CHAPTER 19Stumble-throughs, Work-throughs, and Run-throughs

What is directing?

It is the specific information communicated to the actors about their acting choices, or in the case of novice actors, helping them with those choices.

The process of directing

Research

Casting

Table Work

Blocking

Work-throughs

Run-throughs

With enough experience, directors come to understand that the secret to success is in the details, and that the real work of the director is clarifying the minutia.

It is a composite of thousands of details

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Allow time in rehearsal to review the work you have completed

DIRECT THE DETAILS!

A sample rehearsal schedule (p. 204)

Work-throughs• Correct blocking problems• Address and deepen relationship issues• Listening• Deepening sense of honesty and truth• Enhance comic elements• Make adjustments• Build stamina• Get a sense of the big picture

How to work through a scene

• Beat by beat • Takes time and patience• When a moment doesn’t work…

1. Determine what is wrong

2. Adjust blocking if needed

3. Try other choices or improvise

4. If an actor problem, talk to the actor and give adjustments

5. This is really the nuts and bolts of the process

Plan for working through a scene

1. Run the scene and make notes

2. Write it down, don’t trust your memory

3. Go back to the beginning and start again

4. Stop at the point where a fix is needed

5. Identify the problem to the actors

6. Communicate what you want to fix

7. If blocking, fix and then runthrough

8. Allow the actors a chance to make the adjustment

9. If it doesn’t work, try something else

10. Use exercises or improvisations to solve problems

11. Once achieved, run the scene again

Taking notes

GENERAL NOTES include1. approach to role2. major adjustments3. overall objectives4. Energy, ensemble5. Walking, dialect, speech

SPECIFIC NOTES include6. A single line or moment7. Pace, volume, action8. Depth of feeling9. Be as specific as needed

OTHER notes10.Notes to self11. Work notes12.Tech notes

Giving notes

Go through each note in order

• Be as specific and clear as possible• Make sure the notes are understood• Encourage questions• Let them know which notes you intend to work and when• Make time to work the notes you mark• Fix something before running it again

Designer runs or crew watches• Let actors know when these rehearsals are scheduled• Don’t be discouraged by the lack of response from

designer’s…they are not watching as an audience• It is helpful at crew watch for the designer to sit near the

lighting and sound designers to point out specifice effects, timings, etc.

• After the rehearsal, meet with the designer to address their concerns and questions

• If you have made changes to the groundplan, make sure those are clearly communicated in plenty of time…

Rehearsal order checklist

TABLE READINGS

Initial blocking

Run and work through scene by scene

Stumble-throughs

First – scene by scene

Then – act by act

Finally – the whole show

work-through the show

run-through the show

Designer and crew watch