Women Stage Directors Speak

Exploring the Influence of Gender on Their Work

Rebecca Daniels (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

255 Seiten

2000
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-0-7864-0965-5 (ISBN)

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Here, 35 contemporary women directors, with regional, national and international backgrounds, share their views on the creative process, and how their gender has influenced their artistic decision-making.

Though stage directing has traditionally been a male-dominated profession, the number of women directors in the United States has grown significantly in recent years.

In this work, 35 contemporary women stage directors, with regional, national and international theater backgrounds, share their views on the creative process and the influences of gender on their artistic decision making. How does it feel to be defined as a woman director rather than simply a director? Does gender affect their authority? These questions and many others are explored in this study.

Rebecca Daniels was one of the founding members of the Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland, Oregon. She is currently an associate professor in the department of Performance and Communication Arts at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREFACE

The Study, Its Significance, and the Methods Used

PART ONE —INTRODUCTION

1: A Brief History of the Directorial Function, Theories, and Processes

Directing Theory

Qualities of a Good Director

Practical Elements of the Directing Process

Communication in Directing

A Director Plays Many Roles

2: The Women Interviewed and Their Perceptions of Gender Differences

A Brief Introduction to the Directors

Positions on Gender Differences

3: Gender Means Everything and Nothing

Resisting Definition as a Woman Director

Thinking About Gender When Working

Ignoring Gender

No Easy Answers

PART TWO—LEADERSHIP ISSUES FOR WOMEN DIRECTORS

4: Leadership Qualities in a Good Director

The Importance of Good Leadership

The Power of the Director

Reception of Women in Positions of Authority

5: Problems with Power

Resistance to Women in Authority

Issues of Behavior

Internal Resistance and Self-Doubt

PART THREE—COLLABORATION ISSUES FOR WOMEN DIRECTORS

6: Collaborative Qualities in a Good Director

The Importance of Successful Collaboration

Social Conditioning and Collaboration

A Different Approach to Collaboration

Possible Negatives in Collaboration

7: Women’s Ways of Collaborating

Sensitivity to Feelings and Emotions

Creating an Environment of Trust and Intimacy

Nurturance

Use of Instinct and Intuition

Finding a Balance

PART FOUR—PRACTICAL ELEMENTS OF THE DIRECTING PROCESS

8: Issues in Script Selection and Interpretation

Factors in the Script Selection Process

Themes Related to Women and Gender

An Awareness of Women’s Issues

Other Influences on Script Selection

Overcoming Perceived Limitations

9: Working with Actors

Casting Issues

Character Development Issues

10: Technical and Spatial Issues Influenced by Gender

Technical Considerations

Use of Space

11: Economic and Career Considerations

Family Demands

Career Development

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX A: SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE DIRECTORS' ARTISTIC IDENTITY AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

APPENDIX B: THEATRICAL BIOGRAPHIES OF THE DIRECTORS

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Erscheint lt. Verlag	30.11.2000
Zusatzinfo	photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Verlagsort	Jefferson, NC
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	345 g
Themenwelt	Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Film / TV
	Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Theater / Ballett
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Gender Studies
ISBN-10	0-7864-0965-7 / 0786409657
ISBN-13	978-0-7864-0965-5 / 9780786409655
Zustand	Neuware