Drama League Announces New Beatrice Terry Fellowship for Emerging Female Writer-Directors

The Drama League, and Tony Award winning-director and Drama League Alumnus, Michael Mayer (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), announced the establishment of the new Drama League Beatrice Terry Fellowship, named in honor of the late director Beatrice Terry, an alumna of The Drama League Directors Project, during last night's 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway Honoring Neil Patrick Harris, held at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street).

The new Fellowship, the first of its kind in the nation, will fund the development of a new work by an emerging female writer-director, culminating in a writing residency, living stipend and a professional reading of the new work at The Drama League Theater Center in Tribeca (32 Avenue of the Americas). Following the establishment of the Terry Fellowship this spring, members of The Drama League staff and an all-star advisory board will select the first recipient later this year. Currently, the Terry Fellowship Advisory Board includes actors Jonathan Groff, David Hyde Pierce, Philip Lehl and Annie Potts; directors Lear deBessonet and Michael Mayer; New Georges Artistic Director Susan Bernfield; Dana Harrel, producing director of La Jolla Playhouse; Lisa McNulty, Artistic Line Producer at Manhattan Theatre Club; Ellen Rusconi, Producing Director of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation and playwright Gretchen M. Michelfeld, who is also the widow of Beatrice Terry.

The Terry Fellowship is named in honor of the late Beatrice Terry, an alumna of The Drama League Directors Project who was herself a writer-director. As an associate/assistant director for many years on Broadway, she worked on many of the major productions of the last decade, including Spring Awakening (where she assisted Mr. Mayer), Memphis, La Bete, Leap of Faith, and God of Carnage, among others. Ms. Terry was most proud of her work as director on several shows in NYC including The Germ Project with New Georges and Lesbian Pulp-O-Rama! She was also the author of several plays and musicals for children, as well as the adult satires Ronbenet and Over a Barrel.

"The loss of Beatrice Terry to the theater community is incalculable," remarked Drama League Artistic Director Roger T. Danforth. "Her breadth of talent and creative imagination are sorely missed. Thankfully, Michael and Bea's partner, the playwright Gretchen Michelfeld, have joined us to establish this permanent tribute, a fellowship to support the work of women directors who, like Bea, are redefining the boundaries between writer and director."

"Bea inspired every one of her artistic collaborators to reach for true beauty, beautiful truth, and deeply wicked belly laughs, expressed Gretchen M. Michelfeld. "My dream is for The Beatrice Terry Fellowship to continue her legacy of inspiration for decades to come."

Contributions to the Beatrice Terry Fellowship may be made by calling (212) 244-9494. For additional information, please visit the website at www.dramaleague.org.

The Drama League's 30th Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway Honoring Neil Patrick Harris was held last evening at the famed Pierre Hotel (2 East 61st Street).

Neil Patrick Harris joins a gallery of past Drama League Honorees that include Liza Minnelli, Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Chita Rivera, Rosie O'Donnell and Terrence McNally, all exceptional artists whose talent and passion have served as a benchmark for others.

The nearly 300 alumni of The Drama League Directors Project includes 2013 Tony Award winners Diane Paulus and Pam MacKinnon, award-winning directors Christopher Ashley, Mark Brokaw, Rachel Chavikin, Michael Mayer, John Rando and Alex Timbers, to name a few.