I have often been asked what differentiates a good production from a great one. There are many things that elevate a show to greatness of course. But I believe every element of a great production can be reduced to these two principles: attention to detail and finding the moments.
In educational theatre, directors are forced to wear many hats often leading them to feeling overwhelmed. The nuances can be missed and artistic choices can take a back seat to the bigger demands of the job. After all, getting a group of emotionally-charged adolescents focused and working together as a team while mounting a full scale production on a tight budget is a tall order.
But the things that bring a show to the next level are also the fun things that bring about satisfaction with the end product and leave an audience recognizing the difference but not being able to pinpoint exactly what it was that made it so.
So for what its worth, here are my top ten ways to take your show to the next level:
1. Pick good material. It will never betray you.
2. Know the style of your show and honor it. Keep it consistent throughout. Beware of modern casualness creeping in to body language and diction.
3. If the script inherently calls for a dialect - use it. Some plays are written with a rhythm and cadence that is driven by regional, ethnic, or cultural dialects. Guys and Dolls without the "Runyonese" loses the humor and kills the punchline. Fiddler on the Roof without the Yiddish inflection loses the melody. "Right? Of Course right!"
2. Know the style of your show and honor it. Keep it consistent throughout. Beware of modern casualness creeping in to body language and diction.
3. If the script inherently calls for a dialect - use it. Some plays are written with a rhythm and cadence that is driven by regional, ethnic, or cultural dialects. Guys and Dolls without the "Runyonese" loses the humor and kills the punchline. Fiddler on the Roof without the Yiddish inflection loses the melody. "Right? Of Course right!"
4. Pay attention to punctuation...especially ellipses...
5. Analyze the text with your actors. There is nothing worse than students not understanding what they are saying or why they are doing what they are doing. The "aha" moment when a character's motivation becomes clear to the actor is thrilling. I have been known to take hours working over just a few lines in order for my actors to understand every word and subtext before getting them on their feet. If done well, a scene will practically block itself. I'm a big fan of the Atlantic Theatre Company's Practical Handbook for the Actor technique myself.
6. Pay attention to pacing. Know when to pick up the tempo and when to slow it down. Know when to pause. Let the moment happen. Don't rush it.
7. Create interesting stage pictures that communicate the tension, emotion, atmosphere or meaning of the moment.
8. Beware of cleverness for cleverness sake. Don't give in to the cheap laugh or clap trap. Schtick is schtick. Leave to the stand ups.
9. Whatever the budget, put the money where they can see it. Production values are important. Know how fabric works under light. Understand color, texture, line, and form. Don't let an actor go on stage looking bad. Shoes make the costume. Sorry. I know character shoes are the standard go-to for most musicals. Attention to detail in shoes not only gives the show a "look" - it will help your actors get in to character. The old adage, accessories make the outfit is as true in costuming as in real life.
10. Remember it's a process. Young actors need to season. It takes time.
