Why I Love Directing New Plays and Musicals... (And Why You Should Trust Me With Yours)

First table read of "THE COMMUTERS (OR A CAUTIONARY TALE ABOUT THE PORT AUTHORITY)," my first NYC directing gig for the Strawberry Theater Festival, 2016.

There's a moment in every rehearsal room for a new play or musical when something unexpected happens: a line lands differently, a gesture unlocks a character, or a silent beat reveals a truth even the writer hadn't seen yet. That moment of discovery is why I love directing new work. It's alchemical. It's collaborative. And it's never the same twice.

Directing new plays and musicals isn't about imposing a vision. It's about being a catalyst for clarity, for cohesion, for boldness. I don't just want your script to work. I want it to breathe, to surprise you, to become more fully itself. That's the work I live for.

I'm Interested in the Unknown...

Established plays come with a roadmap. New work is a wilderness. And while you'll be hard pressed to find me camping, hiking, hunting or fishing, in this specific context, I love the wilderness!

Directing a new piece means stepping into a process without all the answers and creating space where questions are not only welcomed, but essential. My job is to ask the right ones:

• What is this play actually about beneath the plot?

• What keeps the characters from getting what they want?

• What needs to be seen, not said?

I bring a spirit of exploration to the room-but also discipline. New work benefits from structure and intention, especially when time and resources are limited. I bring both.

Collaboration is at the Core

When I direct new work, I'm not just staging scenes. I'm in conversation with the writer, the actors, the designers, and the play itself. I listen deeply. I challenge respectfully. I value your voice, and I bring my own clearly and confidently. Whether I'm helping you shape a rewrite after a reading or staging a full production from the ground up, I consider it my responsibility to honor the play you've written and the play that's trying to emerge.

I also know how vulnerable it can be to hand your work to a director. I don't take that trust lightly. I don't treat your play like a puzzle to solve or a product to polish. I treat it like a living thing we're nurturing together.

Neil Radisch and Kit Goldstein Grant work on rewrites at a rehearsal for The Bee-Man, June 2022.

I Direct With the Audience in Mind — But the Artist at Heart

Yes, I think about the audience: what they'll see, hear, and feel. But I never direct to pander. I direct to reveal; to sharpen the story's truth. To elevate the writer's intent. I believe the best theatre challenges and delights, sometimes simultaneously. I work hard to help audiences understand your story in their bones-even if they've never seen anything quite like it before.

Why You Can Trust Me to Direct Your New Play or Musical

Writers, producers, artistic directors, actors: I've directed world premieres, developmental workshops, 29-hour readings, and in-process sharings. I know how to meet a play where it is and help it take its next step forward.

I'm a clear communicator, a focused collaborator, and a director who leads with curiosity, rigor, and care. I've seen firsthand how a director's questions can shape a script. I've also seen how the wrong energy in the room can stall progress. That's why I create a rehearsal environment where artists feel brave enough to take risks and supported enough to make mistakes.

Your play deserves that. You deserve that.

If you're developing a new work and looking for a director who can meet you with both vision and sensitivity, let's talk! I'd love to be part of your process!