Stage Directions in the Wild

Affective stage directions are not confined to the pages of play scripts. They can be found out and about in everyday life! Any set of words written to be read, interpreted, and then embodied is acting on the same principles I identify in affective stage directions in play scripts. Here are some instances I have encountered, and some commissioned art that represents the artists’ interpretations of some of my favorite affective stage directions.

FOR A MOMENT, LANE AND VIRGINIA EXPERIENCE A PRIMAL MOMENT DURING WHICH THEY ARE SEVEN AND NINE YEARS OLD, INSIDE THE MIND, RESPECTIVELY. THEY ARE MAD. THEN THEY RETURN QUITE NATURALLY TO LANGUAGE, AS ADULTS DO. These affective stage directions from

FOR A MOMENT, LANE AND VIRGINIA EXPERIENCE A PRIMAL MOMENT DURING WHICH THEY ARE SEVEN AND NINE YEARS OLD, INSIDE THE MIND, RESPECTIVELY. THEY ARE MAD. THEN THEY RETURN QUITE NATURALLY TO LANGUAGE, AS ADULTS DO. These affective stage directions from Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House started it all, so I asked my artist friend, Lisa Fisher (needlebard on Etsy), to represent them in some way. Here, the clean white and simple black outline of the house is filled with this affective information about the play's sisters.

YOUR GAZE HITS THE SIDE OF MY FACE These Barbara Kruger sunglasses script your actions as you read: your gaze hits the side of the wearer's face while reading the text. What kind of gaze are using when processing the words of this feminist artist?

YOUR GAZE HITS THE SIDE OF MY FACE These Barbara Kruger sunglasses script your actions as you read: your gaze hits the side of the wearer's face while reading the text. What kind of gaze are using when processing the words of this feminist artist?

THINK OF THIS AS A WINDOW...This is an artwork by Cerith Wyn Evans currently on display in Munich, Germany. What kind of window do these fluorescent lights conjure for you?

THINK OF THIS AS A WINDOW...This is an artwork by Cerith Wyn Evans currently on display in Munich, Germany. What kind of window do these fluorescent lights conjure for you?

SHE'S NOT REMEMBERING THIS, SHE'S LIVING IT AGAIN. This piece of digital art represents stage directions from Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori's musical Fun Home. I presented the artist, Samantha Tamburello, with several stage directions to choose from.

SHE'S NOT REMEMBERING THIS, SHE'S LIVING IT AGAIN. This piece of digital art represents stage directions from Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori's musical Fun Home. I presented the artist, Samantha Tamburello, with several stage directions to choose from. I love this piece because it represents so many aspects of the play within the frame, helping the viewer remember, and live, the play again.

I DON'T WRITE 'EM PALLY--I JUST MIND MY PEES N' CUES AND FOLLOW THE STAGE DIRECTIONS! Although this is not a set of stage directions, I love that New York City, Obie award winning company Half Straddle (helmed by Tina Satter) shared this close-up of

I DON'T WRITE 'EM PALLY--I JUST MIND MY PEES N' CUES AND FOLLOW THE STAGE DIRECTIONS! Although this is not a set of stage directions, I love that New York City, Obie award winning company Half Straddle (helmed by Tina Satter) shared this close-up of a Raymond Pettibon piece. I hope that this project shows that following the stage directions need not seem like a threat! Following our "pees n' cues" is somewhat of an affective stage direction itself!

SHADE The shade that this Daftboy fan is referring to is the one that the franchise RuPaul's Drag Race has brought from Black and Latinx queer subcultures to people all over the world. "Throwing shade" and "reading" are both important ways to rehears

SHADE The shade that this Daftboy fan is referring to is the one that the franchise RuPaul's Drag Race has brought from Black and Latinx queer subcultures to people all over the world. "Throwing shade" and "reading" are both important ways to rehearse verbal sparring that queer people often need to retort to insults and verbal attacks. Because it is on a fan, it is possible that I could literally read the message "SHADE" as this fan casts a shadow. Conversely, I could snap this fan open when someone says something shady, thereby providing it as an affective stage direction to that interaction.

AND, PERHAPS, THE HAIRY APE AT LAST BELONGS. This fantastic piece was my first piece of stage direction art ever, given to me by the talented illustrator James Keegan (jamesmkeegan.com). Instead of representing the hairy ape within the context of Eug

AND, PERHAPS, THE HAIRY APE AT LAST BELONGS. This fantastic piece was my first piece of stage direction art ever, given to me by the talented illustrator James Keegan (jamesmkeegan.com). Instead of representing the hairy ape within the context of Eugene O'Neill's The Hairy Ape, the play's final stage directions are allowed to describe life instead of death.

