I've been to quite a few auditions. And I've done more than a few ( more than 40 ) productions.

   Just wondered what you look for in a director? ( The auditions go "both ways" .) I look not just for the role but for the director. Oh yes, I have my own answer.... but I'll wait for what others have to say.

I personally look for a director who approaches a show as a collaborative effort, with enjoyment of theatre as the primary motive.  The director who believes he/she is the only one with good ideas and doesn't want to hear anything from an actor except the dialogue is the one I steer clear of, even if I had planned on working tech for the show.  I am the first to recognize the director has the final say on every aspect of a show, but when he/she goes into a production closed to cast and crew SUGGESTIONS, there is an ego and/or a personal security problem with that director and the show suffers because of it.

What should ACTORS look for in Directors?:

     I would say that , for better or worse, directors account for 80% of a show ….. Meaning how “good” the show will be and also how “enjoyable” the show will be to participate . For a multitude of reasons, the two are sometimes quite different. But having done many years of community theater “ good” shows are “nice” to do but “enjoyable” shows are “better“. And “good “ and “enjoyable” shows are the best combination. And again…. It usually comes down to the director.

    Sometimes we have the luxury of having a lot of information about the director that we are going to audition . I absolutely agree, as some have expressed , that good directors view the process of putting a show together as collaborative. But , my experience is that we usually don’t have that much info on a director , many times, when you audition . You don’t really know if they can “collaborate” until you have started rehearsals. So what do we do? Overall, I would say that the directors audition process will reasonably give you some idea of the talents and traits of the director. It's not a perfect "thermometer" but I find it to be pretty good.

     How organized is the audition? Does it start on time? Does the director have the proper materials for the audition? Was it clear in the audition announcement what was to be done? Does the director clearly communicate both verbally and in written information at the audition his or her intentions such as when the show will be cast and when and how you will be contacted and other information . Does the director make clear rehearsal requirements? If it an audition for a musical is there an accompanist and piano and/or is the music director also at auditions? Can the accompanist actually play reasonably well? Is there call-backs or not? Is the space that is used for the audition adequate? Does the audition run efficiently or does it seem to be a big waste of time or very poorly organized ? That is , just sitting around twiddling your thumbs most of the time. Does the director seem to know what he’s doing or just fumbling ?. Does the director introduce the other people that are sitting helping him or her make decisions? Does the audition “make sense” in terms of what is evaluated and how? For instance, if it is a musical do you receive a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate your vocal abilities with music from the show. Do you get to read a reasonable amount? What is the general demeanor of the director? Does he or she put you at ease or do they seem somewhat abrupt or even condescending? In the end, do you feel that you have been given the opportunity to demonstrate your abilities individually and fairly or are you feeling like because of the way the audition was run you were kind of rushed through or you really weren’t evaluated fairly.

     The bottom line of all this, of course , is three general things: 1) Does he or she communicate well? 2) Does he or she seem well organized? and 3) Are they respectful of the individuals that audition for them?

     Let me say finally that I know that directing is not any easy thing to do. And everyone has their own abilities and talents. . But some directors are good to work with and some are much less so. Some are REALLY good , some are OK, and some I would not work with no matter what role I was offered ( although this is usually after the fact) . And I have found that personal sanity a very precious commodity that should not be given up so easily .

So remember, the next time you go to an audition; it’s not just the director that has a choice to make.

   

   





    

My girlfriend (also an actor/director) and I have a saying that "it's the director's fault" for anything that happens during a production -- good, bad, or indifferent.  And while it's somewhat tongue in cheek (especially to call a great performance someone's "fault") there's more than a little truth in it.  So I tend to agree there.

I think you may be a little off base on all your audition watchpoints, however.  As a director, I've had a range of experiences with production staffs.  From good to bad and along the spectrum in between.   And I think that's helped me clue in that in the audition process, the director is usually less than in full control.  It's not unusual for a director to be brought into the process, sometimes with the show already selected, a month (or less!) before auditions begin.

Since rehearsals start almost immediately thereafter, as a director, you need to focus immediately on the show.  What are you doing with this play?  How are you interpreting it?  What's your idea for the look and feel of the show?  Do you need to assemble a crew yourself to get there?  What's your budget?  What's my vision for the characters?  Do I have the budget to do what I want to?  Will the theater space and/or production staff let me do everything I want, or will there be battles?  There's a lot to think about that clearly falls into the realm of what *I* need to do. 

And then I might give a thought to the auditions.

They've probably already been scheduled, with the space arranged and some staff on hand.  Ideally, the production staff will extend their arms and ask how you want to hold your auditions.

This rarely happens.  More likely, they have a way that they do things.  It's what they know.  It's what the usual group of auditioners know.  They have a process.  You want to do what?  Well... we've never done it that way before... but if you really think...

These battles CAN be fought, but it's not usually worth the effort, there's rarely the time available, and some (availability and quality of the facilities) just cannot be won.

I'm not saying you can't make a decision about the PRODUCTION from this, because if the company's that off-kilter in just having the auditions... chances are it's going to bleed in past that.  But that doesn't mean that the director is necessarily bad, which is what you asked.

I directed a show once for an organization that had a very involved director that virtually dictated every step of the process outside rehearsals themselves and even made some requirements on that.  Believe me -- not a situation I'll get involved in again.  But I had a professional obligation to fulfill, so I picked my battles, worked within the constraints I couldn't lift, and came out with a pretty good show at the end that I think the cast quite enjoyed.

That said, if I'd been there as an auditioner, it would have driven me NUTS.

But in another production (where the production staff really was just interested in giving me the assistance to accomplish what I wanted to do) I'd have been very happy as an auditioner.

Of course, yes, pay attention to the director him/herself, but don't lay everything that happens there at their feet.  First, I'd go with asking people who've worked with them before.  In fact, I've had a CT show audition on my schedule for months simply because it's a show I've wanted to do with a director I've heard nothing but good things about from friends.

(As a side note, I found it kind of funny how you worded your reply to your own OP -- not to mention, why you didn't just include it there.  But that's not really relevant, just interesting.)

Reputation is a big part of something I look for in a director. If I don't know the director, I look at how he/she handles auditions. When I direct, I make a little intro speech before we begin, outlining my directing philosophy (I very much welcome input from actors and tech). That way, they know where I'm coming from, and that my job is to create an environment where the actors feel safe to play and explore and create, trusting me to keep them from making an ass of themselves onstage (unless the person is playing Bottom).