Interview with the Director of “The Last of the Dragons,” Daniela Castro

After the opening of The Last of the Dragons we checked in with Director Daniela Castro to ask about the show.

Question 1: Why did you want to direct this show?

I was first drawn to The Last of the Dragons by the premise of a princess who was not interested in having a prince come rescue her. This subversion of the classic fairytale trope was intriguing to me. As a first-time director, I wanted a show that was flexible and would allow for fun. When I first read the script in its entirety, I knew that this show would be a great fit. It has a great balance of fun and humor for both young and adult audiences. My goal with directing this show was to highlight the fun and the relationships between characters.

Question 2: How would you describe your vision for this production?

I didn’t have a very specific vision for this show until the show was cast, that’s when I truly felt a strong direction of the show and the characters form.

Question 3: How has the rehearsal process been for this show? What has been exciting? What has been challenging?

Throughout the rehearsal process, I felt the characters come to life, relationships bloom, and pockets of whimsy and humor find their way into the show. Aside from last-minute adjustments due to scheduling conflicts, the rehearsal process felt very smooth. It was encouraging watching the cast commit to their roles, getting off book early and always coming up with new questions and ideas for their characters. Watching not only the characters, but also the cast bond during rehearsals was an unexpected joy of the process.

I was incredibly excited to bring in Ricky and Brooke to choreograph our fight and dance scenes, respectively. I am very grateful that they contributed their talents to my show, and I can’t imagine this show without them. I also feel as a first-time director, it was challenging for me to delegate duties to other crew and production members, so I found myself getting a little overwhelmed with music selections and puppet making. Luckily those had to be sorted out by tech week, so my days of crafting and sound searching were not too long lasting.

Question 4: What has been your favorite moment so far?

One of my favorite moments was learning the dance with the cast, and later watching it become something the actors looked forward to at every rehearsal. Some challenges I faced were costuming the show, but luckily, I had help from the wonderful volunteers at Company OnStage—shoutout to Allison, Rory, and Andrew for our Dragon costume! The costumes ended up a blend of modern pieces with medieval costumes, but I feel it works very well with the overall vibe of the show.

Question 5: What should the audience be excited about seeing or experiencing at your show?

Audiences can look forward to a fun dance sequence, even more entertaining fight scenes, and some enthusiastic puppet reenactments sprinkled throughout the show. I had so much fun watching this cast play with the material and really grow as a group. I’m incredibly grateful to Company OnStage for giving me the opportunity and trusting me to direct The Last of the Dragons. I hope that anyone who has already seen the show had a great time and a couple good laughs. And for those who haven’t, I hope you’ll join us this weekend for our last two shows, it’s sure to be a good time!

Visit here to learn more about The Last of the Dragons and to get your tickets today.