IUGTE Directing Department - Stage Directors Lab

International Stage Directors Lab

Launchpad for aspiring choreographers and directors

"A theatre which is able to speak to each spectator in a different and penetrating language

is not a fantastic idea, nor a utopia. This is the theatre for which many of us, directors

and leaders of groups, trained for a long time."

Eugenio Barba

IUGTE Stage Directors Lab offers a unique “launchpad” for directing practice to:

Emerging directors and choreographers who have demonstrated a talent for and commitment to directing and choreography.
Actual practicing directors and choreographers interested to discover new horizons and to find new international network opportunities.
Performers who are keen to develop their directing/choreographing skills and career.

The world of contemporary theatre is full of aspiring directors however theatre is a tough business to break into. On the one hand, theatres often do not risk inviting a young director, on the other, you can learn and improve the versatile director’s craft only by doing it, and you cannot direct all on your own - you need actors, and a play and a theatre.

We believe that contemporary theatre needs talented directing, and young professionals deserve international attention.

Our mission is to identify outstanding creative minds and to help them open doors and bridges to possibilities.

International Stage Directors Lab has strong connections and collaborators. Directors can get an opportunity to realize their creative ideas in unique professional circumstances – creating a performance with professional actors on the stage of repertory theatres.

The more you know about theatre industry, the better you will be at the directing game. The Lab is a great opportunity to become familiar with work at repertory theatre as a “creative factory” where you can develop a variety of relationships with all kind of professionals, hone your entrepreneurial skills and make useful contacts with performers, artistic crew, playwrights, technical crew, audiences, theatre managers, sponsors, pressmen, etc.

Most significant directing works created in the Lab framework may have further development perspective – to be included in constant repertoire of theatres, tours, festivals, collaboration projects, etc.

"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it".

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

How it works and how to join IUGTE Stage Directors Lab network?

There are several ways how you can join the Lab.
T
o start helping you establish and develop your career internationally, w
e need to get to know you and your approach to work.
We offer various formats for creative meeting points where we can find out more about your professional interests and creative ideas:

Join our short Directing Intensives

If you are at the start of your career or just need to refresh your ideas and directing arsenals, our intensives offer a great chance to improve skills, to meet colleagues from different countries, to get inspiration and exchange ideas. Use the opportunity to tell us about your professional interests, let us see you as a team member in practical group process, gain new helpful tools and professional tips under the competent guidance of IUGTE experts. Each of our workshops opens the doors towards further international opportunities.

Take part in our Competitions and Collaboration Projects

If you have professional experience in choreography/directing, feel confident and ready to guide the group of actors, have a dream to realize, we offer a wonderful opportunity to take part in the performance productions on the stage of repertory theatres with professional actors. Use the chance to get new experience of creative collaboration in a multicultural theatre environment, find partners for future international work.
Present and promote your creative idea at the International Conference
The annual conference offers a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate creative projects and works-in-progress to the international audience. Our delegates come from all over the world and represent various fields related to theatre industry - producers, arts managers, theatre critics, academics, festival directors, performers, etc. You can select various presentation formats to share your project in the brightest way - from interactive talk and video to performance fragment.
Stay tuned
If you are unable to decide and plan the meeting at the present moment, and would like us to keep your profile in our international artistic data base, simply send us your CV, and we shall be glad to keep you posted about the opportunities. However, personal meetings can bring real chances and enable more fruitful results.

What is the first step?

1. Tell us about yourself. Send us your information:

Detailed CV describing all specific skills and abilities (include your date of birth).
Scanned copy of the degree.
Latest head shot and 2-3 additional photos.
Any information confirming professional directing experience: web links to past projects and performances, photo, video, reviews, articles, interviews, etc.

2. Select the meeting format and send us the letter of motivation (in free form).

"I loved the international aspect of the group, connecting with people from different cultures and the cross-disciplines of actors, directors and choreographers. I enjoyed the social outings to dinner and the laughs, fun and conversations we shared. It was stimulating to discover how other people made theatre work in their country and what challenges they faced, both personally and professionally."

Audrey Jenkinson, UK

"You changed my entire approach to acting and directing that my students and I will treasure forever. It's wonderful to see that you continue to spread your technique to theatre artists from around the world."
Lorna Strand (USA)

"I learnt how to give clear and brief instructions to actors through the process I was given instructions. Compared with knowledge learnt through words, what I could learn through body was wisdom, which might last longer with a greater effect. As a director, I realized that getting actors involved and experienced somatically was much more effective than intellectual discussions".

Siu Hei Chung, Hong Kong

"I greatly miss everyone I met and worked with in the workshop and I truly hope that I can work with all of them again one day. I ended the workshop on a positive note, knowing that I have grown and developed in my acting skills - with knowledge that I can also impart to my very own young speech and drama students in Singapore".
Jamie Shawn Tan, Singapore

"I would definitely use this work with actors, in both developing an ensemble energy, trust and dynamic and also ongoing throughout rehearsals to develop sense awareness and physical presence".
Michelle Miall, Austrialia

"Throughout my long career in theatre I have had the chance to study with a great number of instructors, unfortunately an excessively great number of them were a waist of my time, where I had to force myself to find what was it exactly the thing I was learning. I am so grateful that you made this few days of training so creatively rich. There was so much substance to work with and develop, that the time seemed to be always too little".
Daniel Dewald, Finland