The Art and Practice of Directing for Theatre

Chapter 3The Director’s “Rules”

The brilliant theatre and opera director Peter Sellars has said about directing:

I do material because I feel an obligation to the subject matter. Shakespeare wrote the play to get at certain subject matter. That subject matter remains on our minds, so let’s talk. I try and create my productions as a discussion between ourselves and this play.¹

In his quote, Sellars touches on several aspects that are important for directors to learn. Although, as mentioned before, there’s no such thing as “A plus B plus C equals directing,” there are certain “rules” that a director must learn and adhere to. These rules, rules, adapted from American director, Dr. Edmond Williams, are “macro” in a sense: think of them as guidelines, ...