Directing as a Journey: A Personal Investigation of How and Why to Direct a Play
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Date
2014-06
Authors
Sugar, Michael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Play directing is a personal art. While this thesis begins by making objective
suggestions about how to direct a play, the majority of the document views directing
through a personal rather than objective lens. This thesis principally explores how and
why I directed Neil Simon's The Dinner Party. To answer these questions of how and
why, I outline the journey I took to direct this play; my journey can be an analogy by
which other directors can understand their own journeys. ln what follows, I conclude
that I chose to direct a play in order to better serve the education systems in which I will
work as a teacher in the coming years. I also conclude that I specifically chose to direct
The Dinner Party because the most important parts of my life are reflected in this play. This thesis details many discoveries, both about the nature of directing and
about my life. The main argument is that while life informs directing, directing also
infonns life. In other words, completing this project improved both my understanding of
directing techniques as well as my understanding of my own life and experiences. The
goal of finding unity, both in one's life and in a play, is a theme in this thesis project. As
a director, I must actively pursue unity in myself, in my technical and artistic work on a
play, and between myself and my work on a play. This argument regarding unity is the
fruit of my directing journey and adds to existing scholarship on play directing.
Description
226 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Theatre Arts and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2014.
Keywords
Play Directing, Theater, Theatre, Acting, Journey, Education, Love