What can a director tell a playwright, besides, “You’re brilliant and I’ll make you famous”? Twenty-two playwrights and ten directors from the Utah-Idaho Region met in Salt Lake City for the purpose of enabling playwrights and directors to better understand one another. Here are some of the highlights of the evening.

What in a new play attracts directors?

“A new story, something I don’t know about, people I don’t know, haven’t seen before” said Robin Wilks-Dunn. Tracy Callahan likes plays that invite a director to contribute, plays that are not finished on the page. Bob Nelson wants to see a sense of the theatre rather than talking heads, scenes rather than monologues, longer scenes rather than shorter ones, and questions that intrigue. Larry West likes story, a good story. “I also like a play that I follow, meaning that I don’t want to be ahead of the writer,” he said. Belinda Pardum looks for “a play that keeps confounding my expectations, that’s both physical and poetic.”

What do directors wish playwrights would do (that they don’t always do)?

Charles Morey had a quick answer, “Don’t drink in rehearsal!” He also suggested that playwrights have more patience. “The playwright knows where the play ought to go; we’re just discovering that.” In addition, he urged, “Clarity from the playwright in response to questions. ‘Yes, this is what I meant’ or ‘No, that’s not quite it.’” Tom Markus wants playwrights to believe that a director loves the play as much as a playwright does and has as much interest in its success. “I want to be trusted,” he said simply.

How often do directors want playwrights to attend rehearsal?

Alexandra Harbold wants the playwright to be there all the time and to feel free to say anything. “No one should shut down, that is most important,” she said. “We all need to stay engaged in the process.” Robin Wilkes Dunn, on the other hand, wants a negotiation about the playwright’s presence at rehearsals. “Sometimes, for example, the playwright cannot see the potential of an actor.” In the long run, however, it depends on the play. “If it’s a new play,” she said, “I like to have the playwright there all the time to make changes.” Isaac Walters said, “It’s all about collaboration. I rely on the playwright. My job as director is to set up the collaborative process.”

How would you design a workshop for a new play? 

Kathleen Cahill suggested that involving an audience is not necessarily a good thing. “The kind of workshop we need is usually not one designed by others,” she said. Julie Jensen proposed a week of time with actors to hear the play every day and with time each morning to write and revise. Matthew Ivan Bennett suggested spending a great deal of time on the scene that’s most troublesome. Jason Bowcutt believes that setting expectations is the most important, “designing a workshop with the playwright’s needs in mind.”

What’s your response to stage directions?

David Kranes said he feels obliged to write down what he sees. Charles Morey explained that with more experience, he writes fewer and fewer stage directions. Alexandra Harbold argued that, “Stage directions are as essential to the play as dialogue. They’re both language. And the play is language.” Jason Bowcutt believes that “If you have an idea that isn’t in the script, you must run it by the playwright. I always want to show you, surprise you, make you love it.”

The take-away from the evening is that ground rules should be established early and communication be on-going. What prevents such an arrangement? Too many assumptions on both sides that are never examined or articulated.

jjensen@dramatistsguild.com