We’re thrilled to welcome Preston Lane of Triad Stage as a masterclass presenter, panelist and workshop presenter at the 68th annual SETC Convention this March in Lexington, KY.
Meet Preston Lane
Preston is in his 16th season as Artistic Director at Triad Stage where he has directed over 50 productions. Preston is the recipient of the 2008 Betty Cone Medal of the Arts, and was formerly Artistic Associate at the Dallas Theater Center, where his productions included the US premiere of Inexpressible Island (Dallas Observer Best of Dallas Awards: Best Director, Best Production) and The Night of the Iguana (Dallas Morning News: 2002 Top Ten Theatre List). Other productions include work Off Broadway, Regional and the National Black Theatre Festival.
As a playwright, his adaptations and original works include: Common Enemy, Tennessee Playboy, A Doll House, Masquerade, Tartuffe, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, Dracula, Mirandolina and Julie’s Dance (Triad Stage); A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center, Sonoma County Rep, Kids Who Care and Triad Stage), Three Weeks After Marriage and Helen! (Summer Cabaret) and with Laurelyn Dossett: Brother Wolf (Triad Stage, An Appalachian Summer Festival, The Human Race Theatre Company and St. Olaf College), Beautiful Star (Triad Stage and WaterTower Theatre), Bloody Blackbeard and Providence Gap. Brother Wolf, Beautiful Star, Ghosts and Snow Queen are published by Playscripts Inc.
He has taught at UNC-G, NC A&T, NCSA, Greensboro College, SMU, and the Professional Actors Workshop at the Dallas Theater Center. He is an alumnus of the Drama League of New York’s Director’s Project. A native of Boone, NC, Preston received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama.
An “Active Way” of Directing
Thurs. March 2, 2017, 10:30am – 12:30pm
In this advanced open masterclass, Lane demonstrates transforming traditional “text analysis” into “play exploration” using physical action to discover meaning and direction. Attributing his methodology of discovery of the connection between Stanislavski’s earliest and last work, Lane says “Everyone gets stuck on An Actor Prepares. Nobody reads that last book! Stanislavski was constantly changing.” Directing and re-directing a scene from Chekov’s The Seagull, Lane will work with two actors exploring truth through physical language to tell the story. Attendees will observe and get a chance to try examples within the process. For early career directors, grad students, professors and others who are seeking a less conventional approach to directing.
The New Director: A Round Table Discussion
Fri. March 3, 2017, Noon – 12:50pm
In this intermediate workshop, Artistic Directors from professional theatres discuss how they find, hire and mentor directors. How do they work with assistant or new directors? What are their unique directing needs and challenges? Join the dialogue or just listen.
The Dynamics of Directing in Professional Theatre
Sat. March 4, 2017, 9:00am – 10:15am
Professional theatre directors discuss how they choose the work they produce; their collaborative processes for engaging others in their vision; and how they perceive and overcome challenges. This is part of Saturday’s Producing Theatre Forums designed for adult professionals.