Director Training Research Articles

Director training: a mine field or brave new world?

The relative paucity of research on directing reflects the way in which the practice of directing occurs – behind closed-doors (Trousdell 1992). Despite the power afforded to directors, the literature is often comparatively silent on how a director leads a production. Whilst delineating the role of the director can be problematic, the training of directors is a minefield. Unlike actor training where a myriad of theories and methods guide us, the dearth of pedagogical frameworks for teaching directors has resulted in an ad hoc approach at best. Two case studies, conducted by the authors, within the context of conservatoire actor training, formed the basis for research exploring how leadership and creative collaboration could influence directorial practice. This article argues that a significant, and often overlooked aspect of director training is leadership and explores ways in which it can inform director training curriculum. Global #movements over the past five years have forced universities and conservatoires to consider the voices of marginalised and excluded students. By embedding leadership pedagogy into director training there is the potential to create a ‘brave new world’ where actor efficacy and creative collaboration are the vanguard that take directors into a post pandemic world.

What can an accomplice accomplish? Thinking about casting, point of view, and anti-racism in director training

What can an accomplice accomplish? Thinking about casting, point of view, and anti-racism in director training

Turtlenecks and a bad attitude: student drama as director training

Turtlenecks and a bad attitude: student drama as director training

Director training and education: models from Brazil and the UK

This paper presents a conversation that took place via Zoom on 6 September 2022, between Adriana Schneider Alcure and Bruce Adams, curated by Pedro de Senna. In it, Alcure and Adams discuss their experiences, respectively, at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and Middlesex University, London (MDX). Both universities offer BA courses in theatre directing, but follow very different models. Both universities also offer MAs in Theatre Arts (MDX) and ‘Artes da Cena’ (UFRJ), with similar interdisciplinary ethea. Mediated by de Senna’s experience of both cultural contexts, Adams and Alcure talk about commonalities and differences, addressing two key pedagogical questions: in what ways can directing be taught, if at all? And: what is the role of theatre (and theatre directors) in society? The conversation is not directly transcribed, but edited and organised by de Senna, drawing on the themes explored, and addresses contemporary theatre director training from an intercultural perspective. The exchange touches on questions of academic and artistic labour, student cohorts, curriculum design, interdisciplinarity; and the relationship between ‘training’ and ‘education’, when it comes to the performing arts in general, and theatre directing in particular: are these terms even adequate? It is clear that these questions are imbricated with those relating to the purpose of, and access to, the arts and education more broadly, in societies that, while very different, have more in common than might at first be acknowledged.

Personal development as director training: a dramatic dialogue

If our aim is theatre that is genuinely inclusive, relevant, and able to respond to the continuing developments of the (post-)COVID world, then we need directors who are flexible enough to respond to societal changes and empathetically encompass identities and experiences that are not their own. I argue that this requires directors to interrogate their belief systems, develop interpersonal skills, and explore alternate ways of working. Composed as a dramatic dialogue between two theatrical characters, Director A and Director B, the article presents two figures who wrangle to the conclusion that personal development is an often overlooked but essential part of ongoing director training in our rapidly shifting world.

Passion or profession: the training of theatre directors in South Africa

This article explores director training in the context of contemporary South Africa. Through individual interviews with ten South African theatre directors, we explore their origins and inspirations towards becoming a director. The selected directors differ in their ways of working and their personal backgrounds, providing a diverse spectrum of profiles that highlight the different skills required by theatre directors. Together, these interviews reflect the reality of the theatre industry in South Africa, which is somewhat haphazard and fragmented. The interviews explore how most of the selected directors, working across the spectrum of formal, well-funded theatre and under-resourced, community-based theatre, have fallen into directing as a default position, rather than receiving specific directing training during their studies. In most cases, this has been born out of a necessity to create their own work as actors, or to produce their own scripts as writers. This practice reflects how South African theatre directors are often driven by their own passion rather than by the professional training provided for directors in other countries. Based on these experiences, and the needs within the theatre industry in South Africa, the article concludes with suggestions for curriculum reform for theatre directors in the context of the South.

