Passing the Torch
Posted by Margot Bordelon on 6/28/2007Opening night signals the passing of the torch from director to actors. Of course, most directors return once or twice during the run to see how a production has evolved and to take notes. This is an insurance measure just in case actors’ performances have drastically strayed from their original direction.
Last Friday I attended Program A to watch Downstairs, Upstairs the piece I directed for Sketchbook. I hadn’t attended since opening weekend so I was poised with pen and paper, but to my delight, I didn’t jot down one note.
Both of my actors (John Carter Brown and John Zinn), had grown tremendously. Their individual performances had become more nuanced, and as a duo they were completely in sync. It was an important reminder to me that sometimes directing means stepping away and allowing your actors the freedom to grow on their own.
Collaboraction’s Sketchbook is currently being produced in the Garage Theatre as part of the Steppenwolf Visiting Company Initiative. We asked Anthony Moseley, Collaboraction’s Executive Artistic Director, to share his thoughts about the production on the Steppenwolf blog.