Yale on Directing

In adopting a philosiphy as an artist, seldom do we hear talk about our responsibility to the audience. In light of our recent discussions here on Ghoslight Chicago, I would like to call attention to the mission of the Yale School of Drama's MFA directing program:

The Directing department at Yale School of Drama admits a few talented individuals each year who have demonstrated the potential to become professional directors. They bring to the School of Drama a wide range of sensibilities, but they share some crucial qualities. They are generators of ideas and projects. They are not afraid to take risks, and they take responsibility for the philosophical and political implications of their work. they have a deep respect for the artists with whom they work. Above all, they have lively imaginations, an appetite for hard questions, and a robust curiosity about the world beyond their own cultural borders.

The Directing department's entire aim is the education of the director as a creative artist and leader. To that end, in coursework and production work, emphasis is placed on develop the director's unique artistic imagination and mastery of collaborative leadership. We want our directors to leave Yale School of Drama able to make theatre that reveals our world to us in surprising ways; that speaks to us now, whether the project is a new play or old, whether it centers on a text or is derived from material not based on the written word.