Collaboration in the pursuit of truth: directing The Lifespan of a Fact

Directing a theatre production takes a story from page to stage through careful analysis, casting, exploration in rehearsals, and performances for audiences. Due to the collaborative and extensive nature of directing, many young directors begin their careers by self-producing their work to improve their skills and showcase their work. For my capstone project as a senior directing student, I faced the task of directing and self-producing a theatre production. I chose to direct The Lifespan of a Fact, a comedy based on the true story of a magazine editor, a fact-checker, and an essayist locked in a heated debate over what it means to tell the truth in the media. At its heart, however, the play is a story of three artists trying to work together to tell an important story truthfully. In reflecting on the eight-month journey of my capstone, I realized this was also the story of my project: the adventure of a group of artists who came together to tell a story and emerged with a new understanding of both the story and each other.