Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Advertising for a director / finding a director

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kaygreen
Walk-On
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Joined: 7/12/08
Location: United States
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Topic: Advertising for a director / finding a director
Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:49am

How have other small community theaters reached out to find new directors? We have 3 board members who direct, but they are juggling multiple other obligations and can't do it all.

Some board members are concerned about advertising, thinking we don't want to sound too desperate (but we are getting that way). Others think it is appropriate for a CT to advertise for directors now and again. How do other small CTs approach this? ( I keep thinking there are people out there that we just aren't reaching... newspaper blurbs, email to mailing list, webpage, or?)

Thanks.

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pdavis69
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Joined: 3/26/06
Location: United States
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Posts: 437

Posted: 8/15/08 at 8:45am

We have the same issue and it gets rather frustrating for people. Have you looked to some of your more experienced actors to see if they might be willing to step behind the lens? That is how I got started with directing. The theatre got desperate for directors and asked me to try. I prefer to be onstage than backstage any day but "for the good of the playhouse" I'll fill the void when asked. Try looking in to your membership.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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jayzehr
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Joined: 8/11/05
Location: United States
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Posts: 537

Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:54pm

One of the local community theaters has been advertising for directors and just about every other possible position. The paper has been posting it in the calendar of events which is free.

We're in a community with 3 colleges and universities. Twice in the last three years we hired students from one of the theater departments to direct shows.

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KEB54
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Joined: 7/24/08
Location: United States
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Posts: 227

Posted: 8/15/08 at 4:47pm

We have many community theatres within a 40 mile radius as well as a couple universities. Our approach is that there are no competitors only future collaboators. We try to be supportive of the other theatres, see their productions, and develop relationships with them. Usually by just talking about it, someone steps up or throws his/her hat in.

Even without other theatres, it's important to develop relationships and networks. You never can tell when someone from Rotary or church has a nephew who directs or a new neighbor that directed in a different community.

KEB

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Nanette
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Joined: 8/01/06
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Posts: 399

Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:16am

A word of warning: Just because someone says they can/wants to direct a production doesn't mean that they actually have the ability! It's important to see something they've directed and speak with the cast/crew to see if that person shares the same visions as your group. I'd much rather work alongside someone for a show (ask them to serve as an assistant director) before throwing them right into the task. I think my troupe also feels the same way!

For example: I've seen some very good work come out of some local art students, but if you ask the students they will tell you that the teacher is terribly hard on them, yells a lot, and oftentimes does much of their work so it "looks perfect". The work is good, but he's not liked.

The same could be said for any director you hire without research. (S)he could be all-in-all lousy as a director (no vision!) or (s)he could be a harda$$ and push people out of your theatre. Then again, that person could be exactly what for what you're looking!

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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kaelidancer
Lead
Lead

Joined: 8/06/08
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 49

Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:36am

We make it a habit at our theatre to assign Assistant Directors from our pool of "aspiring" directors. In fact, ADing is a prerequisite for directing for us, unless you have a degree. The AD, in our case, is something like an apprentice position, and I always assign one or two scenes to them so they can get their feet wet with blocking and running a rehearsal. This gives us (and them) a pretty good idea of whether they're capable of putting together a whole show.

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Directing
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Directing

Topic: Advertising for a director / finding a director( Topic Closed)

Author	Message
kaygreen Walk-On Joined: 7/12/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Advertising for a director / finding a director Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:49am
	How have other small community theaters reached out to find new directors? We have 3 board members who direct, but they are juggling multiple other obligations and can't do it all. Some board members are concerned about advertising, thinking we don't want to sound too desperate (but we are getting that way). Others think it is appropriate for a CT to advertise for directors now and again. How do other small CTs approach this? ( I keep thinking there are people out there that we just aren't reaching... newspaper blurbs, email to mailing list, webpage, or?) Thanks.

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pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 8/15/08 at 8:45am
	We have the same issue and it gets rather frustrating for people. Have you looked to some of your more experienced actors to see if they might be willing to step behind the lens? That is how I got started with directing. The theatre got desperate for directors and asked me to try. I prefer to be onstage than backstage any day but "for the good of the playhouse" I'll fill the void when asked. Try looking in to your membership.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 8/15/08 at 2:54pm
	One of the local community theaters has been advertising for directors and just about every other possible position. The paper has been posting it in the calendar of events which is free. We're in a community with 3 colleges and universities. Twice in the last three years we hired students from one of the theater departments to direct shows.
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 8/15/08 at 4:47pm
	We have many community theatres within a 40 mile radius as well as a couple universities. Our approach is that there are no competitors only future collaboators. We try to be supportive of the other theatres, see their productions, and develop relationships with them. Usually by just talking about it, someone steps up or throws his/her hat in. Even without other theatres, it's important to develop relationships and networks. You never can tell when someone from Rotary or church has a nephew who directs or a new neighbor that directed in a different community.
	KEB
	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:16am
	A word of warning: Just because someone says they can/wants to direct a production doesn't mean that they actually have the ability! It's important to see something they've directed and speak with the cast/crew to see if that person shares the same visions as your group. I'd much rather work alongside someone for a show (ask them to serve as an assistant director) before throwing them right into the task. I think my troupe also feels the same way! For example: I've seen some very good work come out of some local art students, but if you ask the students they will tell you that the teacher is terribly hard on them, yells a lot, and oftentimes does much of their work so it "looks perfect". The work is good, but he's not liked. The same could be said for any director you hire without research. (S)he could be all-in-all lousy as a director (no vision!) or (s)he could be a harda$$ and push people out of your theatre. Then again, that person could be exactly what for what you're looking!
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

kaelidancer Lead Joined: 8/06/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 49	Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:36am
	We make it a habit at our theatre to assign Assistant Directors from our pool of "aspiring" directors. In fact, ADing is a prerequisite for directing for us, unless you have a degree. The AD, in our case, is something like an apprentice position, and I always assign one or two scenes to them so they can get their feet wet with blocking and running a rehearsal. This gives us (and them) a pretty good idea of whether they're capable of putting together a whole show.
	IP Logged