Confessions of a director

Assistant Professor Raimondo Genna has had a lot of experience directing plays.

After taking part in several productions at San Diego State University, he came to the University of South Dakota where he directed “Top Girls.”

The seasoned theatre veteran said the most common misconception about being a director is that he has absolute power.

“The director does have the final say and is in charge of everything, but theatre is a very collaborate art,” Genna said.
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When it comes to collaboration, Genna said things go smoother if clear goals and expectations are set at the beginning of production.

“That way, we know what our boundaries are, where we can contribute freely and where we can contribute carefully,” he said.

While directing “Top Girls,” Genna said conflicting stage personalities was the last of his worries. The dialogue in the play involved a lot of interrupting and characters talking all at once, which was a challenge to stage.

“Sometimes what they were saying wasn’t as important as them all talking at once, and sometimes what they were saying was what mattered,” he said. “I really enjoyed working with the actors on that.”

Another challenge was dealing with a smaller budget than Genna was accustomed to in San Diego. Regardless, he said that hurdle made the production better in the end.

“Less money forces you to be more creative,” he said.

And when it comes to creativity, Genna said it was important as a director to listen to the entire cast and crew’s suggestions.

“Directors have a strong sense of directions, but not a complete vision,” he said. “Creativity fosters creativity.”

Genna said being too heavy-handed as a director could have adverse effects on a production.

“When the director has a strong vision, the cast is serving and not really contributing,” he said.

Being a director comes with many challenges, but can be just as rewarding.

“It is truly a creative journey that we are all on,” he said.