Musical theatre is one of the most collaborative art forms. With it comes collective story telling, enriching learning experiences, artistic satisfaction, and personal growth and reflection. However, there are also differing opinions, disparate talents, despotism, and frustrations, etc. The primary function of the director is to not only envision or approach a production in his or her own specific way, but to foster the creativity of all members of the collaborative team within this vision. This will thus lead to a more cohesive and artistic production. There is not one book that is devoted to the art of collaborating on a theatrical production. However, I have conducted much of my research through books that focus on the art of directing. Most authors include a chapter or periodic references regarding collaboration. As a case study, I was the assistant director to a professional production of Hairspray at The Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, OH. I reference my personal collaborative experiences on this production throughout the report. Through research and experience, I have found that no two productions will be the same in terms of collaboration. I have created this project report to assist the director in understanding the duties of his or her collaborators. But more importantly how he or she can best communicate with them to create a process that fosters artistic creativity and freedom
