Jason Myers is a graduate student in ECU's English department.  He works as a teaching assistant as well as helping out in The First Year Writing Studio.  He recently wrapped production, as director, on the musical Footloose.  He was kind enough to share some thoughts on the process with The Common Reader.

TCR:  How was the experience of directing for you?  Did you find it to be similar or different to the teaching process?
Jason:  It was a little bit like teaching.  With teaching you spend a lot of time preparing students by providing them with background materials and references hoping that the end product that they hand in resembles the vision that I had for them.  With Footloose I had the time to be more hands on with everyone involved.  The play ended up being an extension of myself, and the creative image that I had in mind.

TCR:  What would you define as the major obstacles that you faced in directing?
Jason:  I think that the biggest problem that I had was dealing with the business aspect of directing.  The creative part came to me easily enough.  The hardest thing was coordinating everyone's schedules.  I had thirty-three actors and trying to get them to rehearsals five days a week for three hours at a time was no easy task, but by learning to be a better organizer I rose above the challenge.

TCR:  Would you mind describing a little bit of your background in the theatre?
Jason:  Sure, I began with Smiles and Frowns, in 1986 or 1985 I'm not too sure.  Then I started to do summer theatre at ECU.  I originally went to NC State for theatre.  My ultimate goal was to be an actor in New York or L.A.  Then I transferred from State to UNC Greensboro and took classes in directing, lighting, make-up and other techniques of theatre.  That's when I really got interested in the job of directing.  I like the idea of being an umbrella that shrouds over every part of the production.  I like to work with knowledgeable people in every facet of the production and then I get to bring them altogether for an overall image like fitting together pieces of a puzzle.

TCR:  What's next for you?
Jason:  I'm going to graduate from ECU with a master's in English, then I thought that I would try and teach High School theatre, through a lateral entry position, since I am not certified in secondary education.  My goal is to find a full-time directing job with a large community theatre.  Teaching will really just be a fall back.  Teaching isn't really my true passion but I can see the need for it.  Teaching and directing really run parallel.  This is kind of an interesting side note.  My High School director, Janice Schreiber, was in Footloose.

TCR:  So you were directing her?
Jason:  Yeah, ten years later and I'm directing her.  It was great.  She's a professional actress and she's just amazing.  I knew that I could rely on her.  She agreed with me and encouraged me on every creative decision that I made, and made suggestions to me when I was uncertain.

TCR:  If you were to direct a play based on your life story, who would play the lead?
Jason:  That's a tough one.  I would have to say, and this would be in a little while, after I've aged, William H. Macey.  That's just because I think that he is the best character actor around.

TCR:  Would it be a musical? 
Jason:  Definitely not.