Book Review: The Journey to Associate Director and Choreographer … and Beyond
Richard J. Hinds is an experienced director and choreographer with a host of Broadway and West End “associate” credits to his name. This new book, which offers “an industry guide for practitioners and creatives” starts by charting his career, and then offers a step by step guide that will help aspiring associate directors to plan and build their own careers as theatre creatives.
A foreward from multiple award nominated Broadway director Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde) stresses the importance of the associate role, it’s a vital relationship for any director or choreographer as their associate is responsible for both understanding their creative vision and then safeguarding it.
The chapters start with advice on how to secure an Associate Director position and then take us through the production process from auditions to closing night. As well as sharing his own experiences and wisdom, Hinds offers testimony from some of his peers, providing a fresh perspective and also reinforcing his status and connections within the Broadway creative community.
When it comes to securing that first AD job, as well as advising on traditional networking, Hinds stresses the importance of building a strong online presence as well as sharing the lessons he learned when he was starting out. These personal anecdotes elevate this book from being a bland checklist and help stress the importance of building personal connections with the people you aspire to work with.
The main emphasis is on Broadway and musical theatre with only a short chapter that’s specific to the West End/UK, only scratching the surface of differences in processes between British and US productions. Despite this, a lot of the advice given can be broadly applied to theatre on either side of the pond, equally useful for professional or amateur/community productions.
Finishing with a chapter on making the transition to a full Director or Choreographer role, Hinds has offered an insight into his career that, thanks to his recollections and the additional contributions from colleagues, feels less of a textbook and more of a personal guide to a life working in the theatre.
There are undoubtedly more relevant books for aspiring UK creatives than this one, but anybody wanting a career in this hugely competitive business we call show needs to arm themselves with as much knowledge and insight as they can. If an experienced professional is willing to share their experience, it’s always worth paying an attention as Hinds has written a book that is clear, accessible and may just have a tip or two that you wouldn’t have thought of without it.
You can buy a copy of the book here.