12 Angry Men: Acting and Directing

Make it Sparkle Video with Joel Smith
High School Theatre Director, Colorado

(5:12) runtime

Director’s Notes

In this segment Joel discusses

• Letting the script tell the story, versus over-acting.

• Spending time on pacing the show.

• Teaching actors to listen and react to each other. 

About Joel Smith

Joel Smith has been working in theatre for over twenty-five years. He has a BA in Psychology from the University of Redlands, CA, and a Masters of Theatre Studies from Southern Oregon University. He worked at the Magic Theater in San Francisco, the Cedu School in Southern California, and Rim of the World High School in Lake Arrowhead, CA, where he taught theatre and produced productions for 10 years.

This is his 11th year at Poudre High School, in Ft. Collins, CO. Joel has appeared in numerous productions, including What the Butler Saw, You Can’t Take it with You, Accomplice, and Richard III. He has directed numerous plays and musicals, including The Fantasticks, Man of La Mancha, The Laramie Project, and more recently, Avenue Q, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and James & the Giant Peach. He has designed sets and lighting for various productions, including The Crucible, Camelot, Annie, Twelfth Night, and Into the Woods. In his very limited off-time, Mr. Smith enjoys skiing, reading, and relaxing with his wife, Melanie, and his children, Jackson and Taryn.