A Director Prepares: Seven Essays on Art and Theatre

Rating:
Summary: A Landmark for Theater
Review: Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically. And it's not just for Bogart/SITI Company disciples. Like the creation of theater, A Director Prepares requires heightened attention and a clean slate every time you dive into its pages. It's inspiring, but also a challenge to theater makers to rethink how we approach our processes and to question upon whose shoulders we stand.

Rating:
Summary: A Landmark for Theater
Review: Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically. And it's not just for Bogart/SITI Company disciples. Like the creation of theater, A Director Prepares requires heightened attention and a clean slate every time you dive into its pages. It's inspiring, but also a challenge to theater makers to rethink how we approach our processes and to question upon whose shoulders we stand.

Rating:
Summary: A Landmark for Theater
Review: Bogart writes from her years of experience and vision in A Director Prepares. Readers merely looking for a book on "how to direct" may want to look elsewhere: this manifesto takes on serious issues faced by theater artists every day. While other books "on directing" explain how to get actors from point A to point B, A Director Prepares examines the shoulders that theatermakers stand on: artistically, historically, politically. And it's not just for Bogart/SITI Company disciples. Like the creation of theater, A Director Prepares requires heightened attention and a clean slate every time you dive into its pages. It's inspiring, but also a challenge to theater makers to rethink how we approach our processes and to question upon whose shoulders we stand.

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring and unpretentious
Review: Far from being a prescription about how to direct, this book offers the wisdom of Anne Bogart's experience as a collaborator, investigator of the human condition, and artist committed to making theatre that is alive and relevant. I have had the pleasure of knowing and studying with Anne, and this book codified and elaborated on so many of the things I wished I'd written down at the time. The book illuminates her way of working more than it promotes any particular aesthetic, and in that, I think it should be incredibly helpful and informative to all theatre artists at any stage in their careers. Some reference point for Anne's work or the work of her SITI Company might make the more esoteric sounding parts of the book clearer for the reader, but all in all, this is a great read.

Rating:
Summary: How any theater artist prepares
Review: The title is misleading since the book is really about the process of making art--specifically making theater--and will be valuable to anyone involved in the collaborative process.

Some have complained that this book does not tell one "how to direct." But Bogart's book is about how to find one's voice as an artist and how to wrestle with material--topics that are rarely treated with the sanity that this book does. Reading it will help you figure out how to direct(or act or design) in your own individual way.



Rating:
Summary: Life changing
Review: This book totally and completely changed my perspective on what I called 'Directing.' it is full of wonderful stories, theories, and insights into making art. It is an important book for designers, actors, and anyone involved in the process of artistic expression. I read this book, and immediately pursued studying with Anne Bogart and The SITI Company, which I was lucky enough to do over this past summer. It was an incredible experience.
Every so often an artist comes along and gives us an opportunity to see our work in a new way, and be invigorated by it. Bogart's book is a master example of this. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Director Does What?
Review: This book was a requirement for my directing class and I must say it did not help me at all. The title is misleading suggesting that a reader actually gets advice on how to prepare for directing. Instead, readers get Bogart's theory on what theater directing is. The book gives aspiring directors a confidence boost where Bogart basically says, "you can do it, just be persistent and brave." If anyone wants to get a book that gives a better description of what directing entails, the best bet is to get the book, A Sense of Direction, written by William Ball.