It's true that this book does not offer technical guidance on directing. I concur with the other reviewer in recommending William Ball's "Sense of Direction" if you are looking for a straightforward beginner's guide for directing and managing rehearsals and the technical aspects of producing a show (with lots of little practical details that some other writers leave out). What this particular book is invaluable for is its...
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A vitally important book about creating theatre in the 21st century. Those who complain that this book is not a handbook for how to direct are unfortunately missing the point - one would be hard pressed to find a more important, inspirational book about why we take on the struggle that being in theatre brings. Don't let the price scare you, all you fellow actors on a budget - this book is for you, too.
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The title is misleading since the book is really about the process of making art--specifically making theater--and will be valuable to anyone involved in the collaborative process. Some have complained that this book does not tell one "how to direct." But Bogart's book is about how to find one's voice as an artist and how to wrestle with material--topics that are rarely treated with the sanity that this book does. Reading...
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Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically...
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Far from being a prescription about how to direct, this book offers the wisdom of Anne Bogart's experience as a collaborator, investigator of the human condition, and artist committed to making theatre that is alive and relevant. I have had the pleasure of knowing and studying with Anne, and this book codified and elaborated on so many of the things I wished I'd written down at the time. The book illuminates her way of working...
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