9.4: Collaboration
When each of us gives our best self to the group we are able to achieve incredible things. As a director it helps if you have experience in as many areas of theatre as possible. The more experience you have in various areas, the more you able to understand the artistry each contributor brings to the project and you are able to appreciate the effort it takes in order to produce each contribution.
I always used to think that students took my classes because of the information they were receiving. I am proud of the rigor of my curriculum and am constantly pushing my students to strive to be the best versions of themselves. Yet everytime I hear my students talk about why they love theater or keep coming back to the theater, the only answer I ever hear is the relationships they make while creating theater. I think that is why we all love theater, it is the place where we find that our ideas matter, that it is ok to take chances, that failure is an opportunity to learn and improve, and where we ultimately find our tribe. Theater is a collaborative art form and as the leader of a production always remember that the relationships we create during the process are more important than the quality of the production.