Eleven tips for rehearsal

1. The moment you can, send out a rehearsal schedule. Just dates and time blocks, not some minute-to-minute thing. Then, when someone asks an actor if they can do a reading or when an actor’s favorite band comes to town, they have a conflict. You don't.

2. Get together with designers as early as you can. The earlier you can start with Something rather than Nothing, the easier it seems to go for all. You also get a deeper design process this way rather than a “first idea is the best idea” situation.

3. Get your props person or TD or SM to rustle up as many rehearsal (or real) props as early as possible. Anything is better than actors miming a prop, then finding out it weighs fifteen pounds two days before you open. This goes for costumes as well. If you have the set to rehearse on, this is amazing.

4. Make expectations clear to absolutely everyone involved. Over-communication is a great thing. Calendars, timelines, deadlines are all good. If you feel like you're being too obvious or condescending, you can always say, “I'm sorry, you probably know this but just to say it out loud...”

5. Don't take too much on yourself because someone isn't doing their job. Have a little heart-to-heart with the problem child, get some of their duties reassigned to more responsible folks, get someone new, or reassess your expectations. Your job directing the show is already hard enough.

6. Listen to everyone for ideas, then only use the ones you like. It's handy for you when you go dry and nicer—for everyone!—to have a working environment where people feel like they'll at least be heard.

7. Have your stage manager send out rehearsal and tech notes every single night. I like performance reports, too. Make sure they go to all production people and make sure all production people check their email or voicemail. (Generally, I find emailing them to actors can distract them.) This way you avoid surprises because you had a conversation with the set designer about changing the wall color and forgot to tell the costume designer.

8. Treat a good stage manager like gold. That’s right, gold—or whatever you feel is most precious and important.

9. Have fun. Chatting and joking around are okay in my rehearsals. I don't feel like a show wasn't ready because we stopped for two minutes to hear an actor's anecdote about “This one time when...” Besides, no one is paid enough not to be able to relax and enjoy this work.

10. Bring treats during tech week.

11. Be in charge. Not only do you make decisions about everything every moment you're working, but you are also setting the tone of the experience for everyone.❦