Directing is a harsh learning curve. Thankfully, there are a wealth of fabulous resources out there to make the process a bit less harrowing. These are my top recommendations for anyone who is interested in directing for the first time and isn’t quite sure where to start. 

Read more: 5 Must-Read Books for Aspiring Theatre Directors

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Notes on Directing: 130 Lessons in Leadership from the Director’s Chair by Frank Hauser and Russell Reich

If you don’t read anything else about directing, I would highly, highly recommend you make this the one you read.

Notes on Directing is short, sweet, and chock-full of great tips about nearly every aspect of directing. It is organized in the chronological order of mounting a production, beginning with pre-production considerations and ending with the performances themselves. The tips are generally short, only a few sentences at most, but packed with wisdom. This book is an excellent starting point for building a directing method and philosophy, and its bite-sized nature invites repeated perusing.

This is a must-have for any director’s personal library. When I directed my first community theatre production, I kept my copy of this book on me basically at all times, and would spend a few minutes before each rehearsal thumbing through it for some guidance and confidence. I really can’t recommend it enough for how practical and concise it is. 

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A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing by William Ball

A Sense of Direction feels like the longer-form cousin of Notes on Directing. The general flavor of much of the advice is similar, but provided in far greater detail. This book covers all aspects of directing, from choosing and analyzing a script to how a director should behave on opening night. 

The information provided in this book is practical and backed up with professional expertise. And it’s all here in one place— while I recommend directors explore the many fabulous books on directing available to them, this one is particularly in-depth. If you only read two books on directing, this is a solid second. 

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Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays by David Ball 

Directing is a lot more than script analysis, but script analysis is a really important step one (that more directors should really spend more time on).

David Ball provides step-by-step instructions for reading a play carefully and methodically. The book is short and easy to read quickly (my first pass at it only took one day), but the text warrants revisiting as you begin and work through pre-production homework. Understanding your script is critical for creating your vision and guiding your actors through the work. This book is a thorough guide and a classic for its efficacy. 

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Staging Sex: Best Practices, Tools, and Techniques for Theatrical Intimacy by Chelsea Pace with contributions by Laura Rikard

This is a detailed manual for staging theatrical intimacy. I can hear you beginning to click away: I’m not doing Heathers or Spring Awakening, I don’t need to read about how to simulate sex on stage. Take a second to mentally flip through the script of any show you’ve ever dreamed of directing: does it contain any kissing? Intimate touching? Dialogue and behavior of a sexually suggestive nature? Then you should absolutely read this book.

Chelsea Pace and Laura Rikard provide stellar guidance for handling intimacy in a healthier, safer, and less awkward way. Even well-meaning directors often find themselves asking their directors to “just kiss” or “act sexier.” Discussing sex is a taboo in our culture, so communicating with fellow creatives about it can be a challenge. This book offers helpful vocabulary and “recipes” for building intimate encounters that look natural and feel safe for everyone involved.

I honestly think that everyone involved in theatre should read this book. There is so much incredibly useful material! 

(And besides, I had to get at least one person who didn’t identify as a cis male on this list. I’ve got some more pieces by female authors in my TBR pile now, so the next list ought to be an improvement in that regard!)

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The Empty Space: A Book about the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate by Peter Brook

This text is much more theoretical than any of the others on this list, but it is a classic for a reason. Peter Brook is one of the most celebrated directors in modern theatre history, and he shares his wisdom on the art of theatre with humor and wit. This book is short but dense, and rewards repeat reading. Despite how high-minded it can be, the theories Brook provides are palpable and intuitive, and prove useful for a director to keep in mind.

The final chapter of the book provides a miscellany of directing and acting advice. Hypothetically, if you find the first part of the book a bit too difficult to get through, just this final chapter is quite valuable— though I would highly recommend you work through all of it to build a deeper understanding of the power of theatre.

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