Midsommer Flight Announces DIRECTOR DIALOGUES Series of Panel Discussions in February 2021

Midsommer Flight, a company that has been presenting high quality, accessible productions of Shakespeare's plays in Chicago's parks since 2012, today announced a series of three virtual panel discussions addressing some of the theatre industry's most challenging topics, to be held on three successive Tuesdays in February 2021. This series continues the company's efforts to provide professional development for stage directors, following its DIRECTORS FLIGHT workshop program that was inaugurated in winter, 2020, but truncated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new program, called DIRECTOR DIALOGUES, will bring together six working Chicago directors for live discussions over the Zoom platform. Panelists and moderators will include Beth Wolf, Monty Cole, Stephanie Mattos, Maureen Yasko, Chris Smith, Lavina Jadhwani, Madeline Sayet, and LaKecia Harris. Each session will provide time for open discussion with the attendees. Participation is open to all. Advance registration is required and will be open in January. Registration is free but donations are gratefully accepted.

The DIRECTOR DIALOGUES schedule of speakers and topics is as follows:

Tuesday, February 2nd, 7PM CST

Beth Wolf and Monty Cole - "The Art of Adaptation," moderated by Stephanie Mattos

Tuesday, February 9th, 7PM CST

Stephanie Mattos and Maureen Yasko - "Getting Close: Fight and Intimacy post-COVID," moderated by Chris Smith

Tuesday, February 16th, 7PM CST

Lavina Jadhwani and Madeline Sayet - "Why Shakespeare?", moderated by LaKecia Harris

DIRECTOR DIALOGUES is Midsommer Flight's second program initiated to enhance professional development opportunities and provide communal support for stage directors. In 2019, Midsommer Flight launched DIRECTORS FLIGHT, a fellowship opportunity for early career classical directors to gather together, attend workshops and work as a cohort to stage a full show. The program was in progress when its inaugural production, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, had to be postponed due to COVID-19.

Wolf says "Midsommer Flight still hopes to honor the work of our first directing cohort by potentially bringing MUCH ADO back later in 2021, but given the current state of the pandemic, it's not possible to invite a new cohort of directors for a full second term of DIRECTORS FLIGHT fellowships right now. We're excited, though, to be able to use this time to launch DIRECTOR DIALOGUES, which may become an ongoing element of our professional development programs."

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