Episode 609. Well-Intentioned Directors Guide
Director Nate Cohen is in his second year of Northwestern University\u2019s MFA Directing program and recently created a cheeky \u2014 and slightly tongue-in-cheek \u2014 flowchart entitled \u201cShould I Direct This Play (A Guide for Well-Intentioned Cis Het White Men).\u201d Nate posted the chart on Facebook and tagged, among other people, American Theatre magazine, which retweeted it and prompted much national discussion and a little bit of blowback. Nate discusses his own intentions and\xa0the issue of taking up space; the dangers of getting stuck in an irony loop; the cautionary tale of Robert LePage; the fact of walking like a (straight white) man; the reason it\u2019s a guide, not a rulebook; vital interactions with Lauren Gunderson; the potential danger of artist-splaining; a grateful shout-out to the Hawkins Family\xa0(and this live concert recording in particular);\xa0the importance of thinking through things critically and not being a dick; and ultimately, the valuable question of how do we do better? (Length 27:46)