photo: Mark Loudon
Big D is here for you as a director, coach, dramaturg and co-creator. Let’s make some ART!
Every artist’s development is unique; there is no cookie-cutter formula to create a great performance. That said, here are the core principles which guide my coach/director/dramaturg work:
- No Fourth Wall. I focus on performance that acknowledges, celebrates and interacts with its audience.
- Fun rehearsals that move efficiently. I believe in not F-ing around and giving you value for your dollar!
- Hard work and hard play.
- Deep connections to and mining of the individual performer’s world. To find the “juicy stuff, we have to go deep. I don’t pretend to be a therapist, but I believe there is therapeutic power in accessing that which is personal, tender, and sometimes challenging.
- Discovery and writing through on-your-feet guided improvisation and coaching. Creation through play.
- A firm focus on the overall arc and rhythmic flow of a show’s journey. I keep track a piece’s structure so you don’t have to!
- Open communication with the performers/creators to establish a trusting working relationship. How do we build trust? Every collaboration is different, and I cherish the exploration.
Feel free to read more about my process here. And get in touch about your project!
Testimonials
“Where do I even begin to describe my wonderful experiences working with Deanna over the years? She has served as Director, Dramaturg, and Co-Writer on several of my theatrical projects. I bring her in when I know I need clear, fast, insightful direction and she always delivers! She is incredibly skilled at taking the time to get clear on what my vision is, then helping me get there in a way that includes the audience in the journey. She sets realistic expectations for the time it will take to get to the results I’m looking for (eg. length of show). I’m able to really then plan around that time-wise and financially. This is quite helpful when you are self-producing your own show as many working artists today are. She also pushes my edges and dares me to dig deeper and get more comfortable being uncomfortable. Deanna has an uncanny ability to see the bigger picture and get at exactly the story I am trying to tell — but didn’t know how to express myself. She’s just so damn good. And she’s always keeping the audience experience in the forefront of her mind — which is why I think audiences respond so well to her work. I highly recommend working with Deanna. Not only will you walk away with a great piece of art you can feel proud of, but you’ll have a blast in the process.”
“As female performers, working with a powerhouse like Deanna on our passion project was a completely different experience to working with any other director. She meets you as a peer, a fellow artist trying to figure out what the project is calling for – and yet one who has a deep insight for finding the magic within your ideas and within you. Her playful encouragement, her ‘yes’ energy towards whatever you bring and her ability to coax out what she calls ‘deep art’ from early material, has changed the way we devise and perform. Her experienced eye for structure alongside her investment in us and our work, brought to life the show we’d dreamt of making.”
“Working with D was the best decision we made for For Science! show development. Her unique experience in immersive comedy and ability to tap into and understand our goals for the production made her the expert outside eye we needed to take our quirky interactive performance to the next level. I will work with Deanna every chance I can get!”
“Before I worked with Deanna, my show received applause. After working with Deanna, I received standing ovations. She lends a dramaturgical strength, playfulness and keen eye to my creation process that has taken me to the next level.”
“I’ve worked with D on my solo shows many times. Not only does she bring an experienced and brilliant eye to what is happening on stage, but she also has an incredible dramaturgical head for plot, structure and story. She is very good at what she does, and I’ve learnt a lot about devising and performing from working with her.”