Directors in Training (DIT'S) Program -
Applications due March 16th 2013
A director is responsible for coordinating every aspect of the show. He or she should have the final say-so on lighting, sound, makeup, costumes, and a hundred other things, in addition to telling the actors what to do. If the director has never worked at any of these jobs, it may be tempting to leave the technical side of things up to the experts, the folks backstage who will actually be doing the work. The best directors, however, direct not only the cast, but the crew. They decide when the lighting should change and what it should look like when it does. They see that an actor looks too light or too dark and request a change in the makeup. They ask for the sound to come from stage left or stage right, to crescendo at a certain point and then cut off abruptly or to taper off gently. How do they get so detail-oriented, and how do they know what to ask for? Part of it relates to their vision of the show, but it also comes from an understanding of theatre jobs and of what their people and the theatre itself can deliver.
Well-Rounded Means Well-Grounded
The best directors have at least some experience at many different kinds of jobs. Fortunately, Community Theatre is a learn-as-you-go enterprise, so there are many, many opportunities to get training. Of course, not everybody is going to excel at every job; you might be tempted to avoid some of the areas for which you really feel you have no aptitude. Do them anyway.
Directors in Training will work with various theatre experts and will learn from their experiences. These experts will act as mentors to the participants that they can learn from and ask for guidance.
Participants in the DIT’S Program will be expected to work in some way on each aspect of a show. This will include -
· Stage Manager or Crew - Working this job will help you understand such things as how long it takes to call a cast member waiting in the green room, whether that fast change can really be accomplished in 15 seconds, or when a cue from the light booth is going to be needed because the crew is working blind behind the set. Working this job also helps a director understand the importance of a stage manager.
· Lighting Director or Crew - Unless you know its limitations and capabilities of the lighting system, you won't have a clue as to what you can ask for. Once you've worked a stint in the light booth, you'll know how many lights you've got, where they can be hung, how tightly they can be focused, and what kind of transitions you can expect. You'll learn how to look for dark spots, will know a good wash from a bad one, and will know how many specials you can ask for. And when the lighting director for your show says what you're asking for can't be done, you'll understand why or why not and can work on alternatives.
· Sound Director or Crew - How extensive is your sound effects library? Can your system produce a tinny sound? (It probably can) A deep rich sound? (Maybe not) Can you have three quick sound cues in a row? As a director, you may need the answers to questions like these. As with lighting, sound also has its limitations. And to help your sound guy establish the sound levels you want to hear from the house, you need to have walked a mile in his headsets.
· Set Design or Construction Crew -- As a director, you should be prepared to tell the set designer at least something about how you'd like the set to look, and you need to know the basics of how a set is constructed before you can realistically do that. Again, it's a question of learning what you can and can't ask for in your particular theatre.
· Makeup Crew - Spend some time working on the makeup crew, and you'll learn how colors can change under the lights, whether an actor should go with a darker or lighter base, and which actress needs a pinker or redder blush. You'll also become acutely sensitive to actor's ring-around-the-collar, that white space under the ears and continuing around the back of the neck where the actor forgot to use any makeup at all.
· Costume Crew -- You need to be familiar with costuming a show and making a costume plot. Are there costumes already on hand that can be altered for your show, or will you need to have some made? Is the outfit your actor is attired in really 1920's or is it more 1950's? Shouldn't that actress be wearing a hat? Directors are often faced with these kinds of questions. The more you know, the better your show will be.
· Actor - Although most directors come from an acting background, there are some who come into it from the technical side. A director needs to understand how it feels to be up there under the hot lights with everybody watching every move you make. Receiving direction is also the first introduction most of us have to giving direction. Unless you yourself have been on the receiving end, you may tend to underestimate the feelings that actors experience as they're being told what to do. Experiencing it for yourself will increase your own sensitivity.
· Assistant Director - This is one of the final steps to becoming a director. This allows the director-in-training to work with someone more experienced and to get their feet wet without having to take full responsibility for the show. This is also the point where many find they really don't want to direct, or that they have a lot more to learn. If you've done this job and feel you're ready to direct, ask the director you AD'ed for if he or she also thinks you're ready. If the answer is no, keep on assisting until you get the green light from someone more experienced than yourself.
· Directing Final – The final step to becoming a director will be directing your own one act show. DIT participants will select their show, design their set, put together their own crew, schedule their auditions, cast their show, rehearse with their cast, and perform their final product at a Night of One Acts. Each performance will be graded and scored by a panel of seasoned theatre pros. Participants will have to make an average grade of 85 to be able to take on their own Mainstage Production.
Know Thy Theatre!
