Directing in Musical Theatre: An Essential Guide

Table of Contents Foreword by Eric Schaeffer Introduction How To Use This Book Phase One: Conception Timetable One: Preparation Chapter One: Preparing for Collaboration Unit 1.1 Reading and listening to the Musical Unit 1.1.1 Gathering Impressions Questionnaire: First Impressions Unit 1.2 Creating a Research Portfolio Unit 1.3 History and Society Viewed Selectively Unit 1.4 Tradition Unit 1.5 Dissecting the Script and Score Unit 1.5.1 Units of Action Questionnaire: Unit Analysis Unit 1.6 Character Analysis Unit 1.6.1 Facts Questionnaire: Character Given Circumstances Unit 1.6.2 Character Journey Unit 1.6.3 Charting Change Unit 1.6.4 Attitudes Questionnaire: Character Attitudes Unit 1.6.5 Ambitions Questionnaire: Character Ambitions Unit 1.7 Directing and Style Unit 1.7.1 What Is Style? Unit 1.7.2 Establishing Style in Your Production Unit 1.7.3 Unity of Style Unit 1.7.4 History and Genre Unit 1.7.5 Worldview Questionnaire: Defining Worldview Unit 1.7.5 Articulating Style Questionnaire: Elements of Style Unit 1.8 Visiting the Performance Space Unit 1.9 Getting It Down On Paper - Creating a Concept Statement Unit 1.9.1 This Is The Story Of ... Unit 1.9.2 Themes and Ideas Unit 1.9.3 Images and Visual Style Unit 1.9.4 State Your Passion Chapter Two: Imagining The Chorus Unit 2.1 What is a chorus? Unit 2.2 Populating the world of your musical Unit 2.3 The power of the group Unit 2.4 Applying Pressure Unit 2.5 Chorus as Storyteller Unit 2.6 Chorus as Spectacle Unit 2.7 Chorus as Characters Unit 2.8 Engaging Chorus Actors Phase Two: Collaboration Timetable: Phase Two Chapter Three: Creative Collaboration Unit 3.1 The Passionate Center Unit 3.2 What is a Choreographer? Unit 3.3 Theatre Dance vs. Concert Dance Unit 3.4 Musical Collaboration Chapter Four: Directing the Design Unit 4.1 Design Process: Scenery Unit 4.1.1 Scenic Design Preparation Questionnaire: Scenic Design Unit 4.1.2 What to Expect in the Scenic Design Process Scenic Design Process for Big River Unit 4.2 Design Process: Costumes Unit 4.2.1 Character Analysis for Costume Design Unit 4.2.2 Practical Requirements Unit 4.2.3 Cast by Scene Breakdown Unit 4.2.4 What to Expect in the Costume Design Process Gregg Barnes' Costume Design Process for The Drowsy Chaperone Unit 4.3 Design Process: Lighting Unit 4.3.1 What to Expect in the Lighting Design Process Natasha Katz' Lighting Design Process for Follies Unit 4.4 Budgets and Creative Limits Checklist: Effective Design Phase Three: Rehearsal Timetable Three: Auditions to Final Studio Run-Through Chapter Five: Auditions Unit 5.1 Casting Breakdowns Unit 5.2 Principal Role Auditions Unit 5.3 Chorus Calls Unit 5.4 Addressing Multiple Casting Needs Unit 5.5 Non-Traditional Casting Unit 5.6 Negotiations and Waiting Chapter Six: Staging and Coaching Unit 6.1 Staging Stories Unit 6.1.1 Levels of Staging Unit 6.1.2 Staging Questions Questionnaire: Staging Action Unit 6.1.3 Believable Spontaneity and Inevitability Unit 6.1.4 Types of Musical Numbers Unit 6.1.5 Prompts to Staging Opportunities Unit 6.1.6 Staging Structure Unit 6.1.7 Storytelling Through Staging Unit 6.1.8 All Staging is Action Unit 6.1.9 Storytelling - Beat-by-beat Unit 6.1.10 Group Staging Notation 'I Wanna Be A Producer' from The Producers Unit 6.1.11 Choreographic Staging Unit 6.2 Staging Tools Unit 6.2.1 Movement and Images Unit 6.2.2 Principles of Effective Blocking Unit 6.2.3 Compositional Qualities Unit 6.3 Blocking Scenes and Songs Unit 6.3.1 Blocking Script Set Up Next to Normal scene/song blocking script Unit 6.3.2 Ideas Into Action Unit 6.3.3 Blocking Notation Unit 6.3.4 Giving Blocking to Actors Unit 6.4 Coaching Your Cast Unit 6.4.1 Actor/Singers Unit 6.4.2 10 Keys to Coaching the Singing Actor Unit 6.4.3 Dancers are actors, too Unit 6.5 Entertainment Values and 'Selling It' To The Audience Phase Four: Production Timetable: Phase Four Chapter Seven: Moving Into The Theatre Unit 7.1 Getting acquainted with the space Unit 7.2 Spacing Rehearsals and Adjustments Unit 7.3 Safety First Unit 7.4 Adding Scenery and Props Unit 7.5 Adding Lighting Unit 7.6 Adding Orchestra Unit 7.7 Sound Design and Reinforcement Unit 7.8 The Stage Manager Takes Charge - Technical Rehearsal Unit 7.9 Adding Costumes Unit 7.10 Crew Unit 7.11 Special Rehearsals Unit 7.12 Putting It All Back Together Unit 7.13 Finding The Heart of the show again Unit 7.14 Prioritizing and Problem Solving Unit 7.15 "Please" and "Thank You" Phase Five: Performance Timetable: Previews to Closing Chapter Eight: Shaping the Production Unit 8.1 Curtain Calls Unit 8.2 Previews Unit 8.3 Advice and Opinions Unit 8.4 Opening Night Unit 8.5 Notes and Rehearsal After Opening Unit 8.6 Post Mortem Chapter Nine: Etcetera - And All The Rest Unit 9.1 Directing New Works Unit 9.2 Directing Revues Unit 9.3 Habits of Successful Directors Appendices Appendix A: Sample Documents * Weekly Rehearsal Schedule - Seussical * Daily Rehearsal Schedule - Carousel * Blocking/Staging Checklist - Seussical * Cast-by-scene Breakdowns - Nine * Scene and Song Rehearsal Unit Breakdown - Kiss Me, Kate * Concept Statement - Into The Woods * Scene/Song Unit Analysis - Fiddler On The Roof * Character Analysis (short) - The Light In The Piazza * Staging Roadmap (Beat Breakdown) - 'The Night Waltz' from A Little Night Music Appendix B: Complete Production Timetable Appendix C: Blank Questionnaires * First Impressions * Unit Analysis * Character Given Circumstances * Character Attitudes * Character Ambitions * Defining Worldview * Elements of Style * Scenic Design * Staging Action * Checklist: Effective Design Appendix D: A Brief Glossary of Useful Stage Terms