Moving in a different direction (directing down under): the evolution of director training into studies of ‘creative leadership’ in an Australian context

Moving in a different direction (directing down under): the evolution of director training into studies of ‘creative leadership’ in an Australian context

Reiterated empathy in BA director training

Reiterated empathy in BA director training

Comparison of Current Post-Graduate Pain Management and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency Programs

Post-graduate pharmacy residency training in pain management and palliative care is continuing to increase in availability. It is expected that there will be further expansion in the need for specialty trained pain and palliative care pharmacists as the population continues to age and prevalence of pain increases; however, descriptions of current post-graduate year 2 pain management and palliative care residencies are limited. The purpose of this survey is to collect program information and compare baseline characteristics of the currently available programs. Data collected included funding source, required and elective experiences, residency program director training, jobs held by residents upon completion of the program, and preceptor availability/training. Of the 15 respondents, baseline characteristics were variable. Outpatient chronic pain management was the most commonly selected required experience. Approximately 33% of residency program directors had completed a post-graduate year two residency in pain management and palliative care, and the majority of responding programs were funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The characteristics of responding programs illustrates the diversity of current post-graduate pain management and palliative care residency opportunities. The results of this survey help evaluate these opportunities and will provide valuable information as this specialty continues to progress.

Format of Musical Theatre Director's Training in Socio-Cultural Realities of Independent Ukraine

The relevance of the study lies in the need to find a solution to the problem of training music directors in Ukraine under the influence of a paradigm shift in theatrical art, which requires the harmonization of Ukrainian and European educational systems. The scientific novelty of the article is in determining the ways of professional education modernization in accordance to the rector O. Tymoshenko’s strategic vision of the ‘musical directing’ specialization development at the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music of Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to determine the strategic directions of training a musical theatre director in the socio-cultural realities of independent Ukraine, to predict the prospects for their further transformations in the context of European integration of art and educational directing schools. Applied research methods were: culturological - to analyze the impact of socio-cultural challenges of today on changing the paradigm of theatrical art; system analysis - to determine the strategic directions of training a music director in the context of O. Tymoshenko's conceptual vision; structural and functional - to determine the model of education of a music director in the context of integrative links between specializations in the implementation of joint projects. Evolutionary changes in music directing education which are connected to European integration processes in culture and art were considered. It was found that the paradigm of theatrical art is influenced by the socio-cultural challenges of today, which have both positive and negative consequences and require modernization of professional training of music directors. It was found out that: positive results consist in exchange of achievements in the field of musical theater, growth of art skills, joint international projects, innovative searches in the context of competition-festival activity, negative - in decrease of national repertoire in comparison with foreign, partial loss of national art identity and change of value orientations from permissive-cognitive to entertaining-hedonistic, creation of art performances on show-market of consumer products. Prospects for further research related to the analysis of world directing and educational systems, creative and pedagogical work of iconic figures of musical theatre and their extrapolation to Ukrainian realities were predicted.

Kidney transplant surgical director training: Urologists represent a functional alternative to general surgeons.

Kidney transplant (KT) directors are general surgeons or urologists. All KT centers must meet established performance standards. However, it has not been established if general surgery and urology led programs have disparate outcomes. Transplant outcomes and donor-recipient characteristics by director training were investigated. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) directory, program websites were analyzed for surgical director demographics. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) 1-year kidney survival and deceased donor (DD) wait-time rankings were evaluated. A retrospective analysis of 142157 KT recipients from 2010 to 2019 was performed using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database. One hunderd and seventy three (90.6%) KT programs were led by general surgeons. There were no significant differences in gender, ethnicity, region, credentials, or fellowship completion. Recipients undergoing KT with urology led programs were older (P=.002) and had longer wait-times (P<.001). These centers used higher KDPI (.47vs. .45, P<.001) and higher HLA mismatch (3.92vs. 3.89, P=.02) kidneys. Urology led centers utilized living donors less frequently (32.1%vs. 35.8%, P<.001) and had longer CIT (15.44vs. 12.21, P<.001). Both had similar SRTR ranking of 1-year survival and DD wait-time. Most directors were general surgeon. Patient outcomes did not differ by transplant director training. Urologists represent a viable option for KT leadership and recruitment should be encouraged.

