To find out more about coaching or script consultation rates, contact Margot directly by using the submission form below:
ACTOR TESTIMONIALS
“Margot Bordelon is an actor's dream. She has the incredible skill of helping the actor discover the gifts of nuance and specificity in their work. Margot has a deep understanding of the actor's journey–she dives right in with the actor to help bring the text to life in an authentic, dynamic, and very real way. The tools I have learned with Margot have been invaluable to me-- she truly is a game changer.” - Nneka Okafor, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
“Margot is truly an actor’s director! She will both push you and be your biggest cheerleader. This woman has a meticulous attention to detail, which allows no stone to go unturned in character development and the shaping of a story. She asks the right questions, and has an arsenal of amazing activities and warm-ups to help the actor dig deeper. One of the things I love most about working with Margot is that she has this phenomenal ability to be unapologetically honest, and yet, compassionate to the actor's delicate ego. I’ve rarely felt as confident about a director’s vision as when working with Margot Bordelon.” - Eboni Flowers, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
"Margot is the most collaborative and supportive director that I have encountered in my professional career. It feels as if she communicates with each actor from within their unique process, while never losing sight of the big picture. Margot's gracious energy and actor-friendly direction made me feel safe to follow my impulses, ask questions, and enjoy the process." - Leah Raidt, T.
“Margot is a real actor's director, which makes her an exceptional coach. Her charisma, energy, communication style and one-on-one attention make you feel like you can do anything she asks you to. She has the gift to tailor her notes to a specific actor's needs which brings out a whole new level of work from her artists.” - Sarah Gitenstein, Perks of Nudity; We Live Here
“I have had both the pleasure of working as an actor with Margot and witnessing her work in an audience. Her approach is multi-layered, beginning with exposing and examining every detail of the text at hand, in partnership with challenging the actor to infuse it with their individual idiosyncrasies. She is big on thinking outside the box and exploring the biggest life moments in the simplest, yet sophisticated, yet honest ways; leaving the actor always sure of the path they are meant to navigate, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Working with her is a true collaboration, never a dictation.” - Jelani Alladin, Nordic Ambition
“Margot is truly an actor's director. Her clear, crisp vision and analysis of material allows you to release yourself into her capable hands and play as an actor only gets to play when they are in full trust of their director. Her kind, open heart and sparkling wit make the work both fully collaborative and joyful.” - Naomi McDougall Jones, Of Our Own
“I have had the great pleasure to work with Margot on many different projects. From devising work from the ground up, to directing new work, Margot guides her actors in a way that pushes the ensemble to places they didn’t know they could go. She is always available, open, honest and ready to have a conversation, or just let her actors play. Margot is an incredibly intelligent director and coach that I always enjoy playing with.” - Cyd Blakewell, Lies & Liars; Mimesophobia; We Live Here
JD Taylor in rehearsal for Jiehae Park's peerless at Yale Repertory Theatre
“Margot is a fiercely intelligent, insightful and empathetic director. Her instincts into the motivations and nuances of character are spot on, and her willingness to experiment and try multiple approaches to a run through, a scene, a monologue or a moment are what makes her special. Any show she directs is a show that I would want to be attached to.” - Keith Neagle, Yes, This Really Happened To Me; We Live Here
“I was fortunate to be directed by Margot in the world premiere of Too Heavy For Your Pocket, at Alliance Theatre. Margot is not only an amazing person, but a terrific director. From the table read to the first preview, her unique directing approach never fell short of any actor’s understanding. She was able to adjust to the needs of each cast member and teach on the level of every individual in the room.” - Rob Demery, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
“Margot Bordelon and I first worked together on the workshop production and world premiere of peerless by Jiehae Park. She dexterously directed with vigor and passion. She’s interested in the psychology of plays, why the characters do what they do. I always enjoy being in the room with Margot.” - Christopher Livingston, peerless
“Margot has a distinct ability to make difficult text accessible and ACTIVE. Her passion is palpable and contagious and she cultivates a positive and encouraging environment for every single person in the room.” - Caroline Neff, peerless
The cast and creative team of Jireh Breon Holder's Too Heavy For Your Pocket at Roundabout Theatre Company
"Margot is a gift to work with in many ways, but what stands out the most for me is her ability to help the actors sculpt extremely layered characters. The character work and background exploration that she brings to the rehearsal process is the best I've ever worked with. That ability, on top of a love play and serious attention to detail make a hell of a director." - Stephen Ruffin, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
“Margot directs with a passion and sensitivity that is unmatched. Every production under Margot’s guidance meets the highest standards of performance. Her precision of language and movement frees an actor to explore the farthest reaches of the human experience and deliver his or her best work. My greatest disappointment in acting in a Margot production, is not seeing the show myself.” - Hannah Huff, Cloud Nine, Game Room, This.
