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A Practical Guide for First Time Theatre Directors book cover

1st Edition

A Practical Guide for First Time Theatre Directors

By Soseh Yekanians, Gabrielle Metcalf Copyright 2027
92 Pages 5 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book is a practical guide for aspiring directors that consists of guidelines on how to be responsive to the contemporary concerns in the rehearsal room and provides clear, concise practical applications for a wide diversity of plays in rehearsal. By focusing on the rudiments of idea development, script analysis, blocking, leadership and communication, this book will examine the implications... Read more
CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS DIRECTING? CHAPTER TWO: SCRIPT ANALYSIS CHAPTER THREE: BLOCKING CHAPTER FOUR: LEADERSHIP CHAPTER FIVE: COMMUNICATION

Biography

Soseh Yekanians is an Australian theatre director, educator, and researcher specialising in identity, cultural belonging, and empowerment through performance. She is a Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts and Associate Head of School (Staffing) at Charles Sturt University. A graduate of the Australian Academy of Dramatic Art and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in New York, she holds a PhD from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Soseh is the author of Finding Identity through Directing (Routledge, 2020) and with a career spanning performance, directing, and teaching across Australia and internationally, she is committed to using theatre as a space for dialogue, inclusion, and the reimagining of identity. 


Gabrielle Metcalf has directed more than 100 productions across her career, working with ensembles ranging from intimate casts of two to large-scale performances involving 1,000 participants (yes—every student in the school took part!). Gabrielle lectures in acting and directing at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and has a special interest in leadership methodologies for directors—particularly those that challenge traditional hegemonic structures. Gabrielle is an executive leadership coach across Australia’s construction, health, and arts sectors and draws on this extensive corporate experience to integrate contemporary leadership practices into her teaching and directing.

Gabrielle and Soseh break directing into accessible building blocks, imparting vital leadership skills—communication, collaboration, and problem-solving—empowering new directors to lead with empathy and clarity. 

As a director myself, I see how this mirrors real-world practice: demystifying the process and inspiring confidence in any ensemble. An invaluable companion for those stepping into directing.

Dr Andrew Lewis, Former Head of Performance at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) / Director / Performer / Researcher

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