Every theatre is different. There are many different kinds of lighting systems, stages may be small or large, acoustics may be great or awful. Support systems, finances and technical expertise also vary from theatre to theatre. For this reason, all new directors will be expected to participate in the Directors in Training Program to a certain extent. Budding directors are encouraged to both act in our shows and work a variety of backstage jobs with us so they can learn from as many different people as possible. Even those who come to us with extensive experience in other theatres or with formal training will still find they have a lot to learn about how a show is done on our stage with our resources, and the value of serving an apprenticeship with our group regardless of how much knowledge they already have will be very beneficial to both them and CharACTers. Because an assistant director may soon be directing on his or her own, directors will choose their AD's from those who are already well-versed in backstage and onstage skills, and work closely with them throughout the production, always with an eye toward making sure that by the time they take the reins themselves, they'll be as well-prepared as possible. The AD positions are therefore considered highly valuable slots, and those who fill them are chosen with care.
Upon completion of that last hurdle, the directing final, the would-be director will ask our Board of Directos for permission to direct and submits a resume and letter listing the skills he or she has acquired in the course of apprenticeship with our theatre, as well as any other training they may have. If they also receive satisfactory recommendations from the directors they have AD'ed for, they are then admitted as full-fledged directors.
Applying for DIT'S - Requirements, Selection, and Application
Requirements for Acceptance into the DIT’S Program
1. Applicants should be at least 15 years old but preferably 18 years old or older.
2. Should have been involved with CharACTers for at least five shows (approximately one year).
3. Should conduct themselves with professionalism and show understanding of the CharACTers Etiquette Rules.
4. Have a good work ethic.
5. Be prepared to be at all required DIT’S meetings and participate in all upcoming shows in some way that take place during the
training program.
6. Be a team player.
Director Selection/Interview Process:
1. The President will receive (via the online application form) director applications up through the deadline. (Due May 16th by 11:59 p.m.)
2. The President will contact applicant with confirmation of having received application within 48 hours.
3. The DIT’S Selection Committee will review applications and make selections based upon:
a. Personal knowledge of applicant’s skill
b. Theatre resume
c. Past experience at CharACTers
4. The President will contact interviewees to schedule interviews if necessary.
5. All interviewees’ names will be posted on the CharACTers website and Facebook page.
6. The interviewees will be interviewed by the DIT’S Selection Committee at their scheduled interview time.
7. After the interviews have been completed, the President will contact the DIT’S that have been selected.
Application Instructions
Please fill out the form below.
Applicants are required to also submit a personal essay (one page) describing why they would like to be accepted into the DIT’S Program, why they want to direct, their experience with CharACTers, and their hopes for the future in theatre. Please attach your essay in the upload box at the end of the application form. Please save the file as a Word Document with the title YourName – Directors Essay (example – JohnSmith – Directors Essay).
Applicants are also required to submit a Theatre Resume that outlines their theatre experience. Please include all aspects of your experience including acting, directing, technical experience, etc. You may also include letters of recommendation with your resume if applicable. Please attach your resume in the upload box at the end of the application form. Please save the file as a Word Document with the title YourName – Theatre Resume (example – JohnSmith – Theatre Resume).
Applicants may include a headshot of themselves if they would like (not required but appreciated) with their application. Headshots may be color or black and white and should be saved as a JPEG with the title YourName – Headshot (example – JohnSmith – Headshot).
Well-Rounded Means Well-Grounded
The best directors have at least some experience at many different kinds of jobs. Fortunately, Community Theatre is a learn-as-you-go enterprise, so there are many, many opportunities to get training. Of course, not everybody is going to excel at every job; you might be tempted to avoid some of the areas for which you really feel you have no aptitude. Do them anyway.
Directors in Training will work with various theatre experts and will learn from their experiences. These experts will act as mentors to the participants that they can learn from and ask for guidance.
Participants in the DIT’S Program will be expected to work in some way on each aspect of a show. This will include -
· Stage Manager or Crew - Working this job will help you understand such things as how long it takes to call a cast member waiting in the green room, whether that fast change can really be accomplished in 15 seconds, or when a cue from the light booth is going to be needed because the crew is working blind behind the set. Working this job also helps a director understand the importance of a stage manager.
· Lighting Director or Crew - Unless you know its limitations and capabilities of the lighting system, you won't have a clue as to what you can ask for. Once you've worked a stint in the light booth, you'll know how many lights you've got, where they can be hung, how tightly they can be focused, and what kind of transitions you can expect. You'll learn how to look for dark spots, will know a good wash from a bad one, and will know how many specials you can ask for. And when the lighting director for your show says what you're asking for can't be done, you'll understand why or why not and can work on alternatives.
· Sound Director or Crew - How extensive is your sound effects library? Can your system produce a tinny sound? (It probably can) A deep rich sound? (Maybe not) Can you have three quick sound cues in a row? As a director, you may need the answers to questions like these. As with lighting, sound also has its limitations. And to help your sound guy establish the sound levels you want to hear from the house, you need to have walked a mile in his headsets.
· Set Design or Construction Crew -- As a director, you should be prepared to tell the set designer at least something about how you'd like the set to look, and you need to know the basics of how a set is constructed before you can realistically do that. Again, it's a question of learning what you can and can't ask for in your particular theatre.
· Makeup Crew - Spend some time working on the makeup crew, and you'll learn how colors can change under the lights, whether an actor should go with a darker or lighter base, and which actress needs a pinker or redder blush. You'll also become acutely sensitive to actor's ring-around-the-collar, that white space under the ears and continuing around the back of the neck where the actor forgot to use any makeup at all.
