Expert: Kenneth D. Plonkey - 3/3/2010

Question
Hello, I am 16 and i am starting to look at colleges and majors. My major is undecided and i am trying to decide on one and i just feel that i would make a great director. I have no experience in directing or acting really, outside of one school play and a couple of church plays. But when i do act i see the play more as a director, like how i could change this part or i show people what they should do. So, to get to the point i want to try to direct but i don't know how to put myself out there. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer
Hello Hayli, Well, to be a good director, you need to know how to do everything that goes into a theatrical production. I may turn out that there are some things you cannot do (I never could sew a costume for example, but I know the principles of costuming and have been a costumer on quite a few plays). You do not have to be an actor to direct,but you need to know how an actor works and how to get the best performance out of him or her. Etc. I think it is important that you study theatrical aesthetics and theory and that as you get into graduate school you begin to develop a theory of theatre and directing. You ahold go ahead and be in all the school plays as an actor, or serve as assistant to the director or be the stage manager. Organizational skills are very important as is the ability to take command and lead people. You want to get the best undergraduate general theater major that you can and then get an MFA in directing from Yale or some other highly acclaimed school. Go an read everything at www.kenplonkeyacting.com and then start asking me lots more questions at my aol address which you will find on that site.  God Bless, Doc