadlines. • Plan advertising or announcements. • Set goals for each rehearsal. Let students handle delegation, scheduling, and progress checks, using calendars and peer accountability to meet production goals, even when setbacks occur. Step 6: Rehearse the rehearsal process.Another area where students will only have experienced one aspect of the process is a rehearsal. Your student directors may have some great ideas, but do not assume they automatically know how to run a rehearsal that is both effective and efficient. Before you start your show, model a typical rehearsal, emphasizing basic skills such as: • Starting rehearsal on time • Running warm-ups • Setting clear goals • Giving simple, kind notes • Staying focused • Ending on time Then step back and let your student directors run a short practice rehearsal. Reflect together afterward on what worked and what was challenging. Step 7: Let students make choices.Again, the most difficult part of this for you as a seasoned teacher/director is letting students take the lead when it comes to making decisions for their show. They should decide on the artistic vision, concept, look, and mood for the production. Students will need to communicate their choices and collaborate across departments to ensure cohesion. Some decision making areas include: • Blocking and staging • Costumes • Lighting cues and music transitions • Poster designs • Program content And if students make decisions that don’t work, let them problem solve. How can they revise, adapt, and build on what they’ve done? You are still the safety net. You support. You ask questions. You redirect when necessary. But when possible, let them own the process. Even if the choice is not the one you would have made. Step 8: Build in reflection.Reflection helps students see how much they have grown throughout a process. Have students complete rehearsal tracking journal entries where they reflect at the end of each class on what they’ve done, what went well, and what needs improvement. How are they working on communication and collaboration skills? What is the next task? A performance can always evolve through feedback and reflection. After the project, ask students to respond to questions like: • What surprised you about leading or working on this show? • What did you learn about yourself? • When did you have to adapt? • How did you manage frustration in rehearsals? • How did you do with time management throughout this project? • What was the most challenging part of the process? • What is something you are proud of? • What would you do differently next time? Final ThoughtsA student-led production can be messy, imperfect, joyful, and powerful. Students will discover they are capable of so much more than they thought. Hopefully, the biggest takeaway for students is that theatre is a community effort and not just a spotlight. Here’s to helping your students shine in new ways! Want more? Don’t forget to check out: The Student Director’s Handbook