Every actor can recall their first stage kiss, their first sex scene, or even their first time agreeing to nudity for a performance; however, those memories are not always fond ones. The peculiar demands of public intimacy or “mature content” that acting work can necessitate distinguishes the industry from most other fields; it is inherently vulnerable, uncomfortable, and—in the wrong hands—dangerous.
For over a decade now, there has been a movement to formalize intimacy on stage—codifying the language, tools, and protocols for the choreographed expression of sexual physicality on stage or screen. Backstage spoke with Jessica Renae, a Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who studies the emerging practice of intimacy direction. Renae, who got her start in Chicago’s improv scene, advocates for the use of intimacy directors in comedy clubs, operas, theaters, sound studios, and dance studios. Renae is also the executive assistant of Intimacy Directors International, a training organization for the field with a curriculum pioneered by founder Tonia Sina.
For folks who might not be familiar with what intimacy direction is, how do you best describe
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