By Rikki Lee Travolta
There are a lot of very good theatrical directors in the performing arts community. There are those who have studied years in formal training programs, and there are those who have learned their craft through the process of growing up through the ranks – perhaps first as an actor and then as an assistant director.
There is no magic formula for what makes the best directors, but there is one thing that I have noticed a lot of the great ones have in common. Great directors are rarely dictators. Usually, the great ones are those who value and appreciate the contributions of others.
I recently interviewed director Jessica Fisch regarding the production of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, a northwest suburb of Chicago. According to Fisch, she began work on “Beautiful” about a year before the show opened. Her first calls, she said, were to her production partners.
She did not say her “employees”. She did not say her “assistants”. She did not say her “staff”. She said her “partners”. That is significant.
Partner is a word with very strong connotations, the most prevalent of which is that there is a sense of balance and equality. All partners, by definition, share both the glory and the disappointments that can happen with any given project.
When it comes to theatre and directing a show, the questions are – who should these partners be and how much leeway should they be given?
I once interviewed the president of a very successful furniture company. “I don’t know anything about making furniture,” he confided in me. “So, I hire people who are experts and then I trust them to do their job.”
That’s pretty good advice. I’ve applied it to many aspects of my life, including how I approach directing a theatrical show. I focus on my strengths and hire people with expertise in the areas I either am not adept at, or don’t have the time for.
So, what should be delegated and what should the director focus on? Should an artistic director pull double duty as choreographer, set designer, costumer, or any other position?
Let’s take choreography as one example of an additional title a director may take on during a particular production. Just because one can choreograph, doesn’t necessarily mean they should. At least not always.
I am an okay choreographer, but it’s not a field I would be wise to pursue as a full-time vocation. The point being is that I can do it, but there are other people who are far more qualified. So, as a director, my time is best spent working on the other areas of the show and letting a top-notch choreographer do what they do best.
Of course, there are numerous artists who excel at both directing and choreographing. In their case, the right formula for success might include handling both duties. In Chicago, there are a number of brilliant director/choreographers including, but not limited to, the likes of Amber Mak, Jim Corti, and Brenda Didier.
As reflected in the article “Should Artistic Director Choreograph Too?” in the Denver Post, in the case of an artist with such highly developed dual talents, wearing the hats of both the director and the choreographer may be the right approach. It all depends on the individual’s strengths and time available.
Time available is an important factor. One of the most common skill sets that I notice missing from many directors’ repertoire is that of time management and delegation. In truth, mounting a play or musical should be handled like running a business. That means sticking to timetables. To make that happen, one has to be able to delegate tasks. Let the set designer design the set. Let the costumer design the costumes. You worry about your part of the puzzle and bringing the whole thing together in the end.
I remember working for storefront theatres fresh out of college. In those situations, I was often doing everything myself. I was the director, choreographer, music director, tech director, costumer, set designer, publicist, janitor, and food services person all rolled into one. It wasn’t because I felt a burning need to handle all of those tasks. Rather, I was the only person available to do the work within our budget. Those who have done storefront theatre can empathize that often the budget for a show isn’t much.
When the budget does allow for a full creative and technical staff, I am committed to working with the best specialists in their respective disciplines. If you can do costumes better than I can, I would much rather hire you to do the job so I can focus my efforts on things that require my specific attention.
Regina Belt-Daniels is a talented theatrical director based in the Chicagoland area. She won the 2022 Heartstrings Award for Most Meaningful Direction for her production of “I Hate Hamlet.” She routinely works with many of the same specialists on her productions ranging from costumes to lights. Barry Norton, for instance, is usually her go-to guy for set decoration – and anyone who has seen Norton’s work can tell you why Daniels keeps utilizing him.
In addition to doing great work in general, after years of working together, Norton has a keen understanding of Daniels’ likes and preferences. Dramatics Magazine points out in the article “7 Theatre Careers to Consider” that “theatre is a team effort.” Daniels and Norton certainly understand this.
Regarding Daniels’ preference of using talent like Norton whom she is familiar with, in an article on LinkedIn, businessman and author Lou Adler adds that 85% of jobs are filled by those in our network. On the Stage also endorses the importance of networking in theatre, citing that there is a tendency to prefer to work with those we are familiar with. Then, it’s just a matter of making sure tasks are divided effectively.
“Never underestimate the importance of delegating effectively,” advises Alfredo Atanacio in Forbes Magazine. Assign the duties necessary for you to have the time you need for your tasks. By dividing the tasks between multiple experts, you arrive at the best possible product in the least amount of time.
In the musical “Gypsy”, young would-be stars sing “Let Me Entertain You” – all about one person entertaining the masses. However, later in the show, there is a reprise of the song, now titled “May We Entertain You?” – that later title is how we should almost always approach creating theatre. Let your team do the jobs they excel at. You just worry about you and being the best director you can be. Make it a team effort.
Photo by Wendy Wei
Photo by Leon Macapagal
Photo by Ibolya Toldi
Photo by Luis Quintero
