Applications Are Now open for The Drama League's Directing Fellowships

The Drama League opened its applications today for the 2019 Directors Project Fellowship Programs, which offer unique opportunities for early and mid-career stage directors to advance their artistry, learn new skills, stage new work, and develop their careers. The only program of its kind in the nation, it boasts 12 different fellowships, including a new initiative in community-based theater and a new immersion in the development of new musicals. The deadline for completed applications is 12:00 p.m. (US EST) on Tuesday, December 11, 2018.

Applications are now available at www.dramaleague.org for:

• The Public Works Directing Fellowship, a partnership with Dallas Theater Center (Dallas, TX) placing directors inside the creative leadership of a large-scale, community-wide theatrical project;
• The Leo Shull Musical Directing Fellowship, which begins a new partnership with New York Stage and Film, immersing a director in multiple projects during New York Stage and Film & Vassar's Powerhouse Season, before returning to stage an Off-Broadway musical production of their choice in The Drama League's festival, DirectorFest;
• The New York Directing Fellowships, which begin their 36th year of serving talented early-career directors with bespoke training opportunities, mentorship, assistantships at major theaters, and DirectorFest productions of their own;
• The Hangar Directing Fellowships, embedding directors inside the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY, where they direct multiple productions and explore institutional structures as the artistic leaders of the Hangar's Lab Company;
• The Classical Fellowship for Directors of Color, a partnership with The Old Globe (San Diego, CA), Shakespeare & Company (Lenox, MA), and the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (Coldspring, NY), to bring diverse directors onto the productions in their seasons; and
• The Directing Fellowship in Film and Television, which places mid-career theater directors into shadowing assignments on film and television projects.

"Public Works Dallas strives to create inclusive spaces that reflect the full breadth of diversity in our dynamic community," shared Dayron J. Miles, Director of Public Works Dallas. He went on to add, "That is why Dallas Theater Center is thrilled to partner with the Drama League on a fellowship to help ensure that creative leaders in our field, whom are often overlooked or not reflected wildly in our art form, are given the opportunity to engage in a summer of two way, joyful learning with us, as we produce our annual Public Works Dallas production." He concluded with, "We are so excited to join the legacy of other Drama League fellowships that have given so many extraordinary directors meaningful experiences, including the founding director of our sister program in New York City, Lear deBessonet."

"New York Stage and Film is thrilled to join forces with the Drama League and to welcome the Leo Shull Musical Directing Fellow into the 2019 Powerhouse Season," stated Joanna Pfaelzer, Artistic Director, New York Stage and Film & Vassar's Powerhouse. "With our shared commitment to supporting artists and advancing their work, we know this will be a natural and exciting partnership."

The Fellowships offer stipends, network building, skill acquisition, mentorship, creative development, housing, travel and administrative support. Full descriptions of each residency may be found at http://dramaleague.org/programs/directors-project/fellowships.

The Drama League Fellowships are funded, in part, by the generous support of The Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and Drama League members nationwide.

Now in its 36th year, The Drama League Fellowships, part of the umbrella of initiatives known as "The Directors Project," has had an indelible and transformative effect on the field of stage directing. Alumni include Tony Award Winners Christopher Ashley (Come From Away), Sam Gold (Fun Home), Michael Mayer (Head Over Heels), Pam MacKinnon (Artistic Director, A.C.T.) Diane Paulus (Waitress), John Rando (On The Town), Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), Tony Award nominees Mark Brokaw (Jesus Hopped The A Train), Rachel Chavkin (The Great Comet), Alex Timbers (Beetlejuice), Moritz von Steulpnagel (Bernhardt/Hamlet), and directors May Adrales (Vietgone), James Bundy (Artistic Director, Yale Rep), Anne Kaufman (Mary Jane), Lila Neugebauer (The Waverly Gallery), and over 300 more across the nation. The Drama League's new Fellowship partner theaters include alumni among their artistic leadership: Kevin Moriarty, Artistic Director of Dallas Theater Center, and Liz Carlson, Associate Artistic Director of New York Stage and Film.

"Supporting directors is the core of The Drama League's mission," noted Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks. "These Fellowships have the potential to alter the trajectory of a talented young director's career, and to impact millions of theatergoers who see their productions."

The Drama League of New York, since 1916, has been at the forefront of the American Theatre community, providing talent, audiences, and prosperous support. It is one of the nation's oldest continuously-operating, not-for-profit arts advocacy and education organizations. Through its programs, initiatives and events, The Drama League serves over 3,000 artists and 15,000 audience members each season with over 150 events and programs. For more information about events or membership, please call Tom Sime at 212.244.9494 ext 101.

For additional information, please visit the website at www.dramaleague.org.

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