I guess they need me after all . . .

Wow—I've hardly had a minute to reflect on all of the things that have happened in the last two weeks. The program started with an amazing dinner at one of New York's best restaraunts, 11 Madison. It was a chance for the four of us to spend some time together and get an idea about what was ahead of us—a week jam packed with meetings and visits to the theatre.

Throughout Wonder Week, what struck me again and again is the degree to which the theatre NEEDS directors with a clear point of view about what theatre can do and what makes a good story. From the outside of the business, it feels like four more young directors can add very little to the rich and varried world of the American Theatre. Time and time again, from artistic directors to agents, producers, writers, actors and designers it was made clear that without us, there's just a lot of busy-ness. On every level of the theatre, directors with passion and the ability to shape the theatre making experience provide every other discipline with the framework they need excel at their craft. Producers need directors with new and exciting ideas, designers need directors who can help them visually articulate the fantastic worlds in their heads, actors need directors to help them shape their performance and writers need us to keep our eye on the audience's experience. No play directs itself. Because there are so many plays being done all the time, all over the country, good directors are always in demand. After feeling for years that no one really needed me to do what I do, it was gratifying and invigorating to have that idea completely debunked.

Our retreat in the Berkshires was an even bigger confidence builder. For the first time in my life I had the opportunity to work on one of the great plays of our Western Canon, "Uncle Vanya" with actors who know a lot more than I do. The incredibly talented performers I worked with allowed me to focus on shaping the story, rather than on being an acting coach. Young directors often work with young and student actors, which is very rewarding in its own right. BUT, at least half your job is coaching. When something doesn't work, you're never sure that it's a directing problem. I've often felt that the actor I worked with just couldn't do what the play required. Not this time. Any wrinkle in the scene was about directing. What a gift! To know that all I had to do was be clear about what needed to happen in the scene and how I wanted to physicalize the action and—Voila—it would be there. The four of us (directors) are truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such a talented and generous copmpany of actors.

Now, off to the world of assisting. Yesterday was twelve hours of meetings and auditions at the Public for the upcoming 40th anniversary "Hair" concert. Today I'm off to observe the recently revamped "Seussical" prep for its first national tour. For the next week I'll be jumping between these two very different and wonderful projects . . . somebody pinch me because this can't be happening to me!

—Dan Rigazzi