SDC Ratifies Contracts and Names New Board

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has announced that its membership ratified several contracts at the union's annual membership meeting held this past month. Attended by over 75 directors and choreographers and presided over by Executive Board President Karen Azenberg and Executive Director Laura Penn, the meeting also included the announcement of executive board election results and the presentation of the Joe A. Callaway Awards.

During recent negotiations SDC reached a number of agreements that required and received ratification at the meeting. These included a new four-year SDC/Council of Resident Stock Theatres (CORST) Agreement; a three-year SDC/Troika Entertainment Agreement; and a new three-year Agreement between SDC and League of Resident Theatres.

In Election news Linda Hartzell, a Seattle-based Director, was elected the union's new Executive Board Member as its Northwest Representative; Director Larry Carpenter was re-elected Executive Vice President; and Director Ethan McSweeny was elected Treasurer, stepping in for Doug Hughes who remains on the Executive Board. Incumbents Karen Azenberg, Joe Calarco, Michael John Garces, Wendy C. Goldberg, Sue Lawless, Sharon Ott, Lonny Price, and Oz Scott were also re-elected.

"It's been an eventful and important year for SDC," says Executive Director Penn. "There is much to acknowledge and to recognize. SDC has made significant gains in raising the profile of Directors and Choreographers within the industry, our Executive Board remains strong and vigilant, and our negotiations have been successful despite the challenging economic environment. "

The SDC 50th Anniversary Gala celebration, held on Sunday, November 8th at the Tribeca Rooftop, featured some of Broadway's biggest stars performing a special, one-night-only, musical tribute to the union's founding members staged by Tony Award winners Rob Ashford and Kathleen Marshall, as well as presentations by Jude Law and Katie Holmes. Another of the gala's highlights was the establishment of The Zelda Fichandler Award, awarded by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is currently making a unique and exceptional contribution through his or her work in regional theatre and which is named after one of the founders of the American regional theatre movement. The Zelda Fichandler Award will be presented on December 6 in LA at SDC's West Coast 50th Anniversary Celebration.

SDC is a national theatrical labor union whose mission is to foster a national community of professional stage Directors and Choreographers by protecting the rights, health and livelihoods of all of its members; to facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and opportunities, while educating the current and future generations about the role of Directors and Choreographers and providing effective administration, negotiations and contractual support.