My role as a director

My Role as a Director

Throughout the creation of our upcoming Butoh performance, all of us are going to get the chance to direct our own scene. I’m the director for the scene based on pride.

“Ultimately, theatre needs three elements: actors, play, and audience. But for theatre to actualize its potential, a person would need to impose his or her point of view that would penetrate all aspects of the production. That person is the director.” (Debra Bruch, chapter 10) 

I need to go into this role, I need to impose my view point and use the actors and set in order to vivify my viewpoint and ideas about pride. According to Debra Bruch, the director has two main roles.

To invoke a unified vision of the final production and

To guide and lead cast members to their full potential. 

In order for me to do this, I need to

Clarify what my vision of the scene is

Explain and invoke my vision to the cast members and fellow actors

Make sure my vision works on stage, if not then conduct changes that will make it successfull

Motivate the actors to ultimate actualization. 

Unify the vision and final results of costumes, set design, make up, lighting etc.

Make it WORK. 

If we were to produce a play based on a script, my first step as a director would be to analyze and visualize the script. I would then meet with the costume designers, set manager etc. in order to make sure my visions are achievable. In these meetings, I would not impose my personal view of the play but instead listen to different interpretation. This highly creative intercourse often results in a compromised, but better vision of the production. 

The directors most time-consuming task is to rehearse the actors. It’s therefore extremely important that I remain organized and focus throughout this process, especially since I only have about a week to direct my scene. This is where the scene is choreographed, blocked and rehearsed. Even though our production does not involve any lines, this stage is crucial and time-consuming as we are devising our own butoh movements.