A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theatre - Tapa dura

"No Instructions, No Theory, No Intimate Personal Revelations: Just Some Pith Observations, Lively Vignettes and Deeply Held Beliefs from One Accomplished Director. Open this short clutch of essays by Anne Bogart, and you will set loose a thousand passions, principles and debates to keep you and your friends up at night over a bottle of booze...We will all find something to disagree with in this book, but Bogart knows that this is necessary and good. Her essays will nuture, provoke, instruct and encourage for years to come." -David Herskovits, Artistic Director, Target Margin Theater "The concepts themselves are thought-provoking, and Bogart's text is even more so." -Susan Peters, "Library Journal, November 2001 "In "A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theatre, [Bogart] provides insight into her own artistic development, while offering straightforward advice to both the novice and the experienced director...[She] offers directors both inspirational and practical solutions to common problems. Bogart has undeniably distinguished herself as a superior director, and with this pubication, she is successful in providing a practical text that encourages self-discipline, experimentation, and artistic growth among theatre practitioners." -Carrie Kathryn Lee, Bowling Green State University "Modern Drama, Spring 2002

A Director Prepares is a thought-provoking examination of the challenges of making theatre. In it, Anne Bogart speaks candidly and with wisdom of the courage required to create 'art with great presence'.
Each chapter tackles one of the seven major areas Bogart has identified as both potential partner and potential obstacle to art-making. They are Violence; Memory; Terror; Eroticism; Stereotype; Embarrassment; and Resistance. Each one can be used to generate extraordinary creative energy, if we know how to use it.
A Director Prepares offers every practitioner an extraordinary insight into the creative process. It is a handbook, Bible and manifesto, all in one. No other book on the art of theatre comes even close to offering this much understanding, experience and inspiration.