Directing at the Majestic

So you want to direct at the Majestic Theatre?

The Majestic is thrilled to offer community directors a place to explore their craft. Directing for the theatre is a complicated but incredibly rewarding endeavor, and we have many paths available to prospective directors!

Learn More!

What if I've never directed before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and we'd be honored to help launch you into your directing journey. Directing is a skill like any other, and it requires both practice and a willingness to learn. A good first step is to check out our upcoming directing workshops. You can alternatively get a good overview of how directing works at our theatre by watching our online Directing at the Majestic video. You can sign up for Better Impact, our volunteer management client, in order to get connected with potential Assistant Directing positions so that you can learn through observing and helping a more experienced director. Or you could try starting small with a simple Table Read, which you can learn more about by clicking here.

I have some directing experience,

but I'm not ready or able to commit to a full Mainstage show.

A Mainstage production is a huge undertaking, requiring months of preparation followed by months of rehearsals and the ability to coordinate and communicate with somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred different theatre artists. It's fun, but it's a lot! If you don't feel quite ready to jump into the deep end, or if you're a busy adult without the free time to dedicate to such a massive project, then a Majestic Music Stand Sunday or a Readers' Theatre show might be a great fit! If you're wanting to stage a small-cast shows or a more experimental work that wouldn't fit into the larger requirements of our mainstage season, this is the place to do it.

How do I propose a Majestic Mainstage Community Theatre show?

To learn more about the proposal cycle, check out the information below!

What if I want to propose, but I don’t have a script?

The Majestic Theatre has a library of scripts on site for check out. Please fill out this quick Patron Registration Form and the librarian will send you an email with instructions on how to set up your account and start requesting books. Dramatists Play Service, Inc and Concord Theatricals are also great resources to browse script summaries to get a better idea of what might interest you. If you're looking to browse out-of-copyright works, Project Gutenberg is a valuable and easily accessible source.

Upcoming Directing Workshops!

Majestic Theatre Director's Workshop Series

Session 1: Understanding the Stage - Register Here

Delve into the history and modern use of the proscenium stage, learn essential theatre jargon, and get hands-on with blocking basics and Reader's Theatre principles.

Session 2: Directing Actors - Register Here

Develop your communication and coaching skills to effectively lead and nurture a troupe of actors, enhancing individual and group performances.

Session 3: The Majestic Way - Design and Responsibilities - Register Here

Master the art of collaborating with design teams and managing the theatre space while ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all involved in your productions.

Majestic Theatre Proposal Preparation

Directing at the Majestic: Proposal to Production - Register Here

Walk through every step of the process of directing on the Majestic's mainstage, just in time for participants to consider proposing for the 2026-27 season.

What do I need to know in order to propose for the 2026-27 Mainstage Community Theatre season?

If you're ready to take the plunge and propose a Mainstage show, welcome aboard! The proposal process itself can be a little bit intimidating, but it's rewarding in and of itself, guiding prospective directors through the exciting work of crafting a vision and sharing it with others. The 2026-27 proposal cycle will open on May 15th and close on June 20th for musicals and on June 30th for plays. To give you an idea about what proposals and vision statements generally look like, you can peruse some of the proposals that have been submitted in the past. There is also a free upcoming proposal preparation workshop on May 10th!

If you're looking to do a project that has a higher profile than a Lab Show but still doesn't require quite the level of commitment or expertise for a Mainstage show, starting for the 2026-27 proposal cycle, we're adding a brand-new outdoor summer slot to our Community Theatre program for performance on the Peffer Amphitheater stage in Starker Arts Park in July. This production slot is intended to showcase works of classical theatre (i.e., Greek playwrights, Oscar Wilde, Aphra Behn, etc.) with minimalist staging in a festive outdoor setting. Proposals for this slot will be part of our regular Mainstage proposal process.

The slots we are seeking to fill for our 2026-27 season are as follows:

Summer Outdoor Play - July 2026
Fall Mainstage Play - September 2026
Fall Mainstage Musical - November 2026
Winter Mainstage Play - January 2027
Spring Mainstage Play - March 2027
Spring Mainstage Musical - May 2027

Learn More About the Process HERE

Apply to Submit a Play HERE (deadline June 30)
Apply to submit a Musical HERE (deadline June 20)

How can I apply to be a member of the Play Reading Committee?

Do you like to read plays? More importantly—do you like to read plays and then have opinions about them? Then this might be the volunteer opportunity for you!

The Play Reading Committee (aka the PRC) will be responsible for selecting the plays for our 2026-2027 mainstage season from proposals submitted by local directors, and it is such an important and rewarding job! Meet new people! Talk about plays! Shape the future of The Majestic Theatre!

Apply to be on the Play Reading Committee by filling out THIS FORM (deadline May 1).

What are the responsibilities of the Play Reading Committee?

Starting with the 2026-27 Community Theatre Mainstage Season, we will be modifying the purview and focus of our volunteer Play Reading Committee. Our PRC process is crucially important for allowing our dedicated community of volunteers and patrons to weigh in on what they’d like to see at the Majestic Theatre. This year’s committee will be responsible for recommending the plays to fill four slots: three Mainstage offerings and one outdoor summer production at Starker Arts Park (a directing opportunity that is new this year!).

The community theatre program slots that the PRC will be working to fill are as follows:

Fall Mainstage Play - September 2025

Winter Mainstage Play - January 2026

Spring Mainstage Play - March 2026

Summer Outdoor Play - July 2026

The sphere of responsibility for our two yearly musical selections will be moving to a process led by the Theatre Supervisor with input from senior Parks & Recreation staff. This new paradigm will allow greater flexibility for the Majestic to better coordinate with rightsholders and other local theaters to ensure that specific shows can be scheduled successfully. Musicals require more intense scheduling, rehearsal space, volunteer recruitment, and staff coordination, which management must carefully weigh to determine which choices will best match the skills and schedules of the available personnel. The most important consideration, however, is the fact that the two musicals of the Mainstage season must be financially successful to maintain the services the theatre provides and generate revenue to cover the theatre’s expenses. This requires a degree of operational expertise and market analysis that is unreasonable to expect from a group of community volunteers who are graciously donating their time. The Theatre Supervisor will work closely with prospective musical directors to round out the full Mainstage season along with the PRC’s recommendations for the other four slots. These combined efforts will ensure that the Majestic Theatre remains financially soluble while still providing the Mid-Willamette Valley with all of the amazing community theatre productions that our patrons have come to expect.

Directing Workshops

Prospective Directors FAQ

2026-27 Proposals

Play Reading Committee