A q&a with a student director

James Bristow is the student director for "Jack Goes Boating." He directed one other play last fall, and he is also an actor.

1. How did you get the opportunity to become a student director?

Every year, anyone who has taken the required classes and expressed interest in directing can apply to direct a show. You then have to put together a director’s book* for a sample show and submit it to the professors. They will evaluate your application and performance in the classroom and select who they think is right for the job.

2. What does student directing entail?

Directing a production is a lot of responsibility. You are constantly going from meeting to meeting, rehearsal to rehearsal, trying to fit all the theatrical elements together to put on a successful show. You have to collaborate with so many other artists, and get each one on the same level of understanding the production’s concept.

3. Which play did you direct last fall?

I directed "The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek" by Naomi Wallace last fall in the Hawes Studio Theatre.

4. What is the most interesting/exciting aspect of directing to you?

Being able to watch a vision inside your head come to life in front of you is a remarkable experience. Watching this thing evolve from a glimpse of a thought while you read it for the first time into a fully produced play is my favorite part of theatre.

5. What do you enjoy most about acting?

The play. Not the text. The action of playing. I love being different characters and trying new ways to say lines. Always being able to change who I am at the current moment is very exhilarating.

6. What do you enjoy about being behind the scenes as a director versus being in front of an audience as an actor?

I like the collaboration. I love being able to pass my original thought to others and watch it grow and evolve into the final product. And, being able to watch my work is pretty nice, too.

7. How would you describe the story of “Jack Goes Boating”?

It is the struggle of two couples in New York just striving for normality. We watch these four characters live as relationships are built and broken all around them.

8. What have you learned thus far as a student director?

A LOT. The biggest thing I've learned applies not only to directing but life itself. The biggest thing I've learned from student directing is that a little patience and positivity go a LONG way.

9. Which of the characters you have played so far has been your favorite?

Mr. Beaver from "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" has been my favorite character so far. I had so much fun with the children and the energy they brought into the theatre.

10. What have you learned, as both an actor and a student director that has been the most beneficial to you?

To be prepared. Always. Always. ALWAYS be prepared. For anything.

*Note: to learn more about the director’s book and the application process for student directors, click here.