by Missy Bell

Created on: May 28, 2008

You have vision, creativity, and the ability to pull emotions from the heart of an actor. You are a director of theater.

Many theatrical directors began as actors themselves, or as technicians with an eye for stage pictures. No matter how you began, starting a career as a director can be a difficult task, but it can be accomplished. As a theatrical director for the past three years, I have learned the ins and outs of the profession and look forward to sharing them with you below.

The most important thing to remember when attempting a career in direction is that there is nothing more valuable to any theater person than connections.

Keep in touch with theater friends from college, high school, and the community. These people will network for themselves and when you know them, you know everyone else that they know as well through that connection. If someone is looking for a director and your friends know that you're interested, you'll likely receive a call.

Aside from connections, you need experience.

You don't have to be working professionally to be a director. Community theater groups are constantly looking for new talent to add to their pool. If there simply isn't opportunity around you for organized theater, create your own. Order a script and hold an open audition. The more you direct, the more your name will be recognized. The more you are recognized, the more calls you have the potential to receive for upper level shows.

See shows. Don't ever stop attending and analyzing plays at all levels - from Broadway to high school - to gain tools for the trade.

Watch people - what is realistic, what is useful, how do people actually move and talk and react in their own lives?

Read play after play and choose a few in which you are interested in to work out blocking and vision.

Never direct a play for which you have no passion. It is passion that leads to vision, and vision is what makes an amazing director.

In the end, you need to make your own opportunities. Don't wait for one to drop into your lap. Make an excellent impression on other theater people with your unique vision and the feeling you can pull from your actors. Treat your staff with dignity so that they will want to work with you again. Tell the actors what you want and learn to communicate effectively. These are the things that will land you jobs in the future.

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