How to direct a play

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How to direct a play

By The Guardian Masterclasses

Date and time

Saturday, November 1, 2014 · 10am - 4pm GMT

Location

The Guardian

Kings Place 90 York Way London N1 9GU United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Contact the organizer to request a refund.

Description

How to get the best out of your cast, your text and your audience

Behind every spectacular performance is a passionate and committed director who knows how to get the best from their performers. Understanding how actors work, and what they need from a director, is key to coaxing great theatre from a cast. This one-day workshop gives you the chance to learn proven, practical techniques for working with actors from Roxana Silbert, artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

This inspiring course will provide you with a toolkit of games, exercises and processes to bridge the gap between director and performer, from vocal and physical warm-ups to non-verbal techniques with which actors can build suspense and tell a more compelling story to an audience. You'll also learn how to explore text to create a more nuanced personal interpretation of a play, and encourage your cast to breathe new life into sometimes familiar characters. With the opportunity to both act and direct, and invaluable personal feedback from an experienced director, it's a fantastic opportunity for directors of any level of experience to gain a deeper understanding of the symbiosis of theatre.

This course is for you if...

  • You have a keen interest in theatre and aspire to start directing
  • You're at the beginning of your directing career and want to learn practical techniques and build your confidence
  • You're an experienced director who wants to learn a more collaborative way to work
  • You're an actor who wants to improve the way you work with directors

Course description

This highly practical one-day workshop teaches attendees a range of exercises and directing techniques to help actors reach their full potential, explore text more creatively, and tell a satisfying story to an audience. All attendees will have the chance to both act and direct, and receive expert feedback from experienced director Roxana Silbert. Topics covered will include:

  • How to lead vocal exercises for actors
  • How to lead physical exercises for actors
  • Exploring the text
  • How to direct performers
  • Discovering what a play is asking from a director and an actor
  • How to tell a story to an audience

Tutor profile

Roxana Silbert is the artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Formerly associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Roxana has worked for numerous leading UK theatres, in roles such as literary director at the Traverse Theatre and associate director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Additionally, she has collaborated with prominent playwrights and actors, including Ian McDiarmid and Mark Williams, and runs workshops for all backgrounds and levels of experience.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

Organized by

Welcome to Guardian Masterclasses – a unique programme of learning embedded within one of the world's most forward-thinking media organisations.

We offer a broad range of short and long courses across a variety of disciplines from creative writing, journalism, photography and design, film and digital media, music and cultural appreciation.

Harnessing the expertise and specialisms within the organisation, our courses are led by first class and award winning guardian professionals whilst also drawing on the skills and expertise of other leading figures at the forefront of the creative and digital industries.

The programme is aimed at anyone interested in personal or professional development whether that be refining your skills, focusing your ambition or simply broadening your mind and gaining inspiration.

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