STAND HERE TO ACTIVATE YOUR SUPER POWERS. Street art in New York City often cries out for attention from sidewalks, walls, and other surfaces. This particular one stood out to me for the way that it offered to give something back to the viewer. Activ

STAND HERE TO ACTIVATE YOUR SUPER POWERS. Street art in New York City often cries out for attention from sidewalks, walls, and other surfaces. This particular one stood out to me for the way that it offered to give something back to the viewer. Activating our super powers only requires standing "here"! In that moment of standing, I could not help but think about what superpowers I would want to activate. What would yours be?

A YOUNG WOMAN SITS DWON AT HER DESK. SHE WRITES A BRILLIANT THESIS, VERY QUICKLY...I first met Sarah Ruhl in person at the production of her Melancholy Play. I told her that I was writing about her stage directions for my dissertation, and she immedi

A YOUNG WOMAN SITS DWON AT HER DESK. SHE WRITES A BRILLIANT THESIS, VERY QUICKLY...I first met Sarah Ruhl in person at the production of her Melancholy Play. I told her that I was writing about her stage directions for my dissertation, and she immediately said, "well, then I have to write you some stage directions!" The words she wrote on this playbill are the affective stage directions I performed in all of the writing that followed throughout this project.

STAGE LEFT STAGE RIGHT Although these stage directions do not seem affective at first, I wear them as if I were on stage but my mentor Annette Saddik (who has a matching pair I gifted her after my dissertation defense) wears them as if she were

STAGE LEFT STAGE RIGHT Although these stage directions do not seem affective at first, I wear them as if I were on stage but my mentor Annette Saddik (who has a matching pair I gifted her after my dissertation defense) wears them as if she were watching a production. A nice reminder that perspective is all for any stage direction.

(DOING EVERYTHING WRONG) Although "doing everything wrong" is not an original stage direction from an ancient greek play, this brief affective stage direction in some more contemporary play involved Dionysus makes perfect sense to user cockroach-quee

(DOING EVERYTHING WRONG) Although "doing everything wrong" is not an original stage direction from an ancient greek play, this brief affective stage direction in some more contemporary play involved Dionysus makes perfect sense to user cockroach-queer. What does "doing everything wrong" mean in your understanding of Dionysus?

WHEN I WAS 22, MY FATHER, STUMBLING DRUNK AND SUICIDAL, FELL AND HIT HIS HEAD. HE DIED INSTANTLY. THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED, IN THE MIDST OF MY GRIEF, HOW MUCH I LOVE BEEF STEW. There is an entire series of memes dedicated to poking fun at the "extra" i

WHEN I WAS 22, MY FATHER, STUMBLING DRUNK AND SUICIDAL, FELL AND HIT HIS HEAD. HE DIED INSTANTLY. THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED, IN THE MIDST OF MY GRIEF, HOW MUCH I LOVE BEEF STEW. There is an entire series of memes dedicated to poking fun at the "extra" information often included in cooking instructions. But these words are the affective information behind the recipes. Can you think of a time that someone has needed to give you backstory to a recipe in real life?

READ SIGNS The process of reading this New York City street sign is a performance of its instructions, and yet we realize that the information about the new regulations requires us to read other signs. But the spacing also allows for an interpretatio

READ SIGNS The process of reading this New York City street sign is a performance of its instructions, and yet we realize that the information about the new regulations requires us to read other signs. But the spacing also allows for an interpretation in which the new regulations require you to read signs. Would you be the kind of person who reads this sign?

These images are all medieval marginalia - literally the images next to the lines. The accompanying descriptions are affective readings of the images, and the viewer is meant to match yourself to whichever one matches your current mood. Which medieva

These images are all medieval marginalia - literally the images next to the lines. The accompanying descriptions are affective readings of the images, and the viewer is meant to match yourself to whichever one matches your current mood. Which medieval marginalia provides your affective stage directions for the moment?

NOTE TO FUTURE FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHERS This post from social media shows the negative ways that affective stage directions can move future theatre makers. This fight choreographer shared these stage directions as an example of irresponsible playwriting

NOTE TO FUTURE FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHERS This post from social media shows the negative ways that affective stage directions can move future theatre makers. This fight choreographer shared these stage directions as an example of irresponsible playwriting when it comes to violence. Can you think of a set of stage directions that have made you angry at the playwright?

I AM (METAPHOR). ACTUALLY, I'M (EXTENDED METAPHOR). This billboard from Chicago functions like a meta version of the memes that ask you which of the following descriptions matches your mood. While reading these lines, I start to wonder what metaphor

I AM (METAPHOR). ACTUALLY, I'M (EXTENDED METAPHOR). This billboard from Chicago functions like a meta version of the memes that ask you which of the following descriptions matches your mood. While reading these lines, I start to wonder what metaphor and extended metaphor I would insert into the sentences at this moment. In thinking about it, you both write these affective stage directions and perform them. What's your metaphor?