Vanderbilt Theater Lab occupies a unique niche in the Vanderbilt performing arts community and on the campus at large. While existing theater groups utilize a tradition, highly structured rehearsal process with a clearly defined organizational hierarchy, we take a more egalitarian, collaborative creative process, which we believe produces quality productions with a higher degree of group member wo
rk satisfaction and a deeper sense of personal ownership and emotional investment in the final product. We accomplish this goal by fundamentally restructuring the traditional theater hierarchy and by reformatting our rehearsal process to be more conducive to such a collaborative effort. We take the first several weeks of our production's rehearsal schedule to allow the cast and crew to collectively brainstorm. They sit down with the show material and study the themes and subtext of the show together. Then, they collectively discuss staging ideas: from orchestrations to set design and from choreography to costuming. We are surrounded by talented, intelligent students from a variety of backgrounds, and we believe that the sum of their artistic ideas, when combined and refined, will produce more engaging, meaningful art. Additionally, rather than attempting to replicate previously staged productions of shows, we seek to approach shows from a new angle, and seek unexpected collaborative opportunities with the Vanderbilt community. With a unique creative process, Vanderbilt Theater Lab strives to be atypical, collaborative, engaging, and a rewarding experience for all involved.
