Process of Stage Directing:

A. Blocking – the general movement and specific location of the

actors at given moments of the play.
B. Business – specific activity of character to reveal his/her nature.

Four Spaces in a Traditional Theater:

1. Stage – where play is performed
2. House – space of the audience
3. Backstage – support space
4. Front-of-house – accommodates patrons before the play (lobby,
box office, concession)

Stage Parts:

Fly Loft (area above the stage)

Stage Right Stage Left

Wing Upstage Upstage Upstage Left Wing
Right Center 9
8 7
Background

Stage Right Center Stage Stage Left

5 4 6
Balance

Downstage Downstage Downstage

Right Center Left
2 1 3
Hemp Foreground Hemp
House/Pin House/Pin
Rail Rail

Proscenium Arch
Apron
*Areas in order of strength: 1 – strongest, 9 – weakest
*Stage Directions are always oriented from the actor’s point of view.
* Strength goes from the right side of the stage towards the left because
people read from left to right.

1. What influences Block Strength?

a. Body Positions
 Facing forward - strongest
 One quarter/shared position
 Side position
 ¾ position/full back – weakest

b. Physical levels of actors

Ex.
 Standing (strongest) vs. Sitting vs. Kneeling
vs. Lying on the floor (weakest)
*Affects actors’ dynamics on stage. Someone who is
standing is more dominant in comparison to someone
who is sitting.

c. Height
- The higher the height the stronger the block

Rehearsal Process:
1. Read through rehearsal
– Everyone who’s part of the production sits down and reads
through the entire play
– The director shares his vision (concept) for the play
– Designer discusses set and costumes

2. Blocking Rehearsal
- Break script into units (French Scenes: whenever a character
enters or exits)

a. Paper Blocking – process of notating each character’s blocking

and business cues into the script
b. Rehearsal – actors note their blocking and business into their
script and walkthrough their assignments w/ script. Actors
 make acting choices (What is my character’s objective in this
scene? What does he want? What is his motivation? What is the
obstacle?)

3. Off-book Rehearsal
– w/o script
– Lines, blocking, and business should be memorized
– Fine tune action and dialogue (what’s working and what isn’t)
– Rehearsed in parts (small sections)

4. Review Rehearsal
- Allows actors to review previous off-book work
- A large section is rehearsed
- To refresh actors and to see how performing large sections will
affect them

5. Running Rehearsal
- Large sections in entirety
- Pacing and timing of the play
- Director takes note of: problems and successes that occur and
shares with the cast

6. Technical Rehearsal
a. Dry Tech – w/o actors
b. Wet Tech – w/ actors

7. Dress Rehearsal
- Actors perform in costumes with technical cues
- No hair and makeup yet

8. Preview Rehearsal
- Perform the fully play w/ all technical elements in front of an
invited audience (to see first reactions)