Stage Directing Chapters 6,7 A Director’s Itinerary Michael Wainstein

Why Research? Director must be an expert in all subject matter related to play understand culture, history, society and morality of culture the play is set have a psychological understanding of the characters explain references in the scrpt develop a visual and psychological concept for the play

Director’s DPN Provide research here as a resource for the production

Representational vs. Inspirational There are two types of visual information that can be helpful

Inspirational research Witchcraft

Where to Look The Internet

The Library

The Bookstore

OTHER RESEACH SOURCES Newspaper archives Real-life observation Oral research Movies and Video Museums Travel 

Categories of Research CHARACTER – Character’s Background – Educational systems – Socio-economic status – Social order – Discourse (academic theories)

PLACE Physical location Interiors Architectural Fashion Furniture Props

HISTORICAL Events Forms of employment Religion Technologies Speech and dialect People

CULTURAL Art Fashion Design Theatrical trends Music Popular Entertainment

TEXTUAL Context Historical references Societal impact Playwright biography Era transposition (does it work in another period?)

CONCEPT Chapter 7

Definition CONCEPT A plan or intention; An idea or mental picture of a group or class of objects formed by combining all their aspects CONCEPTS TAKE TWO FORMS the psychological and the visual

PSHYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPT DEFINE THE DIRECTOR’S APPROACH TO THE INTERNAL ACTION OF THE PLAY DEFINES HOW THE PLAYS SUPEROBJECTIVE WILL BE BROUGHT TO LIFE WHAT DOES THE DIRECTOR WISH TO EXPRESS THROUGH THE PRODUCTION

VISUAL CONCEPT THE DIRECTOR AND DESIGNERS’ APPROACH TO THE EXTERNAL ACTION OF THE PLAY – SETS – SOUND – COSTUMES – LIGHTING – SPECIAL EFFECTS – PROPS

A process for developing the psychological concept State the super-objective and themes Write a short focus statement Create character focus statements Apply focus statements to character’s actions WRITE YOUR PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPT STATEMENT (See text page 47)

Developing the VISUAL concept Use charts to document the requirements of the script…

Transposition Ask these questions… – Does the original period have special significance to the themes of the play? – If the period is transposed, are the themes preserved? – If a play is moved to another period, will this illuminate themes intened by the playwright in a way more accessible to modern audiences?

Good Example Connecticut’s Long Wharf production of A DOLLS HOUSE (2010)

Bad Example is HAIR in another period

Atmosphere “…A palpable, pervasive tone or mood that is external in nature, and thus felt and seen by the audience, albeit influential on the internal life of the characters” (Wainstein, page 51) Michael Chekhov “Atmospheres for the artist are comparable to different keys in music. They are a concrete means of expression.”

STYLE In order for designers to create their work…they must have a sense of style that is in harmony with that of the director. Style is both objective, defined by the period and subjective, existing as an instinct in the director’s imagination. Style choices are found in research, experience and imagination.

Examples of visual style Spectacular

Minimalist

Realistic

Splashy, over-the-top

Funky (modern, Bohemian)

Other examples

Final thoughts Before beginning discussions with actors or designers, the director should have very clear idea of his or her psychological and visual concepts. Stay open to suggestions of others, it is a collaborative art