The Promise of Nursing Home Medical Direction: A Work in Progress

The Promise of Nursing Home Medical Direction: A Work in Progress

How director identification shapes accountability and scope of contribution

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore why different directors feel different levels of accountability toward board tasks.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a reflexive three wave data and analysis process culminating in a rich data set of 49 interviews with Australian directors and 15 h of boardroom observations.FindingsDifferences in role identification lead directors to perceive their accountability differently resulting in wide variation in levels of firm specific knowledge, eventually affecting their breadth of contribution to board tasks.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers should question the application of traditional governance theory (such as agency theory) if it fails to account for individual differences in intrinsic self-interest.Practical implicationsSelecting board members for their functional knowledge alone may not always produce optimal outcomes for the board and firm. Board induction processes and ongoing director training are important tools to inform and remind directors of their role and accountabilities on a board.Originality/valueThis paper establishes that the strength of directors' identification with either the director role or expert role affects what they feel accountable for, the development of firm specific knowledge and long-term efficacy as a director.

Strategy work on staging a play

The purpose of the article. On the basis of analysis and generalization of the works of the leading native and foreign representatives, practitioners and theorists of theatrical art, to study and systematize the experience regarding the basic principles of the future director's training and to determine the strategies for the the play staging by a fresh director, to outline and characterize the main stages of performance production. The methodology of the research is to apply analytical, historical, axiological and systematic approaches to reveal the main methods of working on the play production and its further staging. Scientific novelty. A system of arguments has been developed to claim that the leading method of work on the play is a backward and forwards, which helps to better understand each subsequent development of events and relationships between actors. Conclusions. Every moment is important and should be in the director's consideration. Moments of physical action, dialogues, pauses, filled with silence, content, usually filling out and transmitting a certain message. Each moment is the cause of the following one, they are the ones that make up the play. So, at the stage of the rehearsal, the director, together with the actors, should pause after each replica, discuss possible corrections and refinement of the moments, which will help to improve the quality of the play. Each play has its own rhythm, built into its structure. And the ability to capture that rhythm, the right balance of emphasis, the skills of expression, the ability to develop his author's style in the production of a dramatic work of arts is the success of the play and its production.

Leading the Dialysis Unit: Role of the Medical Director.

The responsibilities of a dialysis unit medical director are specified in the ESRD Conditions for Coverage and encompass multiple quality, safety, and educational domains. Many of these responsibilities require leadership skills that are neither intuitive nor acquired as part of the medical director's training. An effective medical director is able to shape the culture of the dialysis facility such that patients and staff feel free to communicate their concerns regarding suboptimal processes without fear of retribution, and there is a continuous iterative process of quality improvement and safety, which values input from all stakeholders. This ultimately decreases the use of shortcuts and work-arounds that may compromise patient safety and quality because policies and procedures make it easiest to do the right thing. Fundamental to this leadership by the medical director are communications skills, staff empowerment, allocation of resources, mentoring, team building, and strategic vision. The medical director leads by example and must be present in the dialysis unit for extended periods to send a message of accessibility and commitment. Many dialysis medical directors would benefit from leadership training inside or outside their dialysis corporation.

Palliative Care Education in the Family Medicine Clerkship: A CERA Study.

Inadequate training of medical students in palliative care has been identified as a barrier to its universal provision. Family medicine physicians frequently provide these services, yet the extent of palliative care training in the family medicine clerkship has been unknown. This study describes the status of palliative care training in the family medicine clerkship, as well as clerkship director perceptions of this training. Data were attained through a cross-sectional survey of 141 US and Canadian family medicine clerkship directors administered in fall 2016. Survey items included clerkship director perceived value, interest, and background in palliative care education; presence of educational objectives; hours of training provided; and perceived barriers to palliative care instruction. Of the clerkship directors who responded (120/141, 81.5%), 31 (25.8%) reported providing no palliative care education and 75 (62.5%) reported palliative care competencies were not specifically assessed. Background in palliative care and explicit educational objectives were associated with more hours of training in palliative care. Clerkship director training in palliative care correlated with value of teaching it in the clerkship. Palliative care education in the family medicine clerkship is prevalent but a large portion of clerkships do not offer it, and the majority of clerkship directors do not evaluate this learning. Our study found a positive correlation between clerkship director training in palliative care and value placed on palliative training in the family medicine clerkship. Assessing this training in the family medicine clerkship and pursuing additional clerkship director training in the subject could improve the overall quality of education provided.

