Director’s Gathering Salon: Director-Playwright Collaboration

Director-Playwright Collaboration: What Makes It Work?

Facilitator: Shamus (he/him) | www.justshamus.com, Social Media: @mononymous_shamus

How do we build strong, respectful collaborations with playwrights — especially when the roles and expectations aren’t always clear?

Description from Shamus: In the world of new play development, the director’s role can shift dramatically depending on whether you’re shaping a reading, workshop, or full production. This Salon invites directors to reflect on how we navigate these shifting dynamics in collaboration with living playwrights.

Facilitated by Shamus, this conversation will explore the complexities of director-playwright relationships: how we set expectations, align on vision, and manage challenges like limited resources, differing working styles, and unclear expectations. With honesty and humility (including a few lessons learned the hard way), Shamus will prompt an open discussion about how directors can better support the creative process without overstepping—and what practices help foster trust, clarity, and artistic synergy.

Whether you’re working with emerging writers or established voices, this is a space to share insights, compare approaches, and build collective wisdom around what makes these collaborations thrive.