Strong Choices

I had rehearsal for my show Tuesday night and last night, and I've come to the conclusion that I have a kick-ass director and cast.

After only a couple of days of rehearsal, it feels like everyone "gets it". Everything is coming together faster and a lot more easily than at the New Works festival last year. Aside from good casting, I credit this to one major thing: both the cast and the director are not afraid to make strong choices.

One thing that acting students learn is that acting is about choices. The actual choice you make is often less important than making a strong choice and sticking to it. And all of my actors are making strong choices from day 1.

But what I am learning is that directors need to make strong choices as well. Unfortunately, many new directors (and this is a community college, so the new works festivals tend to be directed by student directors), are afraid to make strong choices. Sometimes they're even reluctant to give the actors a deadline by when they are expected to have their lines memorized. But I'm fortunate to have a director who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to tell you (and yet who is open the writer's suggestions).