Joe Deer - Directing in Musical Theatre: An Essential Guide

Directing in Musical Theatre

This comprehensive guide, from the author of Acting in Musical Theatre, will equip aspiring directors with all of the skills that they will need in order to guide a production from beginning to end. From the very first conception and collaborations with crew and cast, through rehearsals and technical production, all the way to the final performance, Joe Deer covers the full range.

Deers accessible and compellingly practical approach uses proven, repeatable methods for addressing all aspects of a production. The focus at every stage is on working with others, using insights from experienced, successful directors to tackle common problems and devise solutions. Each section uses the same structure, to stimulate creative thinking:

Timetables: detailed instructions on what to do and when, to provide a flexible organization template

Prompts and investigations: addressing conceptual questions about style, characterization and design

Skills workshops: exercises and how-to guides to essential skills

Essential forms and formats: Including staging notation, script annotation and rehearsal checklists

Case studies: well-known productions show how to apply each chapters ideas

Directing in Musical Theatre not only provides all of the essential skills, but explains when and how to put them to use how to think like a director.

Joe Deer is Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre and Director of The Musical Theatre Initiative at Wright State University. He is also an experienced director, choreographer, actor, dancer, stage manager and artistic director. He is the award-winning director or choreographer of productions from Off-Broadway to Americas finest regional, summer stock and university stages. Joe has been a musical theatre educator for almost thirty years, teaching in New York City at Steps Studio, Dance Theatre of Harlem, The American Dance Machine and many regional studios. He is a frequent contributor to theatre publications including Teaching Theatre Journal and The Voice and Speech Review.

Endorsements for Directing in Musical Theatre:

This will be an essential handbook for anyone faced with the challenge of directing a musical. Deer writes from a wealth of experience in directing, and a thorough knowledge of the musical theatre repertoire.

Dominic Symonds, University of Portsmouth, UK

Finally! A step-by-step handbook on how to direct musicals. Joe Deers Directing in Musical Theatre is the perfect book for aspiring and experienced directors alike. The craft of directing can be quite mysterious, but as Joe masterfully tells it, with thoughtful insight, extraordinary detail and great passion, the directors role becomes vividly clear. This book is sure to become a valuable resource for anyone working in the theatre.

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Tony Award-nominated director and choreographer, Ragtime

A terrific analysis of how to mount a musical. From reading the script, right up to opening night, Joe Deers insights are practical and inspiring.

Walter Bobbie, Tony Award-winning director, Chicago

Joe Deers book is an eloquent and accurate analysis of what a director in the musical theatre actually does. He understands the many components of a musical and how to coordinate and integrate them. I highly recommend it to anyone contemplating directing a musical.

Jerry Zaks, Tony Award-winning director, Guys and Dolls and Smokey Joes Caf

Directing in Musical Theatre is a splendid text for anyone wishing to explore directing for the musical stage. It deals with every essential aspect of this daunting task, and explains each with singular clarity and intelligence. The work is well organized, thorough, and completely accessible. Finally, here is a book that gets to the heart of this art.

Gregory Lehane, Professor Former Head of Directing, Drama and Music, Carnegie Mellon University

Joe Deers Directing in Musical Theatre is a well-informed exploration of the musical theatre directing process that is filled with heart, intellect and spirit. If every director was required to read the chapter on staging alone, we would be blessed with productions more truthful, entertaining, and ultimately satisfying. This book, which equally balances craft with artistry, will be helpful to beginner and seasoned veteran alike.

Cary Libkin, Professor, Head of Musical Theatre Degree Programs, Penn State University

Directing is a somewhat ethereal job those who do not do it have a hard time articulating what it is we exactly do as directors. I think this book is both practical and asks the right questions so that directors do not merely replicate another show.

David Gram, musical theatre teacher, USA

Joe Deer

Foreword by Eric Schaeffer

First published 2014

by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge

711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2014 Joe Deer

The right of Joe Deer to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Deer, Joe.

Directing in musical theatre : an essential guide / Joe Deer.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Musical theater--Production and direction. 2. Musical theater--Instruction and study. I. Title.

MT955.D34 2013

792.602'33dc23

2013002731

ISBN: 978-0-415-62489-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-62490-9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-203-10385-2 (ebk)

Typeset in Univers

by Keystroke, Station Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton

Additional materials are available on the companion website at [www.routledge.com/cw/dalvera].

For Caitlin, who makes it all possible

I still remember that first moment when I became enthralled with the American musical. I was in my early teens, sitting in the orchestra of the Minskoff Theatre in New York City seeing my first Broadway musical, West Side Story. In a flash, colored ribbons dropped from the endless ceiling and flew out instantly to reveal the Jets and Sharks dancing at the gym. It was a magical moment that would change my life forever. From that moment on, I always knew that I wanted to be part of theatre.

There is no formula to directing a musical. This book will give you many ideas and suggestions but not the ultimate answer on how to direct a musical. Its impossible. Musical theatre is that unique animal that embraces emotions larger than life and turns them into a song or dance or both. Its a thrilling art form that uses more collaboration than any other. That can be both invigorating and challenging or exhausting. I never set out to be a director in the theatre. And I think that is a good thing. I learned my craft from every side of the footlights acting, painting sets, designing props, designing costumes and producing. Having been part of every aspect of the theatre gave me a greater understanding not only of the directors role but also of the contributions that everyone makes to bring a production to life. I learned more by being in the trenches with everyone and I have a great appreciation of the role that each person plays in creating theatre.