Preparing Text for Rehearsal with Cara Nolan

In this workshop, we will explore how to prepare text for rehearsal from a director’s perspective, while also ensuring it is clear, accessible, and useful for actors and the wider creative team. Focusing on practical approaches to script preparation, we will look at how a director can break down and analyse text in a way that supports both storytelling and collaboration within the rehearsal room.

Throughout the session, we will examine techniques for identifying objectives, themes, rhythms, and key moments within a script, as well as ways of organising and annotating text to create a shared understanding of the work. We will also explore how thoughtful preparation can help establish a productive rehearsal framework, encourage creative discussion, and give actors the tools they need to engage confidently with the material.

The workshop is designed to provide practical methods that participants can apply to their own rehearsal processes, whether working on new writing, devised work, or established texts. By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of how effective text preparation can shape rehearsals, strengthen communication within a company, and support a more focused and collaborative creative process.

Workshop running time: 2 hours

ABOUT CARA NOLAN Cara is the Associate Director at Curve. With an MA in Theatre Directing from RADA, Cara’s previous Curve theatre credits include: WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, PIRATES LOVE UNDERPANTS and THE OWL WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS. This Autumn, she will direct our new, Made at Curve revival of Willy Russell’s EDUCATING RITA.

Her other theatre credits include: LEAVES; WHEN THE SHOE STRINGS BREAK, CONTROL, CHARLIE HEBDO: AN EPISTOLARY PLAY and YARD GAL (RADA); LOST EMPIRES (Leicester Haymarket); EUROPE AFTER THE RAIN (The Mercury); SHE CALLED ME MOTHER (Tara Arts on UK tour) and THE EUMENIDES AND OEDIPUS REX (the International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama; Greece).