Podcasts about sdcf

We are excited to bring you this new episode in our podcast series, The Art of Collaboration with Anne Kauffman and dots. This series focuses on directors and choreographers in conversation with some of their collaborators. This series explores the ins and outs of these processes, both finer details as well as overarching ideas about what goes into a productive collaboration on a show. In this episode you will hear an in-depth and transparent conversation with Anne and dots focused on the collaboration between directors and designers as well as navigating the industry as a collective.   Bios: dots (Scenic Designer) is a design collective creating environments for theater, film, commercials, and immersive experiences. Hailing from Colombia, South Africa, and Japan, we are Santiago Orjuela-Laverde, Andrew Moerdyk, and Kimie Nishikawa. As collaborators, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts. Recent highlights include the Broadway productions of Oh, Mary! ; Romeo + Juliet, An Enemy of the People (Tony Award Nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Play); Appropriate (Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Scenic Design); The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window; and The Big Gay Jamboree ; Recent awards include a 2024 Obie Award for Sustained Achievement in Design, 2023 and 2024 Henry Hewes Design Award, recipient of 2025 USA Fellowship Award . designbydots.com. Anne Kauffman (Director)'s credits include the New York Philharmonic, BAM, Ars Nova, NYTW, Roundabout Theatre Company, Encores! Off-Center, Women's Project, Playwrights Horizons, MCC, The Public, P73 Productions, New Georges, Vineyard Theatre, LCT3, Yale Rep, Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Z Space, American Conservatory Theater, and Berkeley Rep. She is a Resident Director at Roundabout Theatre, Artistic Associate and Founding Member of The Civilians, a Clubbed Thumb Affiliated Artist and co-creator of the CT Directing Fellowship, a New Georges Affiliated Artist, an SDC Executive Board Member, Vice President and Trustee of SDCF 2020-2023, and Artistic Director of City Center's Encores! Off-Center 2017-2020. Her awards include a 2024 Tony nomination for Best Director for Mary Jane, a 2023 Tony nomination for Best Revival for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window, three Obies, the Joan and Joseph Cullman Award for Exceptional Creativity from Lincoln Center, the Alan Schneider Director Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, a Drama League Award, and the Joe A. Callaway. She is co-creator of the Cast Album Project with Jeanine Tesori.   dots headshot courtesy of dots Anne Kauffman's headshot by Tess Mayer

Check out this podcast replay of the SDCF Virtual Panel: Demystifying Pre-Production with Knud Adams, Maija García, and Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. This conversation focuses on the pre-production process, giving insights and a better understanding of all the things that happen between when a director signs a contract and first rehearsal. The panelists talked about what they have discovered over the years makes for the strongest pre-production process for them before rehearsals begin. Transcript available upon request. We hosted this panel in June 2024. Knud Adams is an Obie-winning director of artful new plays, based in New York. This season, he's directing English on Broadway. His work has been featured on "Best of the Year" lists by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post. An avid developer of new work, his world-premiere productions include: Primary Trust (Roundabout), English (Atlantic/Roundabout), Bodies They Ritual (Clubbed Thumb), Private (Mosaic), The Headlands (LCT3), Paris (Atlantic), and The Workshop (Soft Focus). Knud also directed the radio play Vapor Trail, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Maija García is a theater director, cultural innovator and advocate for equity in the arts. She recently directed I am Betty, a world premiere hit new musical at History Theater by Cristina Luzarrága and Denise Prosek; VALOR, a Spanish golden-age play by Ana Caro; and OUR HOOD, a bi-lingual cineplay by John Leguizamo. Director of Movement for Spike Lee's Oscar award-winning Blackkklansman, CHI-RAQ and She's Gotta Have It on Netflix, and Executive Producer of Art of Dance, a documentary film, García's Theater Directing credits include Bill T. Jones' FELA! World Tour; CRANE: on earth in sky by Heather Henson and Ty Defoe and Salsa Mambo Cha Cha Cha in La Habana Cuba. Regional Theater credits include original choreography for West Side Story at the Guthrie Theater; Kiss My Aztec by John Leguizamo and Tony Toccone at Berkeley Rep, and La Jolla Playhouse; Snow in Midsummer by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig at Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Cuba Libre by Carlos Lacámara at Artists Repertory Theater (PAMTA Award); and Fats Waller Dance Party with Jason Moran and Meshell N'degeocello at Harlem Stage, SF Jazz and the Kennedy Center. Garcia founded Organic Magnetics to generate urban folklore for the future. She wrote, produced and directed Ghosts of Manhattan: 1512-2012, an interactive history and I am New York: Juan Rodriguez. Director of Education and Professional Training at Guthrie Theater, Maija served on the Tony Award Nominating Committee and is a proud member of SDC since 2008.  Delicia Turner Sonnenberg is a director, artistic leader, teacher, and mother. She is a founder and the former Artistic Director of MOXIE Theatre, which she helmed for twelve acclaimed seasons. Delicia has directed plays for the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego REP, La Jolla Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Cygnet Theatre, New Village Arts, and Diversionary Theatre, among others. Delicia has directed countless workshops and staged readings of new plays for National New Play Network, Old Globe, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, San Diego REP, and Arena Stage. Delicia was twice a recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship through Second Stage Theatre in New York and is an alumna of the New York Drama League's Directors Program, as well as Theatre Communication Group's New Generations Program.

