The Drama Teacher’s Facilitator Guide: Empowering Student Leaders While Maintaining Control

I love when my students have creative ideas. Some of my best stage managers and designers have come up with things I never would have thought of myself. Going through the collaborative process with them is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching drama.

However, I’ve also learned that teenagers sometimes struggle with understanding authority. They can take leadership positions just a step too far, not quite grasping the approval process or where their authority ends and mine begins.

In this post, I want to talk about how I’ve learned, over the years, to be a facilitator, a teacher who encourages student leadership and creative autonomy, while still keeping clear boundaries and maintaining the structure necessary to run a successful drama program.

My goal is to prepare students for real-world theatre environments, where collaboration and hierarchy coexist. Whether they become stage managers, designers, or crew members, they’ll need to understand the chain of command that makes productions work.

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Learning the Importance of the Chain of Command

I once had a student stage manager tell me that she had reassigned two crew members: one who had been scheduled to run the lighting board and another who was supposed to be on crew. She didn’t ask, I simply heard, “This person is now doing lights, and this one is going to do crew.”

That conversation prompted an important discussion about communication and professionalism. As the stage manager, she had a helpful perspective on how things might run more smoothly, but the way she approached it missed a crucial step, asking permission rather than announcing a change.

We sat down and talked about how to bring up suggestions in a way that’s respectful and appropriate to the role. It wasn’t about her being wrong; it was about teaching her how to navigate leadership within a structure.

That situation, and a few similar ones over the years, made me realize how essential it is to clearly define roles, responsibilities, and communication channels from the very beginning.

Creating and Sharing a Clear Chain of Command

To help establish structure, I created a written theatre chain of command that I hand out to everyone involved in a production, including the cast.

At the very top, I list the school and administration. I make it clear that while I serve as the director and often the producer, I ultimately operate under the school’s authority. Sometimes, a “no” or a specific guideline comes directly from administrative policies, not just from me. Setting that expectation helps everyone understand that our work exists within a larger framework.

Beneath that, I explain the role of the director, to oversee all areas of the production, maintain the vision, and act as the “eyes of the audience.”

Designers and department leads, students or adults, have their own areas of focus, but the director is responsible for ensuring that all those pieces fit together cohesively.

For example, a student costumer might have wonderfully creative ideas, but they may not align with budget limitations, set design, or overall vision. I approve as many ideas as I can, but ultimately, decisions must work in harmony with the rest of the production.

This isn’t about power or control. It’s about ensuring that one design decision doesn’t unintentionally derail another. I often describe it to my students as this:

“You’re each building part of a domino chain. My job is to make sure every piece fits together before anyone starts tipping them over.”

When students understand that framework, they see that leadership doesn’t mean unlimited authority—it means responsibility within a larger structure.

Encouraging Autonomy Within Boundaries

Within that structure, I still give students as much creative freedom as possible. The key is setting clear parameters upfront.

When assigning a student to a design or crew position, I give them a list of responsibilities, expectations, and decision-making boundaries. I make it clear which choices they can make independently and which ones need my approval.

For example, my student lighting designer receives a list of lighting responsibilities and a copy of the script. We meet to discuss the show’s visual tone and overall vision. After that, the student designs the cues and effects. I only step in later to make adjustments that affect pacing, focus, or transitions.

This balance allows students to take ownership and express creativity while maintaining the professional standards and structure of the production. It also mirrors how the industry works. In professional theatre, designers always collaborate closely with the director and production manager—but they still own their artistry within that space.

Clarifying What Student Leaders Should Not Do

Just as important as clarifying what students can do is clarifying what they shouldn’t.

No student should ever be put in a position where they are directly disciplining, correcting, or chastising another student. That responsibility remains with me as the teacher and director.

For example, while stage managers in community or professional theatre often quiet the room or direct traffic backstage, I don’t expect my student stage managers to do that in a school setting. It’s not fair to them and can create uncomfortable dynamics.

Instead, I retain that authority. The stage managers can assist with cues and organization, but any behavioral management remains my role. This keeps boundaries clear and relationships positive.

Final Thoughts: Leading Through Facilitation

Empowering students doesn’t mean relinquishing control. It means guiding them through it.

When students understand how leadership, communication, and approval processes work, they’re not only helping your current production run more smoothly, they’re also learning invaluable lessons about collaboration, respect, and professionalism.

Give them room to lead, but also give them clarity. Define their roles, model professional communication, and set the example for what it means to lead with both creativity and responsibility.

That’s what being a facilitator is all about, building leaders while keeping the vision cohesive and the process healthy for everyone involved.

Happy teaching, happy directing, and break a leg!

🌟 Don’t Miss Resources!

🎭 FREE Drama Classroom Toolkit
Get instant access to a collection of ready-to-use classroom resources for drama teachers — including warm-ups, reflection templates, and organizational tools designed to make your teaching life easier.\

Join my email list and you’ll be the first to know when my Student-Led Production Resource Collection

🎬 Audition & Rehearsal Resource Bundle
Simplify your entire production process with my bestselling bundle of audition forms, rehearsal planners, checklists, and communication templates. These are the exact tools I use to keep my productions running smoothly and my sanity intact.