Teaching Students to Direct Toolkit Resources
This toolkit breaks down the directing process into discrete “tools” - such as Tool of Self, Tool of the Script, Tool of Rehearsal, Tool of Space, Tool of Design, and Tool of Self-Evaluation - each accompanied by exercises, handouts, assignments, and reflection prompts. It guides student-directors through script analysis, rehearsal planning, staging, communication with actors and designers, and self-evaluation of their work.
00 - Overview
This the overview to the toolkit, which breaks down the process of learning how to direct into specific tools. Each tool comes with exercises, assignments, handouts, and Reflections.
01 - Tool of Self
This tool includes three parts: well of knowledge, leadership, and research, as well as activities to explore the tool of self.
02 - Tool of the Script
This tool covers finding a script and directing proposal, the first, second, third, and fourth read.
03 - Tool of the Actor
The Tool of the Actor often puts the student-director in the role of the actor in order to fully understand how to direct them. The Actor's Purpose, the Audition Process, and Communication & Assisting are key tools in this section.
04 - The Tool of Rehearsal
This section covers an overview of the rehearsal process and walks students through creating a rehearsal schedule/calendar.
- Download: 04 - The Tool of Rehearsal
- Blank Calendar
- Assignments and Exercises
- Example Rehearsal Calendar: The Skin of Our Teeth
- Sample Rehearsal Calendar
- Example Scene Breakdown: The Skin of Our Teeth
- Stage Positions Chart
- Script: The Eternal Damnation Committee
- Glossary of Rehearsals and their Purposes
- Pre and Post Rehearsal Process Reflections
- Rehearsal Reflection
05 - Tool of Space
The next tool is the Tool of Space. As student-directors work on staging their play in rehearsal, it’s more than moving actors and set pieces on and off. How do you use the space to its greatest theatrical potential?
- Download: 05 - Tool of Space
- Theatre Spaces Exercises
- Amphitheatres
- Proscenium Theatres
- Theatre in the Round
- Thrust Stage
- Levels and Planes
- Greek Monologues
- Stage Pictures and Composition
- Stage Pictures and Composition - Exercises
- Body Positions
- French Curve/Golden Ratio
- Rule of Thirds
- Assignment: Stage a Scene
- Student Reflections
06 - Tool of Design
Student-directors need to know how to communicate with designers. This section covers how directors can communicate efficiently, and how they can approach the design process when these tasks fall to them.
- Download: 06 - Tool of Design
- Assignments and Exercises
- Design Communication Worksheet
- Sample Antigone Research Collages
- Elements and Principles of Design
- Seven Steps to the Design Process
- Design Tips Summary
- Sample "As You Like It" Set & Costume Designs
- Costume Design Template
- Lighting - Instrument Schedule
- Student Reflections
07 - Tool of Self-Evaluation
The last tool is evaluation. But it’s not having other people critique what the student-director has done, rather it’s choosing a method of self-evaluation.
