The title Assistant Director should not be confused with the term "director's assistant". The Assistant Director (AD) will be expected to be as much of a creative force in the production as his/her abilities and talent level warrant. Typically the AD will act as another set of eyes and ears and as a sounding board for the Director and therefore attends all rehearsals, as well as creative and technical meeting that the Director attends. The AD is expected to be available for the entire pre-production and rehearsal process. They may also be expected to attend those performances not attended by the Director.
When asked, the AD will offer constructive suggestions to the Director regarding any elements of the production from design to performances. It is essential that the AD restrict their comments to the Director in order to avoid confusing or possibly contradictory messages.
The Assistant Director (AD) position is an opportunity to learn firsthand an individual director's process and the production process as a whole. The duties of the AD are quite flexible and so specific duties and tasks will be decided based on the abilities of the assistant and the needs of the show. The AD's responsibilities may include:
- formulate a french scene or other chart which breaks the play into rehearsal segments
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assist in the formulation of the Master Rehearsal Schedule
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in association with the Director, formulate a property list, sound list, and a list of any special effects
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record all acting and conceptual notes given by the director during rehearsals
An Assistant Director position may be taken on as a volunteer or for credit. If enrolled in a Production Problems course, the AD will submit a written paper to the Director covering those specifics originally set forth by the director at the beginning of the pre-rehearsal process.
Click the link below to download an application for this position. Completed applications can be submitted to the front office in the Jackman Dramatic Art Centre.