Wonder Week

To my astonishment, I was accepted into the Drama League’s Fall Directing program. Right away I began receiving emails from Roger & Emily informing me of Wonder week, Director Fest & the Director’s retreat. Upon first receiving my acceptance I was filled with excitement and apprehension- excited because I am about to take my career to another level and apprehensive, not of the program, but that I might not cut the mustard. Having received my acceptance somewhere in April and not starting until August, needless to say, this summer was one on the longest I have ever experienced.
It was August 15th and I met my fellow directing colleagues. We are all uniquely different yet very similar in our great thirst for directing. Right way we are introduced to all of the Drama League staff [Family] and we are provided with the Wonder Week schedule. Now I see why they call it Wonder Week – because it’s a wonder that we’ll be able to meet that many people in such a short amount of time. Over the course of the next 6 days we schlep our way all over Manhattan to meet some of the most important people in theatre in New York [And I might also add, were taken to some very nice restaurants by Drama League members and supporters]. We are not only introduced to major producers of both commercial and non profit theatre but also agents, costumers, casting directors, Artistic directors and the office of SSDC. By the end of this week it felt like I had been given THE KEY to the golden gate. At the same time it forced me to really begin to think [re-evaluate] not my skills as a director but my over all mission as an artist.
On one of the last days of wonder week there was a very open and honest discussion with several New York artistic directors. Each company [As well as the head strong, & highly opinionated AD’s] was very different and as they spoke I realized that they all shared a common thought -- Producing works that were important to them. This may sound like such a simple thought but very often I have found myself directing a play that didn’t speak to but was capable of playing bills for a few months. So often, we as artist, get caught up in allowing outside factors to dictate some of the artistic choices we make and sometimes forget that the plays we decide to invest our blood, sweat & tears in should be a reflection of the world we see as flittered through the very core of our souls.
After leaving this round table discussion, I walked away with not only a new perspective but a deeper respect of the craft we call directing. In deed, I can’t wait to see what is next. It is as if I am starving man in the middle of the desert and the only thing I need to survive, is to direct.