Directing Your Heart Out: Essays for Authenticity, Engagement, and Care in Theatre

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A ground-floor guide to the practice and philosophy of directing that is open to all, including newcomers to the field. Through a series of concise and engaging essays, Directing Your Heart Out will inspire the next generation of theatre directors by encouraging them to approach the craft through instinct, compassion and the uninhibited expression of their own voice and vision. Each of the book's essays deals with a core principle of directing, such as strategies for directing text; facilitating productive discussion in rehearsals; absorbing criticism; and maintaining a positive work environment. Taken together, they serve as an effective introduction to the fundamentals of directing, or as provocative supplementary readings alongside traditional directing textbooks. En route, it references: > more than 20 directors and choreographers > major contemporary ensembles such as The Wooster Group, SITI Company and Back to Back Theatre > key terminology, such as objective, action, obstacle, realism and absurdism > over 12 plays, including a close-reading of a scene from The Seagull Encouraging an approach to directing that is grounded in self-empowerment and set out accessibly, this book opens up directing to the first-time director or student from a range of backgrounds, as well as the seasoned professional, who will benefit from the many revisionary, fresh perspectives.

Reviews

Directing Your Heart Out speaks in a vibrant and refreshingly candid voice to young directors. While Tom Dugdale offers practical advice about how to become a better director, the book is not so much a how-to as a passionate what-if offering aspirational proposals for confronting the challenges faced by theatre artists today. Directing Your Heart Out invites careful consideration of the art of directing by those who will carry the torch forward. His writing will spark lively discussion and a re-evaluation of how theatre can and should be done. * Deb Ruth Alley, Professor, Department of Theatre & Dance, Texas State University, USA *
A necessary book. Written with both honesty and generosity by a wonderful director, this is a passionate and articulate guide to the art of directing. * Les Waters, Theatre Director, UK *

Author Bio

Tom Dugdale is Assistant Professor of Theatre in the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts at Ohio State University, US, where he teaches directing, devising and acting. He has directed across the US and Europe, and his academic research interests include directing pedagogy, community-engaged practices and the intersection of theatre with health and science.