I was hired by Wally Chappell, new Artistic Director of the Loretto Hilton Theatre, to direct professionally for the first time.  It was two shows in the Story Theatre style, in which I was well-versed as an actor.  Easy, one might think, but I labored intensively from the time I accepted until both shows were up.  A short rehearsal schedule and adrenaline pumping all the time made the two and-a-half weeks an extremely intense time, but so exciting!  When both shows were up I slept for sixteen hours.  Great experience.  There was one thing, though. 

 At one point in rehearsal, there was a move by one of the characters that was so clear to me, and I had the actor playing that character make that move.  I showed it to him and he did it.  I felt the move was right, but it never seemed right in the show.  The blocking was right, but the movement was wrong.  It was my way of moving, how I would move in that role.  I wondered at how stiff the actor seemed, but it worked for the show and time was short so we left it.  Soon after, in retrospect, I saw clearly what I had done, and I thought then that I would try to never do that again.  Give an actor the movement, and by extension, other things, up to and including line readings.  

 I also realized then that my talent as an actor, such as it is, was going to be, at once, a big help and a huge hindrance to me as a director.  A good thing to know early.