Directors

Directors set the creative vision for each Festival production, and lead the cast and creative team to bring it to life. They oversee the process of mounting the production and unifying its elements, including casting, design and staging. The artistic director selects the director of each production, and approves their collaborators.

Choreographers devise and teach dance. On musical productions, the choreographer is almost always a full-time member of the creative team; on plays, a choreographer may be part-time, depending on the needs of the production.

Fight directors devise and teach stage combat and other staged acts of violence, including the use of any prop weapons, with an emphasis on safety. This is generally a part-time role during the rehearsal process; a cast member may assume ‘captain’ duties to maintain this work during the run.

Intimacy directors devise and teach scenes or moments of intimacy and/or nudity, with an emphasis on supporting each artist’s safety, agency and consent. This is generally a part-time role during the rehearsal process; a cast member may assume ‘captain’ duties to maintain this work during the run.

The coaching team also supports artists in developing and maintaining performances, which can include text work, movement, dialects and accent, and other elements.

All these creative team members work to ensure that the production is created to ensure that the cast can perform the show safely and consistently through the season.

The Directors’ Office works with the director of each production to determine which roles are engaged for a show’s process. ​​​​​​​

Artists are encouraged to direct questions to the director or to the Festival’s producer, David Auster or associate producer Bonnie Green, particularly when additional support could benefit the process.