Director's Workshop with Michael Armstrong

Over five hours, we will talk about the often overwhelming work of being a theatre director. We will learn about five major themes in the work: the big idea, truth, tension, communication and responsibility. We will talk about the importance of patience in working with actors. We will talk about scheduling rehearsals and what to expect. And we will look at a series of short scenes of different styles and play with the possibilities of them. This will be a wide ranging conversation that will include theoretical and practical solutions for your work. Bring your imagination and your pencils.

Michael Armstrong Bio:  Michael began his theatre career with an acting class in the basement weight room of Sutherland Junior Secondary School in North Vancouver in the fall of 1969. That next spring, he played Attatu, an Inuk seal hunter, in The Ice Wolf; Sutherland’s entry into the high school theatre festival which was held at Simon Fraser University. These humble beginnings led to a life in the theatre that has lasted over fifty years. He has acted, directed, designed and adjudicated all over BC, including Theatre BC’s Mainstage in 2016. He holds a Masters degree in Playwriting, is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada. He has written a dozen plays, the most recent being a biography of his mother, Longing, which he will direct for ECHO Players in the spring of 2024. He is currently working on a musical, The Last Frontier, with his partner, actor and songwriter, Beth Devolder. As an actor, his favorite roles include McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and the enigmatic and seldom seen Willie in Beckett’s stunning Happy Days.