The Art of a Director

Dear All, I am intrested in thoughts and ideas on the role of the director in amatuer theatre: * what do they do (besides the obvious) ? * how do they bring the play to life (rehearsal techniques, blocking)? * what makes a good director ? * what makes a bad director ? * horror stories ? * do they bridge into production manager roles ? * are they an everyman ? * what is your method of direction ? Regards J