Dear Director, 

Welcome to Local Theater Company. We look forward to supporting you and your work throughout this process. Below, you will find some FAQs. 

1. What is LTC?

LTC’s mission is to discover, develop, and produce new American plays. LTC is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, and produces in Colorado and across the United States. 

2. What is the responsibility of the director prior rehearsals? 

Directors will meet with the LTC artistic staff, playwright, and dramaturg (if applicable), designers and stage management prior to the start of rehearsals.

• Meeting with artistic staff: this allows LTC artistic leadership to better understand your vision for the production, and how we can provide you the resources necessary to realize your vision. Often, we will discuss ideal designers, performers, stage managers, etc.

• Meeting with playwright & dramaturg: this allows you, the director, to best understand the playwright’s perspective and what they hope to achieve with the production.

• Meetings with designers: this allows the director and designers to begin creating a creative vocabulary around the work. Design presentations take place on the first day of rehearsal, so it’s important that the designers have the opportunity to communicate with the director to better understand their vision.

• Meeting with stage management: this allows the director and stage management team to discuss schedules and expectations.

3. What is the director’s responsibility vis a vis casting? 

LTC utilizes a three-tier casting process: straight to offer, meeting requested, and audition requested. After a director has been placed under contract, LTC will send them a spreadsheet that contains character names, descriptions, and potential performers. In most cases, LTC recommends hiring local performers. However, some roles may require that we cast from out of town. Directors may present their own options, as well. After reviewing the potential cast list, the LTC artistic staff and the director will meet to discuss the options and best next steps (the tiers listed above). The LTC casting and production departments contact all performers, arrange auditions, and make formal offers. 

4. What are the responsibilities of the director during the production? 

1. The director is responsible for giving vision and guidance so that each performer can breathe life into their roles, allowing the playwright to hear/see/discover what is written.

2. The director is responsible for providing vision to, and working with, all designers to ensure that the production vision is achieved in a timely manner.

3. The director is responsible for creating a cohesive schedule with the stage management team. Stage management is responsible for all daily calls, rehearsal reports, etc.

4. The director is responsible for working with the playwright to give actors an understanding of how script changes will work (i.e., how often they will be given new scenes and to bring calm or excitement about changes rather than fear or dread). New work is different than working on an established play.  The director helps prepare actors for this.

5. The director is responsible for asking questions (along with the dramaturg) to ensure the play’s logic or narrative structure holds.

6. The director is a sounding board for the playwright as inspiration and clarity reveal themselves.

7. The director will meet with Executive Producer and Artistic Director (one of the three artistic directors) once per week to ensure that all production matters are addressed.

A note regarding the first rehearsal: LTC values diversity of thought and safety for all in the rehearsal process. To this end, we conduct a full staff and ensemble meeting for the first 30 minutes of the first rehearsal for company introductions, to read our land acknowledgment, and to present our nondiscrimination policy and Conflict Resolution Path (CRP).  The ensemble will also select AEA and non-AEA representatives at this meeting. 

5. What about script changes? 

Playwrights are encouraged to develop their work. Therefore, script changes are likely. The stage manager and playwright will communicate prior to the first rehearsal to establish a protocol for delivering script changes to the team. The director is not responsible for printing and distributing updated scripts.

6. Whom do I contact during the week of Local Lab if I’m experiencing challenges?

Directors should contact either Executive Producer Misha S. Zimmerman (misha@localtheaterco.org) or Artistic Director of Production & Education Nick Chase (nick@localtheaterco.org). Both are happy to help with any concern. You are free to email or text, whichever works best for you. Additionally, on the first day of rehearsal, Local’s producer, Misha S. Zimmerman, will present the Concern Resolution Path that you may follow.