Towards the Further Professionalization of the Preparation of Jamaican TVET Leaders

The genesis of this study began with the understanding that there are many Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) public, government, and private schools and institutes in Jamaica at the secondary and tertiary education levels. At the time of this research, there was no specifically designed TVET principal/director preparation program or specialized qualifying credential. Such preparation programs and professional credentialing help to legitimize the profession and produce the leadership required to offer and implement quality TVET programs that contribute to creating a highquality workforce. This research study was conducted in Jamaica to produce expert recommended content and administrative models that may guide the development of a specialized TVET campus principal or director training program. Employing the expert wisdom approach to research, this study utilized a descriptive qualitative research design to gather information regarding the required qualifications and credentials, program content, and nature of the planning, implementation, and administrative body.

Director Training and Financial Disclosure: Asian Insights

We provide evidence regarding the relationship between director training programs and improved financial reporting. Director Training Programs (DTP) help directors better understand the specific context in which a firm operates, including its operations and environment; awareness of business norms and values; standards of probity and accountability; and their fiduciary duties as an agent of investors. This study explores a recent requirement for director training and its effect on the quality of financial reporting for publicly listed companies in three eastern countries. This study examines the relationship between DTP and the quality of financial reporting of Australian, Malaysian and Pakistani publicly listed companies by using a sample of data from 2011 to 2013. We determined that Australian companies that incur additional DTP expenditures and have a flexible training schedule (Online DTP)improve their financial reporting quality and that a well established DTP positively affects financial reporting quality in Malaysia. In addition, the results indicate that firm size negatively affects financial reporting quality in the Asia Pacific and older companies (firm age) suffer from low-quality financial reporting. © 2017, University of Finance and Management in Warsaw. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the knowledge backgrounds of library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

The purpose of the study is to investigate the knowledge backgrounds of library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to provide support for director selection and training in Chinese university libraries. The study selected 19 library directors from top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The data were collected mainly from official homepages of the selected university libraries or library organizations in combination with some supplementary information from individual departments of targeted university libraries. Most library directors from top universities in mainland China and Taiwan were educated at the universities in which they currently work and lack management experience. Such directors tend to be well-known scholars from fields other than library and information science. In contrast, library directors from top universities in Hong Kong have more diverse professional backgrounds, including significant experience working overseas in library and information science. The administrators and hiring committees of Chinese universities should focus on selecting library directors with diverse and advanced qualifications, as well as developing relevant laws and regulations to ensure that the selection of these directors remains competitive on the world stage. Although some studies of academic library directors have already been conducted, few studies have focused on Chinese library directors. This paper revealed the different models of knowledge backgrounds between directors of top universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

The Impact of Director's Training Program on Financial Reporting Quality in East

This research provides evidence as to how training programs for directors associate with improvements in the quality of financial reporting. Director Training Programs (DTPs) are held to enable directors to better comprehend the specific context in which the business operates in, which includes: company-operations, environment, business norms, values and standards of probity, accountability, and a director’s fiduciary duties as agents of the investors. In particular, this study explores the recent stipulation of directortraining, and its potency on the financial-reporting quality of the companies publicly traded on the stock-market. For the purpose, data for listed firms from the countries of Australia, Malaysia, and Pakistan was taken. It was found that Australian companies with higher DTP spending and flexible development schedules (Online DTP) had an overall improved quality of financial reporting. Moreover, a well developed DTP is noted to relate positively with the overall financial-reporting quality in Malaysia. The results further indicate that, in all the three nations, firm-size negatively impacts the financial-reporting quality. However, older companies (firm-age), in the Asian economies, are accounted to have a comparatively overall lower quality of financial reporting.