Takeaways

Collaboration with playwrights can produce powerful new work that challenges the status quo.

Theatricality in theater involves blending mixed media and using metaphor to evoke emotion.

Dungeons & Dragons has gained popularity due to its accessibility and variability.

Stage directions are important in creating a theatrical experience and can provide context and tone for a scene.

Directing impossible stage directions requires creativity and a focus on the emotions and impact of the moment.

Imagination and creative play can be a retreat and coping mechanism in difficult circumstances.

Directing is a form of creating a room and prioritizing actors' agency.

There is a shift in directing styles towards creating collaborative and less exploitative environments. Collaboration is key in theater, and directors should work together with actors to create the best production.

Getting connected to a play can happen through self-producing, applying for opportunities, or building relationships with theater companies.

Directing new plays allows for a close partnership with the playwright, while directing established plays requires more interpretation and collaboration with the creative team.

Directors should approach scripts by first falling in love with the work and celebrating the craft of the writer.

Casting and assembling the team involves finding actors who embody the characters well and designers who can bring the director's vision to life.

Favorite moments in the process include the initial meeting with the playwright and leading actors to epiphanies and discoveries.

Theater skills, such as giving and receiving feedback, collaboration, and advocating for social justice, can impact other areas of life.

To find Shalee's work, visit her website shaleedirects.com or find her on Instagram @shaleecole.

For creative support and to support this podcast go to www.patreon.com/shannontlkearns

Follow us on Instagram at @livingtheprocesspod

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Shalee

01:15 Shalee's Creative Practice

05:27 The Rise of D&D and its Popularity

09:17 The Importance of Stage Directions

12:06 Directing Impossible Stage Directions

23:03 Discovering Directing and New Works

28:21 Shift in Directing Styles

32:30 Collaboration and Learning from Actors

33:27 Process and Getting Connected to a Play

38:43 Working with New Plays vs. Established Plays

43:28 Approach to Scripts and Starting on a Script

46:17 Casting and Assembling the Team

50:05 Favorite Moments in the Process

53:20 Leading Actors to Discovery

01:00:21 Impact of Theater on Life

01:03:42 Finding Shalee's Work