I.

Introduction

Directing, the artistic organization and supervision of a theatre production, film, or television programme. Any dramatic performance, whether on screen or stage, may involve many different elements—for example, actors, sets, costumes, stage properties, lighting, sound, choreography, and music—so the need for a coordinator is essential. The task usually belongs to one individual, the director, who guides the team of people working on a particular production in order to ensure that the various aspects of the work come together to form an artistically unified presentation. This article deals primarily with the historical development of the role of the stage director.