Directing Amateur Musical Theatre

How do you choose a musical to direct that suits your amateur theatre group's needs? How do you run an open and fair audition process and cast a show appropriately? How do you design a rehearsal schedule to cover a large set of amateur performers? How do you work with amateur actors to achieve a level of professionalism in performance while maintaining the enjoyment? Directing Amateur Musical Theatre offers answers to all of these questions and many, many more. Demystifying the pre-production process and auditions through to rehearsals and opening night, this book offers a roadmap for success for amateur directors everywhere. Rooted in the wide-ranging experience of a working practitioner who specialises in directing amateur musical theatre across various different formats, it details ways to stage different types of musical numbers, through to blocking and staging a scene, as well as how to approach a text and expanding the acting skills of a mixed-ability cast. Considering the opportunities offered by different musicals, it equips you to direct shows ranging from the golden age through to more contemporary works with imaginative, sensitive and informed direction. Featuring practical advice and exercises that follow the life-cycle of a production, this book also includes helpful charts, diagrams, templates and tools that break down the fundamental elements of directing a musical in a digestible way that will appeal to first-time, as well as more experienced, directors looking to hone and refine their craft. This invaluable handbook - the first to be published in the post-Covid landscape - will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in directing amateur musical theatre and would like to bring more to, and gain more from, the experience.

Dom O'Hanlon is a director of musical theatre who has over fifteen years of experience directing and working within amateur theatre in the UK and USA. His experience spans university and college productions, summer camp and summer stock, educational and TIE musicals as well as many London and regional amateur theatre societies and companies. He has worked in a range of capacities on productions with amateur performers from ages 6 to 70 in all manners of spaces from traditional theatres to outdoor arenas and converted swimming pools and on a range of work from classic to new musicals. He holds an MA Distinction in Text and Performance from RADA and Birkbeck, University of London, UK. He is currently a Senior Publisher of Plays and Musical Theatre at Methuen Drama.

Introduction Act 1: Directing Preparation Why Direct and Amateur Musical? Approaching a Production Who's Who? Show Selection Production Schedule Auditions and Casting Rehearsal Schedule Props List Costume Concepts and Understanding a Show Act 2: Directing Process Welcome to the Rehearsal Room The First Rehearsal - Setting the Tone Examples of Warm Up Exercises Structuring a Rehearsal Directing the Ensemble Ensemble Exercises Directing Child Actors Directing Principal Actors Blocking, Staging and Directing Directing a Book Scene Directing Musical Numbers Directing a 'Problematic' Musical Directing Sensitive Scenes Putting it Together Act 3: Curtain Up, Light the Lights Production Week Schedules The Technical Rehearsal The Dress Rehearsal The Run of the Show Closing a Show Glossary