“I’ve had the pleasure of being directed by Margot. Margot is a superb director - capable of understanding a text and relating it to actable direction, while also remaining open and receptive to what she sees on stage. She brings depth, vibrance, and humor to the actor-director relationship and helps even seasoned actors improve their craft. I enthusiastically recommend Margot as a director, as an artist, and as a premium human being.” - Merlin Huff, This.
“Margot is dope! Through Margot’s hands on and collaborative approach to character work I was able to grow as an actor in so many challenging and fruitful ways. She is intensely dedicated to the clarity of the story and the intention behind every moment. She is the best kind of director…she listens and discovers with you. I hope to work with her again one day!” - Hampton Fluker, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
ACTING COACHING
Margot has frequently been called an actor's director. She originally trained as an actor and currently teaches acting in the BFA program at PACE University. She will help you dig deeper into your material, encourage you to get specific about each word and moment, and provide you with practical tips and tools. Margot will work with you rigorously to ensure you deliver your very best performance. She can:
- Help you choose and hone material for BFA and MFA acting training program auditions.
- Prepare and craft sides for theater, television, or film auditions.
- Offer you honest feedback on your performance and suggestions on how to refine it.
- Coach sessions via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangout
SCRIPT CONSULTATION
Over the course of her professional career, Margot's been involved in developing over 75 new plays. She's intensely passionate about new work and has collaborated with a myriad of writers from various backgrounds and with different levels of experience. She's worked across multiple genres and styles. She will:
- Read your draft several times and send you feedback based on your specific questions.
- Have a one-on-one conversation about the feedback and address any other questions that arise.
- Follow up with the writer as desired!
WRITER TESTIMONIALS
“Margot Bordelon is a staggeringly good new play director, approaching text with unparalleled rigor and heart. She’s the kind of good you can only be if you truly love something— because she wants the play to be its best self, and works tirelessly toward that goal without ego or other agenda. She is an idea collaborator and I feel lucky as hell every time I work with her.” - Jiehae Park, peerless
“Margot’s unparalleled quality as a new play director is how thorough and how generous she is at each step of the process. As we worked on both the world premiere and the New York premiere of my play, Margot always put the play first, illuminating the text in the design and the performances. An experience with Margot is an experience full of questions, laughter, heart, and action." - Jireh Holder, Too Heavy For Your Pocket
Brenda Barrie and Lara Phillips in rehearsal for Joshua Conkel's Okay, Bye at Steppenwolf Theater.
