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Directing Your Heart Out: Essays for Authenticity, Engagement, and Care in Theatre
A ground-floor guide to the practice and philosophy of directing that is open to all, including newcomers to the field.
Through a series of concise and engaging essays, Directing Your Heart Out will inspire the next generation of theatre directors by encouraging them to approach the craft through instinct, compassion and the uninhibited expression of their own voice and vision.
Each of the book's essays deals with a core principle of directing, such as strategies for directing text; facilitating productive discussion in rehearsals; absorbing criticism; and maintaining a positive work environment. Taken together, they serve as an effective introduction to the fundamentals of directing, or as provocative supplementary readings alongside traditional directing textbooks.
En route, it
> more than 20 directors and choreographers
> major contemporary ensembles such as The Wooster Group, SITI Company and Back to Back Theatre
> key terminology, such as objective, action, obstacle, realism and absurdism
> over 12 plays, including a close-reading of a scene from The Seagull
Encouraging an approach to directing that is grounded in self-empowerment and set out accessibly, this book opens up directing to the first-time director or student from a range of backgrounds, as well as the seasoned professional, who will benefit from the many revisionary, fresh perspectives.
Through a series of concise and engaging essays, Directing Your Heart Out will inspire the next generation of theatre directors by encouraging them to approach the craft through instinct, compassion and the uninhibited expression of their own voice and vision.
Each of the book's essays deals with a core principle of directing, such as strategies for directing text; facilitating productive discussion in rehearsals; absorbing criticism; and maintaining a positive work environment. Taken together, they serve as an effective introduction to the fundamentals of directing, or as provocative supplementary readings alongside traditional directing textbooks.
En route, it
> more than 20 directors and choreographers
> major contemporary ensembles such as The Wooster Group, SITI Company and Back to Back Theatre
> key terminology, such as objective, action, obstacle, realism and absurdism
> over 12 plays, including a close-reading of a scene from The Seagull
Encouraging an approach to directing that is grounded in self-empowerment and set out accessibly, this book opens up directing to the first-time director or student from a range of backgrounds, as well as the seasoned professional, who will benefit from the many revisionary, fresh perspectives.
128 pages, Paperback
Published February 23, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 6, 2024
Quality Rating: Five Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
I’ve read a lot of books on directing at this point, and while no one can reach the dizzying heights of Judith Weston this was the first book to make me cry on the subject matter. Written predominantly for theatre directors, Dugdale explores why directing is so alluring, so important to practice responsibly and brimming with so much potential. He also acknowledges how all consumingly hopeful it can be. It’s so closely aligned to my own values that I was incredibly moved by some of the chapters, but even for those who might not be so idealistic about storytelling and the worlds it allows us to escape to, his essays are practical and holistic in their advice and written in a way anyone can access. Which, he reminds us, is the point of theatre.
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
I’ve read a lot of books on directing at this point, and while no one can reach the dizzying heights of Judith Weston this was the first book to make me cry on the subject matter. Written predominantly for theatre directors, Dugdale explores why directing is so alluring, so important to practice responsibly and brimming with so much potential. He also acknowledges how all consumingly hopeful it can be. It’s so closely aligned to my own values that I was incredibly moved by some of the chapters, but even for those who might not be so idealistic about storytelling and the worlds it allows us to escape to, his essays are practical and holistic in their advice and written in a way anyone can access. Which, he reminds us, is the point of theatre.
June 9, 2025
Gentle, gorgeous and inspiring, will definitely be returning to this one again, and again.
November 25, 2025
Inspiring book on directing to dip in and out of!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews