Episode #137
137. Creating the Conditions for Magic
Creating the Conditions for Magic
I am so excited for you to hear this conversation with Tony Award-winning director Danya Taymor, because there is something about the way Danya talks about making theatre that I find incredibly grounding. She loves living playwrights, building ensembles, and is deeply curious about how the next generation of directors actually finds their way into this industry.
We talk about her process behind The Outsiders and John Proctor Is the Villain, and this idea that you can prepare and prepare and prepare, but at some point you have to leave space for the alchemy, for the thing you never could have planned. We get into collaboration, trusting your gut, what she actually looks for from actors in auditions, creating opportunities for emerging directors, and one of my favorite ideas from the entire conversation: building the muscle of audacity to say, “You need to see my version.”
I think there’s something in this one for anyone who has ever wondered, What do I uniquely bring to the work? And can I trust that enough to actually lead with it? So wherever you are in your own creative process, I hope this gives you a little more permission to trust your instincts, stay open to surprise, and see what happens. Here’s Danya.
About Our Guest
Danya Taymor became the youngest woman to win the Tony Award for Direction for her work on The Outsiders, which won four Tony Awards including Best Musical and is currently running on Broadway and in the 1st National Tour. She received a second consecutive Tony nomination and won the Drama Desk Award for John Proctor is the Villain, which starred Sadie Sink and was nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Play. In 2021, she made her Broadway debut with Antoinette Nwandu's Pass Over which was the first play back on Broadway after the 18 month covid shutdown. Danya's production of Pass Over was filmed in collaboration with Spike Lee, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and is streaming on Amazon Prime. She directed the world premiere of Will Arbery's Pulitzer finalist Heroes of the Fourth Turning for which she won the Obie Award and the Callaway Award. Other recent work includes: John Proctor is the Villain (Royal Court, West End Transfer 2027), Trophy Boys by Emmanuelle Mattana (MCC), Jonah by Rachel Bonds (Roundabout), Endgame by Samuel Beckett (Gate Theater, Dublin), Evanston Salt Costs Climbing by Will Arbery (New Group), Daddy by Jeremy O. Harris (New Group, Almeida, UK), queens by Martyna Majok (LCT), Wyoming (Lesser America) and My Daughter Keeps Our Hammer (The Flea) by Brian Watkins, and The Sensuality Party by Justin Kuritzkes (New Group). Other upcoming work includes the world premiere of Will Arbery's Spite House. She received the Cullman Award for Extraordinary Creativity from Lincoln Center and received a BA from Duke University.