Directing at ACT
How Directors are Chosen at ACT
ACT chooses its directors each season from a pool of candidates who meet our qualifications and who submit scripts for our consideration. Qualification is determined by the board of directors, and plays are evaluated by a committee of ACT members appointed by the president; once they come up with a proposed season calendar, it’s submitted to the membership for ratification at the April membership meeting.
Like everyone at Albany Civic Theater, directors are unpaid volunteers.
If you’re interested in directing at ACT, the first step is to get involved with the theater—on stage or off. Get to know current directors and volunteer to work with them; experience serving in a production leadership role is a mandatory requirement for qualifying to direct at ACT.
Albany Civic Theater will soon be soliciting submissions for 2025-2026, which is the the theater’s 75th anniversary season. The season will run from September 2025 through August 2026.
Please check back in November 2024 for more information about submitting show proposals for the 75th anniversary season.
These documents are provided to help potential directors better prepare for proposing a show for the upcoming season. Please note that many of these documents will be updated for the 2025-2026 season, so check back in November 2024 for the current set of documents.
- 2024-2025 Play Submission Packet (which contains: Call for Directors, Charge to the Play Reading Committee, Play Submission Guidelines, Director Information Form, Play Submittal Form)
- Special Event Manual (Please download if planning on submitting a special event.)
- ACT production manual online (.pdf format; 2022 edition)
- Stage Floor Plans (Here’s a separate, printable copy for those who don’t want to download the whole manual.) (pdf – Updated July 2008)
- Audition forms (.pdf)
- Script check-out forms (.pdf)
- Bio Forms (Word doc)
- ACT poster design guidelines
- An ACT-ors Handbook, 2005 edition: guidelines for cast members (.pdf, printable booklet format. An letter-sized version is included in the production manual.)
- Liaison guidelines (.pdf)