| Summary: | Finding Humour in the Pain-Directing Christopher Durang and Albert limaurato’s
Play, The Idiots Karamazov examines the preparation, research, pre-production and
rehearsal processes that went into staging The Idiots Karamazov at the University of
British Columbia’s Frederic Wood Theatre from March l9 to 28, 2009.
This paper is broken down into 4 chapters detailing my goals to achieve a
successful and relevant production for today’s audience. My rehearsal process was to
inspire and guide all artists involved to act upon their creative impulses and to make this
production a collaborative effort. Chapter 1 includes a biography of both playwrights,
outlining their influences and a brief historical account ofhow The Idiots Karamazov
evolved from an 8mm student film to a full-length professional production at Yale
Repertory Theater. Chapter 2 provides a directorial analysis of the text and detailed
methods and philosophies in directing from several well-known academics and theatre
artists. Chapter 3 is a detailed journal chronicling the pre-production process including
several e-mail correspondences with playwright, Christopher Durang. Also included in
this chapter are several entries detailing early meetings with designers, daily accounts of
the rehearsal process, production meetings, and fmally a description of three
performances I attended during the run. Chapter 4 is a refection ofmy fmal thoughts on
the production, concluding with major shifts to my approach to the directing process.
This purpose of this paper is to give the reader a clear understanding of the
analytical and practical process involved with directing and staging Christopher Durang
and Albert Innaurato’s play The Idiots Karamazov at the Frederic Wood Theatre.
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