ABSTRACT
The modern concept of director, as an individual whose sole responsibility is to develop and implement a unifying vision for a play, is traditionally traced to 1874 and Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. As both the patron and the head of the Meiningen Players, the duke was faced with a lack of funds that forced him to use a team devoid of the star power found in most nineteenth-century acting companies. Remember that the director is ultimately responsible for providing the vision for the entire production, and director should begin developing that vision at the first reading. Ideally, when director read a script as a director, director should “see” the play unfold in director's head in some fashion. A director who has a strong sense of both will ultimately be hired and rehired, as producers want to work with directors who are able to maintain a foot in both worlds.
