The Drama League Announces 2020 Directing Fellowships and Residencies

The Drama League has announced the eleven directors chosen for its Fellowships and Residencies in the 2020 Drama League Directors Project. The 2020 Directing Fellows are Cristina Angeles, Desdemona Chiang, Signe V. Harriday, Taylor Haven Holt, Cait Robinson, and Emma Rosa Went. The 2020 Directors-in-Residence are Mohammad Aghebati, Rachel Gita Karp, Larissa Lury, Travis Lee Russ, and Steven Sapp. Open rehearsals of each residency will be held once social distancing guidelines are lifted. Schedules will be available at a later date at www.dramaleague.org and on social media (@dramaleague).

In addition, a number of 2021 appointments were also announced, including Tatyana-Marie Carlo as the 2021 Public Works Directing Fellow, in partnership with Dallas Theater Center; three of the 2021 Hangar Directing Fellows, Christian Ávila, Jasmine B. Gunter, and Nicholas Polonio, in partnership with the Hangar Theater; and the 2021 Impact Director-in-Residence, Rachel Dickstein with the ensemble Ripe Time, in partnership with LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. Dallas Theater Center and the Hangar Theatre previously announced the cancellation of their live summer production schedules, and Ms. Carlo, Mr. Ávila, Ms. Gunter, and Mr. Polonio will join the companies when the seasons resume in 2021. The Hangar Theatre will offer a new, virtual summer season in 2020. New York Stage & Film has also canceled their summer offerings, and the Leo Shull Musical Directing Fellowship, hosted by The Drama League there, will resume as programming returns.

The Drama League Fellowships and Residencies, collectively known as The Directors Project, has launched the careers of many of America's most influential stage directors, including Tony Award winners Christopher Ashley (Come From Away), Rachel Chavkin (Hadestown), Sam Gold (Fun Home), Pam MacKinnon (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf), Michael Mayer (Little Shop of Horrors), Diane Paulus (Jagged Little Pill), John Rando (Urinetown), Rebecca Taichman (Sing Street), among many others. Artistic Directors who are alumni of The Directors Project include Mr. Ashley (La Jolla Playhouse), Ms. MacKinnon (ACT), Ms. Paulus (American Repertory Theatre), James Bundy (Yale Rep), Kevin Moriarty (Dallas Theater Center), Sarah Rasmussen (incoming, McCarter Theatre Center), Melia Bensussen (Hartford Stage Company), Michael John Garcés (Cornerstone Theatre Company), Laura Kepley (Cleveland Play House), and dozens more.