The Drama League is Now Accepting Applications for 2019 Director Residency Programs

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) opened its applications to the public for the 2019 Director Residency Programs, which support theatre directors with resources to build and develop new plays, musicals, performance pieces, hybrid works, and devised theatre projects during the 2019 calendar year. The deadline for completed applications is Noon (12pm) US EDT on Friday, September 7, 2018.

Applications are now available at www.dramaleague.org for four residency programs:

• The First Stage Residencies, offering directors at the early conceptual stages of a new project space and time for thoughtful investigation;

• The Next Stage Residencies, which support multiple creative processes and projects of a theater director over the course of the year;

• The Impact Residency, for directors who are part of an existing ensemble company, or working inside an existing ensemble company, to create a new work; and

• The Beatrice Terry Residency for Women Writer/Directors, a project-based residency for women and women-identified artists who write and direct their own stage projects.

The residencies offer financial stipends, rehearsal space, mentorship, and administrative support. Full descriptions of each residency may be found at http://dramaleague.org/programs/directors-project/residencies.

Additionally, The Drama League's after-school program for New York high school theatre students, New Visions/New Voices, also opened applications at www.dramaleague.org, with the same deadline of September 7, 2018.

Both programs are funded, in part, by the generous support of The Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, and Drama League members nationwide. The Impact Residency is a partnership with the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Long Island City, NY.

Since 2013, The Drama League Director Residency Program has developed over 80 pieces for the stage, including The TEAM's RoosevElvis (Vineyard Theatre, London's Royal Court Theatre); Ripe Time's The World Is Round (BAM); Blue Ridge (upcoming, Atlantic Theatre Company); The ARTS (upcoming, LaMaMa); Distant Star (Abrons Arts Center), Georama (NYMF/Repertory Theatre of St. Louis); Assembled Identity and America Is Hard To See (HERE); Skinamarink (Little Lord/New York Theatre Workshop); Rady&Bloom's The Upper Room (New Ohio Theatre); and Piehole's Hand Foot Fizzle Face (JACK).

New Visions/New Voices brings underserved theatre students from across the five boroughs of New York City together for pre-collegiate training in directing. While participating in the after-school program, students work with professional actors under the tutelage of acclaimed theatre directors. The competitive program focuses on the skills of directing - which can be used in a variety of future fields both inside and out of the performing arts. It is offered free of charge to students who want to augment their arts experience with a real-world, behind-the-scenes training initiative.

"Supporting directors is the core of The Drama League's mission," noted Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks. "Whether offering residencies to professional directors to develop new work, or giving talented high school-age New Yorkers their first experiences in the professional theatre, our goal remains the same: to create unique pathways for artistic excellence for the next generation of theatre makers."

The Drama League Director Residency Program is made possible thanks to the generosity of Howard Gilman Foundation, The Riggio Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts. Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting The Drama League.

Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

The Drama League New Visions/New Voices program is made possible by a generous grant from The Leo Shull Foundation for the Arts.

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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