The Art and Practice of Directing for Theatre

Chapter 4Approaching a Script

The previous chapters have examined general ideas and responsibilities for directing; the rest of the book now moves on to address directing more specifically. What is it that directors do, and how do they do it? Obviously, it all starts with the script, but wonderful scripts that you burn to direct don’t simply fall out of the sky (wouldn’t it be lovely if they did?). Research and analysis of scripts is at the heart of your job as a director, before you ever hold auditions or begin rehearsals. However, before you even make it to those steps, you have to find the right script. “Right” is a relative term, depending on your personal taste, your location, the company you are with, and countless other variables. This ...