Nostos Directing Lab
The Nostos Directing Lab introduces emerging directors to the fundamentals of working with actors and crafting authentic, spontaneous performances.
Through hands-on sessions in script analysis, scene work, and rehearsal technique, participants explore the early stages of the directing process—from interpretation to staging.
Under the guidance of an experienced mentor, directors will work with selected scenes from a full-length play, developing clear communication tools and a personal creative approach within a collaborative, supportive setting.
Meet your mentor
Quinn Vogt-Welch
Quinn Vogt-Welch is from Potsdam, New York, and has been a director, actor, and producer based in New York City since 2008. Her recent directing credits include TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, SEUSSICAL (Riverside CPA), A PERFECT COUPLE, CAMP WHISTLING PINES, and AD of the World Premiere of Lyle Kessler's PERP (The Barrow Group), and BOYS WILL BE BOYS (59E59). Quinn has directed and performed in NYC, at regional theaters throughout the US, and internationally.
She was nominated by Broadway World for Best Actress in a Musical in the DC Metro Area for her role as Maria in West Side Story. Other favorite roles include, most recently, Guenevere in Camelot, Eliza in My Fair Lady, Christine in Phantom, Madeleine True in The Wild Party, Carla in Nine, Stella Adler in Art and Gadge, and Wanda in The Barrow Group production of The Baby Dance.
Quinn is co-Artistic Director and one of the founding members of Core Artists Ensemble, a NYC theatre company that sprouted out of a TBG Master Class in 2012. She is currently the Associate Director of Training and teaches acting and directing at The Barrow Group Performing Arts Center in NYC. Quinn is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where she studied Classical Voice and International Studies.
Sign up before March 31st for a 15% Early Bird discount
FAQs
Who is this workshop for?
The workshop is designed for emerging and early-career directors working in theatre or film who want to develop tools for directing naturalistic, spontaneous performances.
Do I need prior directing experience?
Some directing experience is helpful, but the workshop is accessible to directors at different stages. The focus is on practical exploration rather than theory.
What is the workshop structure?
The workshop introduces directors to practical exercises that foster spontaneous, realistic performances. In the early sessions, participants explore a directing approach based on clear, actionable stimuli, learning the difference between performative and life-like acting through hands-on exercises and a simple directing formula.
Directors are also guided through objective script analysis using context, story structure, and the 5 Ws to identify clear storytelling actions for actors. In the later sessions, students apply these tools to a full-length contemporary play, moving through set-building, rehearsal demonstrations, and lab-style rehearsals. Directors experiment with exercises that encourage looseness and realism, practice giving one clear stimulus at a time, and receive objective feedback focused on observable changes in the work rather than subjective interpretation.
What is the main takeaway from the workshop?
Participants leave with practical tools for giving clear direction, analyzing scripts objectively, and creating rehearsal environments that support realistic, spontaneous performances.
How much does the workshop cost?
The cost of the retreats varies from $3750 to $4750, depending on the room type.
This fee includes all accommodation, meals by our local cook, and group workshops and one-to-one mentor sessions over the two weeks. Travel to and from the retreat location is not included.
The cost of these onsite retreats varies according to location and room type; for more information, don't hesitate to contact us!
How can I apply?
Participants interested in attending the Nostos Directing Lab can get in touch with us via the form above or by sending an email to hello@nostosscreenwritingretreats.com.
What's the application deadline?
Applications close May 31st.
Sign up before March 31st for a 15% discount on your retreat fee.