Several theater students took the next step toward perfecting their craft this week when they presented self-directed shows. Associate Professor of Theater Davis Robinson's 200-level course on directing, which he has been teaching at Bowdoin for 10 years, concluded with performances on Monday and Tuesday night of 10- to 12-minute scenes each student has worked on throughout the semester.
Nine scenes were performed in total, taken from works by notable playwrights, such as Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Jean Cocteau and several contemporary writers.
Before beginning work on their projects, students were given a background on the fundamentals of directing by studying a contemporary, naturalistic play as a class. Robinson then allowed his students to choose the piece they wanted to direct, though he restricted them from works that consist of large casts or complicated technical elements. He gave his students ample creative freedom, allowing them to choose their methods of directing, with the condition that they could justify their choices with support from the texts they interpreted.
"I try to give people the basic tools they will need to survive and the most common methods they will run into in the field while also giving them enough room to discover what kinds of directors they are, with an awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses," wrote Robinson in an e-mail to the Orient.
The actors, under the guidance of these budding directors, were Bowdoin students involved in the theater department, as well as non-theater students who wanted to get involved with this project. Campus-wide auditions were held mid-semester, seeking 40 to 50 actors to fill all of the available spots in each project.
The pieces performed ranged dramatically in plot, context and style, providing for variety in the studio as well as in the performances.
"Students find the most interesting choices and no one thinks alike," Robinson said. "This year there were some great dramatic moments and some very comedic moments. There is a new piece every 10 minutes, so there is usually something for everyone."