How do you develop both the craft of directing as well as a professional career in freelance directing in today's theatre industry? Drawing on his own extensive experience and that of other theatre professionals from the US and UK, Kent Thompson illuminates a pathway from training, apprenticeship and assistant directing to an established career as a director. Directing Professionally first lays out paths for aspirant directors to train, grow and succeed as directors, then advises freelance directors on how to establish and accelerate their professional careers. It also reveals the most significant ways those directors become artistic directors today. With a frank, thoughtful and often humorous examination of the job of professional direction and artistic direction, Thompson writes about the passion, commitment, artistic vision, directorial experience, leadership skills, and powerful persuasive gifts needed to succeed in this extraordinary field.

Featuring case studies and brief interviews with professional theatre directors, artistic directors, producers, critics, managing/executive directors, and theatre leaders currently working in the field in the UK and the US, this volume will equip you to develop your career as a professional director in today's theatre.

Kent Thompson is a theatre director, producer, educator and writer. He has led two major regional theatres in the U.S., the Denver Center Theatre Company from 2005 to 2017 and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival from 1989 to 2005. Thompson is an accomplished director of Shakespeare and classics as well as new plays. Widely known as an advocate, supporter, developer and producer of new plays and musicals, Thompson created two new play festivals: the Colorado New Play Summit and the Southern Writers' Project. In Denver, he also created Off Center to create immersive, innovative programming for millennials and The Women's Voices Fund to commission new plays by women. Thompson has commissioned more than 65 new plays and produced 48 world premieres. He served as board president of Theatre Communications Group (the national organization for the American theatre), and has served on numerous peer panels, including Doris Duke Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Pew Charitable Trust, National Endowment for the Arts Theatre Panel (also Chair), and Fulbright Scholars Panel. He is currently a member of the Playwright Award Advisory Committee of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. He is a graduate of The College of William & Mary, USA, and The Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, UK.