1. What is a Director?: Directing without directors; Players and masquers; Sir William Davenant; Sheridan and Piner; Modernism, and the birth of the director; Directors today; Texts; Transformations; Plays without playwrights: auteur directors 2. Selecting Your Play: Concepts; Living playwrights 3. Preparation: Casting; Producers 4. Design and Designers: Theatre space; The design; Lighting and costume designers; Sound and music; Crossing imaginary bridges 5. The Rehearsal Process: Blocking; Break down and synthesis; Confidence; Run-throughs; Being difficult; Non-textual techniques; Rehearsing Shakespeare 6. Fit-Up to Opening: The fit-up The technical; The dress rehearsal; The opening 7. Conclusions.

Directing Plays explores both the theory and practice of directing plays, with particular emphasis on textual interpretation. Don Taylor guides the student through the complex process of choosing a play, the working partnership of director, playwright and designer, the delicate matter of casting a play, the rehearsal process and everything which needs to happen before the production is up and running.