1.3: Script Selection
When you have the luxury of choosing the script
The ability to select a script is a luxury often only afforded to those at the top of their careers or those at the bottom. At the height of your career everyone wants you to direct and you get to choose which scripts to invest your time. On the other hand when you are starting out or starting over you are afforded the luxury of script selection often while starting a theater company or when the company you work with does not yet have a planned season.
In the situations where you are at the height of your career you will not need this book and will already have a well developed process allowing you to choose a project that speaks to your soul at that moment in your life. Because this situation is far down the road we will not explore it.
When you are starting a company or working with a company that is just beginning, you will need to carefully select a script that will maximize your chances of success. Ask yourself these questions: What actors do we have, how many are there, and what can they play? What is our budget? Where are we performing? And most importantly who is our target audience?
What actors do we have, how many are there, and what can they play? No matter what, you need to make sure you have a play that you can do an amazing rendition of. You do not want your play to be mediocre. Look at the talent you have and find a play that showcases and capitalizes on their talents. If the show is good the audience will come back, if it is not you will lose them forever. One of the secrets to a good production is the acting. If you have really good actors you will not need much more in terms of costuming, lights, props, or sound, in order for the audience to be entertained and captivated. Dynamic performers have the ability to transport your audience to another world and every actor has this ability, but you must find a show that works with the group you have.
What is our budget? New companies have little to no money so budget is a tremendous factor in play selection. Luckily you have several options. A standard performance fee for a published play is a around $100 per performance and musicals are about five times that amount depending on the venue. This means you will need to sell at least enough tickets to pay for the performance rights of each show. However, if you have not created an audience base then you can look at classical plays that are in the public domain which are free to perform or you can write your own work.
Where are we performing? Ask yourself what space you have available. Does the company own a space? If not, what spaces can you afford? You can look at theaters, ask landlords of vacant buildings, or apply for permits to perform at public parks. A good director can direct in any space. That being said, producing a play is hard enough as it is and you will want to choose a play that will be easily staged in the space available.
Who is our target audience? Your target audience is your ideal audience member. This is broken into age, race, gender, and social class. You need to know this because this will dictate not only the show you select but who you cast, how you design, and how much you can charge for tickets. I will go over this in detail in the preparation chapter.
You want to select a play that you can easily cast, is cost effective, fits your production space, and is something your target audience will be excited to see. Choose a show that you think will be easy, because believe me shows are NEVER easy and you want to give yourself every chance to reduce stress for the road ahead.
When you have the privilege of directing a show that is selected for you
There will be many times in your career where you will be hired to direct a show that you did not choose. In those instances, remind yourself that it is a privilege to work on your craft and serve others. Also remember that specific show was selected because it is perfect for the target audience of that theater and you were hired because of your perspective and artistic talent. Once you are hired and are informed of the show you will be directing, read it. Read it again. And read it again until you fall in love with the play and find how you connect with the play and the play’s themes.