“Margot is who you want in the room. She is the eyes you want on your script. Her intelligence and incisiveness are coupled with great thoughtfulness and care. She always has the play's best interest at heart and can help you with any script concerns from the micro to the macro. Her work ethic and attention to detail are unparalleled. She is the best of the best.” - Megan Hill, The Last Class: A Jazzercize Play
“Margot Bordelon's eye has been on many of my plays including Cardboard Piano and No More Sad Things among many others. Her intuition on a new play's structure as well as her exquisite ear for aural rhythm and pacing for a theatrical piece is incredibly on point. Her uncanny ability to phrase questions that clarify moments, her collaborative creativity and her gentle yet firm communication methods have made Margot a popular director among many playwrights. Get her to read your play.” - Hansol Jung, No More Sad Things
"I have had one of the most artistically enriching collaborations of my career, developing my new play Ripe Frenzy with Margot Bordelon. Margot was open to exploring a new creative collaboration process, and traveled to me in DC to start with a brainstorming workshop before I even began writing. She was full of ideas and research while also being wide-open to others' ideas; she is simultaneously utterly rigorous and completely playful. After I wrote the play, we got to continue our work together at the Ojai Playwrights' Conference. As I received tons of feedback that was inspiring, and sometimes overwhelming, Margot was my fierce advocate for both protecting my sanity and my initial vision for the play. During both our DC and Ojai workshops, she made herself completely available to me, and we spent a couple nights where I would email her rewrites of scenes, she would read immediately, and would be on the phone with me 15 minutes later to talk them through. She has the unique talent of being both an outstanding director and a phenomenal dramaturgical sounding board, and she is also just an absolute pleasure to be around." - Jen Barclay, Ripe Frenzy
“Margot Bordelon has been an integral part of the three-year development of my play Eddie and Dave. Her notes are always thorough, clear and right on the money. She has an uncanny gift for pinpointing the underlying structure challenges in developing plays, as well as being a brilliant director and a constant source of support. When I work with Margot, I come out of a session inspired and clear and what I need to do next. She is also a joy to be around and creates a great rehearsal room. Work with her if you can.” - Amy Staats, Eddie and Dave, A Fictionalized Tale of Van Halen
“Working with Margot transformed my play. She sees a story from all angles. She pushes you to go deeper into the heart of what it's all about, but can also dial back and help you see any larger structural issues. Because she's a director and an amazing dramaturg, she understands both character and story on a profound level. I left script meetings with her feeling inspired, and with clear, concrete ideas for rewrites. I leaned on her brain hard during the process and she was always there for me." - Kevin Artigue, The Forcings
“My collaboration with Margot was utterly critical to the development and growth of Testmatch. Together we changed the order of scenes repeatedly, I changed the content, I changed the form, I was able to experiment and take risks knowing I had as clear a guide as I would find. She is able to pierce to the core of my intentions and help me in their realization both with actors and for an audience. I adore working with her for her fierce intelligence, her passionate politics and ethics, and her joyful spirit. If I've lost faith in art, in the meaning of making works of art and putting them out into the world, a collaborator like Margot reminds me that art is life - is practicing how to live. She's a brilliant dramaturg; and a brilliant translator between writer and actor.” - Kate Attwell, Testmatch
“Working on a new play with Margot is invaluable. She helps you see the play you’ve written. She asks questions in service of you going deeper into the story you’re trying to write. And with her extensive experience directing world premieres, her insights are always rooted in how to best realize your play for the stage – not a desk drawer.” - Mat Smart, Eden, Prairie 1971
“Margot is as savvy and clinical a dramaturg as I know. I've seen her midwife more than a few new plays -- my work and others' -- into life. She works with clarity and compassion, and, even after a decade of collaboration, her insight remains invaluable to me. I'll be sending her my next play -- and you should be, too!” - Brian Golden, Burying Miss America; Yes This Really Happened to Me; We Live Here
“I started to suspect, during our rehearsals, that Margot Bordelon reads minds. How else could she know exactly the notes I would take before I scribbled them down? How else could she be so in sync with the world of the play? How else could she know exactly the question to ask to clarify things for the actors (and for me)? Of course telepathy has nothing to do with it. Really, it's that Margot's approach to plays is as thorough as it is inventive, as rigorously intellectual as it remains rooted in practicality: her questions by turn encourage, pierce, and reveal, but above all she remains fiercely protective of the script. I will run (not walk) to see anything she directs. Which, if you're lucky, will be your play.” - Matthew Capodicasa, Of Our Own
“When I develop a script I need two things--one, the room and inspiration to play in a creative head space; two, the focus and discipline to stay on task and complete the project. Working with Margot gives me both. She has a deep knowledge and understanding of story, theater, and collaboration. My work is stronger with her input.” - Kim Morris, Yes, This Really Happened To Me; We Live Here
"Margot has a sharp eye for identifying what a writer is aiming to accomplish with a particular script. She is a bright and adept new play director/dramaturg. I heartily recommend her to playwrights looking for an honest and smart critique." - Lydia Blaisdell, Donna’s First Brazillian
“Margot is thoughtful, funny, and extremely sharp. She has a fantastic mind for new plays and cares wholeheartedly about executing a playwrights' vision. Anyone would be lucky to work with her!” - Ted Malawer, Arrhythmia