DIRECTING AS GARDENING - BY LISA L. WILEY

There are several perks to being an ensemble member with Seat of the Pants. Beyond collaborating with some of the most generous and talented people around, we are encouraged to take creative risks, try new things, and grow as artists. This upcoming season, I’ll be serving as Assistant Director for The Nativity Variations and directing one of the Salon Series readings - a new play called The Year of the Monkey, by Ed Walsh.

I have some experience directing, assistant directing, and stage managing, but this season I’m excited to continue developing my skills and refining my approach to directing. I’m especially looking forward to learning from Director Michael Glavan and gaining experience with the tools and techniques he brings to the process.

Seat of the Pants is a process-driven company, and over the years I’ve seen the results of that process from several perspectives. As a designer, I’ve witnessed how the work evolves from concept to production. As a stage manager, I’ve experienced how our ensemble-based approach takes shape in the rehearsal room. This time, as Assistant Director, I had the opportunity to be part of the audition process.

Auditions.

I’ve been on both sides of the table. I’ve auditioned, and I’ve watched others audition. Neither role is easy. Directors have countless questions to answer and an overwhelming number of possibilities to consider. How do you know which actor belongs in which role?

So far, I’d say it’s a lot like gardening.

Before planting anything, you need to decide what kind of garden you want to create. Is it a sun garden, a shade garden, or a wildflower meadow? That choice influences every decision that follows.

Auditions are like walking through a nursery filled with beautiful possibilities. Each actor brings something unique to the table, and every casting choice affects the overall composition of the story. Some plants thrive when paired together. Some enrich the soil. Others provide shade, structure, or protection. A healthy garden is not made up of individual specimens alone—it is an ecosystem.

The same is true of a cast.

The director’s job is not simply to find the strongest individual performers but to cultivate an ensemble that can support and elevate one another. Auditions provide a glimpse into what combinations might best serve the story and how each performer might contribute to the larger whole.

Then comes the growing season: rehearsal.

Throughout rehearsals, the director helps provide the structure that allows the work to flourish. Like a trellis, direction offers guidance and support, helping performers find the strongest path forward. Notes and feedback act as nourishment, fertilizer, encouraging growth and helping each actor reach their full potential. Together, the directing team creates an environment where artists can take root, stretch upward, and bloom, creating a spectacular bouquet.

Being part of the audition process and watching more than 100 actors share their work also reinforced something I already suspected: Cleveland is overflowing with talented, generous, and accomplished performers. The Cleveland actor scene is a botanical wonderland.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from this process, and I’m excited to see what grows from the seeds planted this season.