Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Is Now Accepting Nominations for the 2022 Barbara Whitman Award

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announced today that nominations for the 2022 Barbara Whitman Award are now being accepted through December 21, 2021. The Barbara Whitman Award was founded in 2021 and includes an unrestricted grant of $10,000. The Award is presented annually to a female, trans, or non-binary early career director who has demonstrated unique vision in their work.

This Award seeks to elevate the artist's presence in the larger theatrical community and was inspired by The Next Stage report, On the Edge: The Lives and Livelihoods of Stage Directors and Choreographers published in October 2020. The report revealed a sobering picture of urgent financial insecurities for women and people of color, who often lack both the financial security and creative opportunities they need to stay in the profession. The study concludes by looking forward to the future, and making recommendations as to how industry, philanthropic, and civic leaders could use the quantitative and qualitative data in the study to further the careers of directors and choreographers-and thereby the field. One such recommendation was to fund an award, providing financial support and offering visablity and recognition.

In a statement, SDCF's Director Dani Barlow shared, "Barbara's recognition of the needs of early career directors, particularly of those from underrepresented communities in our industry, is a tangible demonstration of leadership. We are grateful she chose to partner with SDCF at this critical time."

The Barbara Whitman Award winner will be chosen by panel of industry professionals. Nominees for the Award must have directed at least three productions outside an academic environment but is not yet working on LORT D stages or above or beyond the 99-seat theatre spaces in New York City. Both SDC Members and non-members are eligible. Nominees must reside full-time in the United States and must be nominated by a theatre industry professional. The Nominee should not have an ongoing affiliation/position with a major theatrical organization (e.g. resident artist, associate, director-in-residence) and cannot be in college or graduate school or have plans to attend either in the next year. There is no age requirement. Nominations for BIPOC directors are strongly encouraged.

Nominations will be accepted through 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday December 21, 2021. Late nominations and self-nominations will not be accepted. A short nomination form and detailed guidelines are available through the SDCF website at https://sdcfoundation.org/the-barbara-whitman-award/

Barbara Whitman is a theatrical producer who made her Broadway debut producing A Raisin in the Sun, starring Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan. Other Broadway credits include Diana - The Musical, Burn This starring Adam Driver and Keri Russell, Angels in America (Tony and Drama Desk Award, Best Play Revival), 1984, The Glass Menagerie starring Sally Field, War Paint starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, Oh, Hello starring Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, Fully Committed starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson, The Humans (Tony Award, Best Play), Fun Home (Tony Award, Best Musical), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Best Musical Revival), Of Mice and Men starring James Franco, If/Then starring Idina Menzel, Hands on a Hardbody, Red (Tony and Drama Desk Awards, Best Play), Next to Normal (Pulitzer Prize), Hamlet starring Jude Law, 33 Variations starring Jane Fonda, Mary Stuart, Legally Blonde - The Musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Upcoming productions include the Pulitzer Prize winning A Strange Loop. A native New Yorker, Barbara attended NYU's Gallatin School and received an MFA in Theatre Management and Producing from Columbia University. She's on the Board of the Tectonic Theater Project and the Dean's Council of Columbia University's School of the Arts. She's also a member of the Broadway League where she serves on the Board of Governors. Her proudest productions are her two sons, Daniel and Will.

Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) celebrates, develops, and supports professional stage directors and choreographers throughout every phase of their careers. SDCF works to build a theatrical community that reflects the cultural, racial, and gender diversity of our nation by creating opportunities for artists of all backgrounds to bring their full, authentic selves to their work as creative leaders in the theatre. SDCF's goals are to provide opportunities to practice the crafts of directing and choreography; to gather and disseminate craft and career information; to promote the profession to emerging talent; to provide opportunities for exchange of knowledge among directors and choreographers; to increase the awareness of the value of directors' and choreographers' work; and to convene around issues affecting theatre artists. sdcfoundation.org.