DIRECTING YOUR FIRST SHOW: A Practical Guide for the First-Time Director

YOU SAID YES.NOW EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT YOU.Directing your first show can feel like being handed the keys to a moving vehicle you’ve only ever ridden in.You know theatre.You care deeply.You just haven’t done this job before.Directing Your First Show is a practical, clear-eyed guide for first-time directors working in community theatre, schools, churches, and volunteer organizations. Written especially for actors stepping into the director’s chair, it focuses on what actually happens in rehearsal rooms—not theory, not ego, and not pretending everything will go smoothly.Inside, you’ll learn how to:Read a script like a director (not an actor)Cast wisely when everyone knows everyoneCommunicate clearly with designers and stage managersStructure rehearsals so work actually gets doneGive notes actors can use instead of fearSurvive tech week with your sanity mostly intactThis is not a master class.It’s the first step.If it helps you direct one show more thoughtfully—and sleep a little better along the way—it’s done its job. Read more