Directing for Community Theater Workshop
Hosted by Derek Olson
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VenueBF Rec Center Auditorium
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DateJanuary 28 at 6:30pm
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DurationApprox. 180 Minutes
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TicketsFree
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Age Range18+
A Directing Workshop for Community Theater, Specifically
We held one of our most requested workshops in January of 2026, Directing for Community Theater. Our attendees learned all about what it takes to be a director of a community theater show, things to watch out for, potential pitfalls, and how to make it a great experience for all involved.
The attendees were able to ask questions of our host, Derek Olson, and grow as directors. This workshop, like all our workshops, was FREE to the public.
Workshop Host
Derek Olson has been directing theater consistently since 2009 but helped direct his first show while in college back in 2003. Originally he started out as the Belle Fourche High School Theater director and did that from 2009 – 2021. In that time he worked with hundreds of amazing high schoolers and directed straight shows, one-acts and musicals. There were comedies, dramas, slapsticks, existentialist pieces, heavy pieces about mining death and musicals about 70’s disasters.
In 2009 Derek helped form Belle Fourche Community Theater which eventually became Belle Fourche Area Community Theater and is its first and current Executive Director. He directed the first ever community theater show in 2010 and directed as recently as 2025. He has directed shows of all sizes for BFACT from two-person micro-plays to musicals with 50+ people on stage. Derek has directed original pieces and all-time classics and in 16 years he has done over 40 shows with people of all ages. Beyond the stage, Derek has also directed many TV commercials, industry pieces, comedy shorts, web pilots, and short films.
