How to Direct a Community Theater Musical
Perhaps the theater has always been your passion, but life got in the way of doing something about it. Community theater is a great way to reignite that passion and train young people for careers in theater. You'll also be giving the community reasonably priced entertainment. Directing a musical can be a scary prospect. Don't fret! You can do it! Directing can be both exhilarating and challenging, but it an adventure worth embarking upon.
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Instructions
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Hold auditions. Suggest that those auditioning prepare their best 16 bars of an up-tempo musical theater song and ballad, both in the style of the show you are casting. They should also be told to bring dance wear in case you want to have them stay and dance. If you are also the choreographer, prepare a short dance combination.
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Make copies of sides (selected scenes from the script). Place these copies in the waiting room. Create an audition form for those auditioning to fill out with their contact information and related experience. During the singing portion of the audition, decide who you would like to stay and read for speaking roles. If a lead requires dancing skills, have the potential lead stay to dance as well. Remember to cast backstage crew members, including the very important role of stage manager to keep things running smoothly.
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Find a team of people to build the sets and someone to handle the props. Meet with them, prepared with a sketch of what you want. Once you have agreed on the set construction, begin blocking (mapping out the actor’s movement around the stage) for the scenes.
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Meet with the musical director and choreographer to plan your rehearsal schedule. Have many tech rehearsals (rehearsals that include full lights and sound) during the last two weeks before the show. Hire a professional sound team to run the sound (even if this means taking donations to do so), because the job of mixing vocal microphones, an orchestra and a chorus of singers is a very difficult one.
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Begin your first night of rehearsal by telling the cast that, if they can not commit to attendance, you will have to recast their roles. In the early rehearsal stages, have the chorus work with the musical director. The leads should work on the blocking with you. Then switch. Bring in the dance steps after they have learned the music.
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Get on the stage with the set as early as possible. The sooner the cast is familiar with the space, the better off everybody is. Have a note giving session at the end of every rehearsal. Be positive! When your actors do well, be sure to tell them so. You will be amazed at how the next performance is even better.
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Begin running the show as early as you can. Get feedback from a friends and family preview. Make adjustments and enjoy your accomplishments with the show as it makes its grand premier.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to have an assistant for the audition process. He should bring each potential actor in to audition and oversee a sign-in sheet. This keeps things professional, and it helps you focus on the important audition process.
Don't forget to hire help. Be sure you have also assigned teams of people to handle the programs, refreshments for intermission, ticket sales, and ushering.
