I view the theatre community as a big family, and the director is the cast's guardian for the duration of the current production. Unfortunately, not all directors share my view on the theatre family concept. Every now and then you'll run into a director who is wielding a major God complex. He/she seemingly has no interest in nurturing the growth of the production but instead feels that they can just snap their fingers and get someone else to do the work for them. Art is about collaborating-- not delegating.
You often hear directors say that every role in a production is important, even the small ones. Shouldn't this apply to everyone who is involved in bringing the show together? The sound/light designer, costume designer, set designer, actors, stage manager, and stage crew should be just as important (if not more so) than the director, so why is it that some directors put themselves up on a pedestal? I think it's because there are some directors who believe they are the Gods of the shows.
Perhaps the confusion comes from the term director. I believe a director is meant to direct, not as in "to demand", but as in "to guide". We want the director to act as a parental figure and show us the way. We want to develop and learn from our experience. You can't just mindlessly pawn off tasks to other people involved and expect something great to come out of it. You don't get to move us around like puppets on, off, or behind the stage. We don't want to have our characters stripped down to nothing more than a stock character. We don't want to move in blocking that mirrors the script's notes but has zero ties to our characters' actions. Don't tell us. Show us. If you want to be a part of the production then be present and an active participant.
The only way you can do that is if you know what you want. Come into rehearsal prepared. Come in with a plan. Come in with an idea. Come in with something! Why should or would any of us want to follow you if you are lost yourself? We don't expect you to have all the answers, but when you don't know something come prepared to collaborate. Stop isolating yourself from the rest of the cast and crew. The only way to make a successful show is to get everyone working together, wholeheartedly.
Director, you are not God, but you do have the power to destroy our passion. We do this because we love it. If we are put in the hands of someone who isn't committed, we not only lose hope in our current production/project, we lose hope in the craft. We lose hope in our future, and we question if what we want is worth it. If there's no passion, what's the point?
