"Creating Theatre" is a lecture/discussion class about the creative process of the American stage director. Most people have a good idea of how an actor, choreographer, or stage designer contributes to a live theatrical performance. The work of the stage director, however, can be invisible and enigmatic to the untrained eye. It may not be clear what decisions or what processes the director has incorporated to take a literary text and transform it into a live theatre performance. 

The course will begin with an overview of the stage director’s skills and job responsibilities. Then the class will be guided through various stages of directing a play. From the preparation for production (script selection, script analysis and collaboration with the design team), to casting the actors, to the various phases of rehearsal leading up to opening night. Participants will explore the creative steps and the various leadership tasks necessary for the director to create the special and ephemeral world of the play. The Kate Hammill adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility will be used as a model to work through the various stages of the directing process. 

The aim of this class is to demystify the secrets of the rehearsal hall and to inspire a greater understanding and appreciation of this ephemeral art.  At times students will be divided up into breakout rooms to work through a simple directing exercise. This class is intended to be a fun and engaging experience, whether the student has a significant background in theatre, or whether they are just curious to know more about how theatre is created.