Since there is very little scientific research about directing children and foremost about directingchildren in professional productions, like Stockholm stadsteater, was my purpose with this bacheloressay to find work methods that directors use when they work with child actors in professionalproductions. With this bachelor essay I wanted to give practitioners in the world of theater tools forhow to work with children in professional theater, as well as increase the interest for furtherresearch in this subject.

To accomplish this purpose I have gathered material from the production of Billy Elliot at MalmöOpera, made observations of the same production at Stockholms stadsteater and interviewed thedirector of the production, Ronny Danielsson and director and children ambassador Suzanne Osten.The study is made from a perspective of the post modern child and also from a so called child perspective on the art of directing and working with children in theater.

My conclusions from my studies are that when working as a director with child actors you need tothink about motivation and stimulating the children in their development, and support them in theirwork with analyzing the play, as well as give them tools to help them find their emotionalconnection. If the children loose their interest in acting the director need to be there to give thechildren new challenges. It is important to give positive feedback and use a language that thechildren understand and use body language and image work to clarify the directions as well asletting the children have some time for rest and play.

This is only one example of how directors work with child actors in professional productions. Frommy interviews, observations and the previous research that I have studied, have I discovered thatdirectors sometimes are in agreement and sometimes not. To further answer my questions moreresearch into the director’s way of working with children would be needed. I therefor hope that Ithrough this essay have contributed with increasing the interest of further research into this subject.