Workshops showcase first-time student directors

Sarah Rebell Staff Writer

Want a chance to see eight plays in two nights? On Thursday, Feb. 7 and Friday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. in the Susan Stein Shiva Theatre, eight first-time student directors will present short pieces of theater. Known as Directing Workshops, this long tradition sponsored by Philaletheis, Vassar’s oldest student theater organization. The workshops provide the great opportunity for new directors to work in a low-pressure environment on a brief play or excerpt. Ideally, students will learn from this experience and go on to direct full-length productions.

For new directors, the workshops provide quite a challenge. Within the span of a week and a half, the directors must choose a play, present a proposal to the Philaletheis board, choose a cast from auditions, design simple costumes and a set, and rehearse the play for performance.

“Philaletheis sponsors Directing Workshops every semester because we believe it is important to establish a relationship with directors before they go on to direct full-lengths,” said Rachel Lee ’08, executive director of Philaletheis. “Directing a full-length [play] is a major commitment and we want to be sure that directors understand the challenges of the task, and that we have a sense of whether the director will be up to the challenge.”

This year’s workshops will be two nights long and feature four brief plays or excerpts from plays each night. The theatrical styles include comedies and dramas, contemporary and classical pieces, and are written by both lesser-known and well-established playwrights.

Many of the participating directors already have experience as actors and are familiar with the inner workings of the theater, but now they are encountering the pieces from a very different viewpoint. “I am so used to things from the actor’s perspective,” said Mathew Leonard ’11, who is directing “Sure Thing” by David Ives, “it is nice to see a design side,” he said.

Where actors must get into the mind of their characters, the directors must have broader visions for the entire piece— visions that, most of the time, begin in their minds. “It’s really cool to be able to put bodies and voices into a piece that’s only sat in my imagination thus far,” said Rory Katz ’09, who is directing “Forecast: A Parable” by Elizabeth Wray. The workshops allow students to take their interest in drama to a whole new level, a process that can be intimidating without the proper support.

Anna Amelia Raff ’09, who is directing “A Lie of The Mind” by Sam Shepard, is interested in delving into the intensities of drama. She described the piece she is directing as “this raw, brutally honest and incredibly moving piece of theatre.”

Like Raff, Amanda Kaplan ’10 wanted to work on a play that was full of brutal honesty, and required subtle acting on the part of her peers. For Kaplan, it was important to direct a piece that was “genuine and straight-forward, no strings or ‘over-acting’ attached.” Kaplan, who is directing “Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind” by The Neo-Futurists, “hopes to have a show that is not over-dramatic, nor far from the audience members’ experiences.”

The newest addition to the Directing Workshops staff is a stage manager, Meredith Mueller ’11. Lee said Mueller has helped control the hectic process of staging eight plays.

“They wanted someone to specifically handle the set changes and the technical aspects,” said Mueller. “I was excited to be involved because I felt it was a way to slowly become a part of the Vassar theater community. I’m excited to see what the new directors will bring to the table.”

Lee is also optimistic about the outcome of the workshops. “This year there has been the highest number of directors involved since my freshman year,” she said, “which bodes well for future full-length seasons.”