After spending ten years in international Directors Lab programs--first in New York and Chicago, then co-founding Directors Lab North in Toronto--Evan Tsitsias has amassed an extensive amount of advice, examples, and notes that prove essential reading for theatre creators and artists across disciplines. Combined with master classes and interviews with established, emerging, and mid-career directors, this manual is an artistic, logistic, and pedagogical exploration into the mechanics of theatre creation through the perspective of a director. With so much useful material, readers become honorary "labbies," ready to leave their own mark on the theatrical landscape.

Foreword /by Anne Cattaneo -- The Lab -- Opening remarks / by Evan Tsitsias -- Breakout session : three vital questions for a director -- Master class : heightened language and the art of listening : director as guide / by Jeannette Lambermont-Morey -- Breakout session : to table work or not to table work -- In conversation with directors -- The art of adaptation : Peter Hinton / interviewed by Elif Isiközlü -- Yvette Nolan / interviewed by Nancy McAlear -- Akram Khan / interviewed by Elif Isiközlü -- Master class : dramaturgy and new play development / by Andrea Romaldi -- Breakout session : how to speak to actors -- In conversation with playwright-directors -- Daniel MacIvor / interviewed by Briana Brown -- Judith Thompson and Kat Sandler / interviewed by Richard Beaune -- The rules of the game/breaking the rules : Morris Panych and Ken MacDonald / interviewed by Heather Cant -- Brad Fraser / interviewed by Peter Pasyk -- Master class : retreating to/re-treating from "irreconcilable space" : Canadian theatre workers and the project of conciliation / by Jill Carter -- Breakout session : a lesson in creative disruption : a note for directors from a BIPOC creator / by Joseph Recinos -- In conversation with artistic directors -- Curating festivals : Josephine Ridge and Naomi Campbell / interviewed by Allegra Fulton and Heather Cant -- Richard Rose / interviewed by Allegra Fulton -- Master class : collaborating and co-directing from the World Wide Lab -- Great things happen when you least expect / by Chang Nai Wen -- The pedagogy of co-directing : training the next generation of theatre directors using the World Wide Lab (WWL) model / by Annie G. Levy -- In conversation with musical theatre directors -- The revolution of musical theatre : Vincent de Tourdonnet / interviewed by Shelly Meichenbaum and Tracy Michailidis -- The manual -- Inspiration -- Entrance to the piece -- Hiring your team -- From the designer's perspective with Adam Spencer -- Prep work -- After you've hired/assembled the team -- Casting -- First day of rehearsal -- Building an ensemble -- From the designer's perspective -- Getting the cast on its feet -- Scene work -- Monologues -- Rehearsals -- Into the darkness/technical rehearsals : from the designer's perspective -- Technical rehearsals -- Previews -- Opening night -- After the storm -- Keeping yourself inspired -- From the movement-based director's perspective with Allyson McMackon -- Closing remarks -- Thank-yous -- About the contributors -- About the editor.