My goal as a director is to help the actors and the designers

understand the characters and the story so thoroughly that the

choices they make natually reflect the themes involved.  The first step is to choose a play which speaks to me in some way.  If I'm directing a play chosen by someone else to which I'm not drawn initially, then it's my responsibility to read, research, and consider until I find the spark.   Sometimes I do that completely on my own; sometimes it comes about during pre-planning and initial rehearsals.  In either case, as the director I then guide everyone else involved to feel that same spark and transmit it to the audience.