· Costume Crew -- You need to be familiar with costuming a show and making a costume plot. Are there costumes already on hand that can be altered for your show, or will you need to have some made? Is the outfit your actor is attired in really 1920's or is it more 1950's? Shouldn't that actress be wearing a hat? Directors are often faced with these kinds of questions. The more you know, the better your show will be.
· Actor - Although most directors come from an acting background, there are some who come into it from the technical side. A director needs to understand how it feels to be up there under the hot lights with everybody watching every move you make. Receiving direction is also the first introduction most of us have to giving direction. Unless you yourself have been on the receiving end, you may tend to underestimate the feelings that actors experience as they're being told what to do. Experiencing it for yourself will increase your own sensitivity.
· Assistant Director - This is one of the final steps to becoming a director. This allows the director-in-training to work with someone more experienced and to get their feet wet without having to take full responsibility for the show. This is also the point where many find they really don't want to direct, or that they have a lot more to learn. If you've done this job and feel you're ready to direct, ask the director you AD'ed for if he or she also thinks you're ready. If the answer is no, keep on assisting until you get the green light from someone more experienced than yourself.
· Directing Final – The final step to becoming a director will be directing your own one act show. DIT participants will select their show, design their set, put together their own crew, schedule their auditions, cast their show, rehearse with their cast, and perform their final product at a Night of One Acts. Each performance will be graded and scored by a panel of seasoned theatre pros. Participants will have to make an average grade of 85 to be able to take on their own Mainstage Production.
Know Thy Theatre!
Every theatre is different. There are many different kinds of lighting systems, stages may be small or large, acoustics may be great or awful. Support systems, finances and technical expertise also vary from theatre to theatre. For this reason, all new directors will be expected to participate in the Directors in Training Program to a certain extent. Budding directors are encouraged to both act in our shows and work a variety of backstage jobs with us so they can learn from as many different people as possible. Even those who come to us with extensive experience in other theatres or with formal training will still find they have a lot to learn about how a show is done on our stage with our resources, and the value of serving an apprenticeship with our group regardless of how much knowledge they already have will be very beneficial to both them and CharACTers. Because an assistant director may soon be directing on his or her own, directors will choose their AD's from those who are already well-versed in backstage and onstage skills, and work closely with them throughout the production, always with an eye toward making sure that by the time they take the reins themselves, they'll be as well-prepared as possible. The AD positions are therefore considered highly valuable slots, and those who fill them are chosen with care.
Upon completion of that last hurdle, the directing final, the would-be director will ask our Board of Directos for permission to direct and submits a resume and letter listing the skills he or she has acquired in the course of apprenticeship with our theatre, as well as any other training they may have. If they also receive satisfactory recommendations from the directors they have AD'ed for, they are then admitted as full-fledged directors.
Applying for DIT'S - Requirements, Selection, and Application
Requirements for Acceptance into the DIT’S Program
1. Applicants should be at least 15 years old but preferably 18 years old or older.
2. Should have been involved with CharACTers for at least five shows (approximately one year).
3. Should conduct themselves with professionalism and show understanding of the CharACTers Etiquette Rules.
4. Have a good work ethic.
5. Be prepared to be at all required DIT’S meetings and participate in all upcoming shows in some way that take place during the
training program.
6. Be a team player.
Director Selection/Interview Process:
1. The President will receive (via the online application form) director applications up through the deadline. (Due May 16th by 11:59 p.m.)
2. The President will contact applicant with confirmation of having received application within 48 hours.
3. The DIT’S Selection Committee will review applications and make selections based upon:
a. Personal knowledge of applicant’s skill
b. Theatre resume
c. Past experience at CharACTers
4. The President will contact interviewees to schedule interviews if necessary.
5. All interviewees’ names will be posted on the CharACTers website and Facebook page.
6. The interviewees will be interviewed by the DIT’S Selection Committee at their scheduled interview time.
7. After the interviews have been completed, the President will contact the DIT’S that have been selected.
Application Instructions
Please fill out the form below.
Applicants are required to also submit a personal essay (one page) describing why they would like to be accepted into the DIT’S Program, why they want to direct, their experience with CharACTers, and their hopes for the future in theatre. Please attach your essay in the upload box at the end of the application form. Please save the file as a Word Document with the title YourName – Directors Essay (example – JohnSmith – Directors Essay).
Applicants are also required to submit a Theatre Resume that outlines their theatre experience. Please include all aspects of your experience including acting, directing, technical experience, etc. You may also include letters of recommendation with your resume if applicable. Please attach your resume in the upload box at the end of the application form. Please save the file as a Word Document with the title YourName – Theatre Resume (example – JohnSmith – Theatre Resume).
Applicants may include a headshot of themselves if they would like (not required but appreciated) with their application. Headshots may be color or black and white and should be saved as a JPEG with the title YourName – Headshot (example – JohnSmith – Headshot).
