Five Things To Know: Jennifer Jackson on Directing for Community Theater

Lead actresss Mollie Anderson has a lot to say about Jennifer Jackson, the director for the latest Plant City Entertainment production, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” which ended its two week run in February.

Anderson, a Greater Brandon resident, over the past eight weeks traveled to the Plant City Theatre, at 101 North Thomas St., to both rehearse and stage the musical comedy that featured a cast of 20 and a production crew and support staff of about an equal number 

“I don’t know a director who could have had all this put together so fast and with no drama,” said Anderson, who starred in the show as Muriel Eubanks. “The actors, the set, the production, all it was phenomenal and it was put together in six weeks.”

Costume Designer Betty Roney also gave a rave review of Jackson’s work.

“I would work with Jennifer in a heartbeat, with her years of experience,” Roney said. “She’s dealt with people in so many shows. She gives you respect and makes you think you have a wonderful idea, even if she won’t be able to do it!”

As for Jackson, she said it all boils down to one thing: “Community theater is about community,” she said, on stage and off.

Before the final show got underway Feb. 26, Jackson offered five things to know about being a successful director:

1. Be inclusive. “Since I’ve done (community theater) for so many years I take suggestions. I don’t cut off my nose to spite my face because a good idea wasn’t mine. A good suggestion is a good suggestion. I don’t let my ego get in the way.”
2. Don’t dictate. “I want everyone to feel like they’re invested in the show,” Jackson said. “If they didn’t have opinions they wouldn’t be as invested in the show. “
3. Check egos at the door. “There’s no room for egos, any role, any production position,” Jackson said. “The ego boost we should get is from the applause. We shouldn’t be doing that for ourselves.”
4. Have fun. “I want my cast to have as much fun as I do,” Jackson said. “I swear to you, if you have a good time on the stage the audience will have a good time in their seats. In the 31 years I’ve been in the theater I’ve never known that not to be the case.”
5. Keep the end goal in sight. While theater is a lot about the time you have yourself on stage or off, never lose sight of the overriding purpose of the theatrical mission as it pertains to the people who paid tickets to see the show. “You want them to have a good time, you want them to talk about it,” Jackson said. "And you want them to come back.”