Check out this podcast replay of our SDCF Panel: The Journey from Dancer to Choreographer with Mayte Natalio, Adesola Osakalumi, and Ellenore Scott. This conversation focuses on career transitions or expansions, specifically for dancers who have shifted or added choreography to their artistic practice. We hosted this panel at Sunlight Studios in February 2024. This video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Ellenore Scott (she/her) is a BIPOC, New York based choreographer and director. Through her work, Scott values lifting diverse voices in her community while creating a joyous space where the creative process can bring as many people in as possible. Her Broadway credits include Grey House, Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night. Her Off-Broadway credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Titanique (Lucille Loretel Nomination), I Can Get It For You Wholesale. Other choreography credits include: So You Think You Can Dance?, Single All the Way (Netflix). In 2023, Scott co-directed The Lonely Few, a world premiere rock musical at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, CA that will transfer to Off-Broadway's MCC Theatre in Spring of 2024. Scott's work has also been seen at The Bushwick Starr, The Old Globe, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre. In 2020, Scott was a finalist for the SDC Breakout Award for the first ever TikTok Music Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical which raised over $2 million for The Entertainment Fund. As a performer, Scott appeared in numerous television shows (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Smash, The Blacklist, Glee! to name a few) and was a finalist and All-Star on So You Think You Can Dance? Scott is the Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a contemporary-fusion dance company. Mayte Natalio: Broadway: Suffs (spring 2024), For Colored Girls… (Associate Choreographer). Off-Broadway: Measure for Measure (The Public Theater, Mobile Unit). Regional: The Winter's Tale (DTC, Public Works), Into the Woods (Barrington Stage Company), Love in Hate Nation (Two River Theater), Hair (The Old Globe), Kiss My Aztec (Hartford Stage), How to Dance in Ohio (Syracuse Stage). Adesola Osakalumi: is a Bronx native, Bessie Award-winning, Drama Desk-nominated Choreographer and Actor. Inspired by his family's dance company Africa 1 Dance Theater, he began performing at an early age and was immediately captivated by popping, locking, and all diasporic hip-hop dance styles. He began training seriously at every opportunity possible while maintaining a strong presence in the New York club scene where these styles flourished. Selected Choreographic credits include: Fall For Dance/Jam On The Groove 3 For 30 (City Center),Skeleton Crew (Broadway MTC), Cullud Wattah, Coal Country, Othello (Public Theater), runboyrun, Eyewitness Blues (NYTW), Good Grief (Vineyard), Jam on the Groove (Minetta Lane) and the film School Of Rock. Upcoming: The Hippest Trip (Soul Train Musical) Associate Choreographer & Dance Consultant and Syncing Ink (Victoria Theater) Spring 2025.  As an Actor: Skeleton Crew, Fela!, Equus (Broadway), runboyrun (NYTW), Syncing Ink (Flea/Alley Theater) and the films Red Pill, IBRAHIM, Enchanted, Across the Universe, and Sex and the City 2. TV: "Endgame", “Ice”, Blue Bloods. Awards: Bessie Award Recipient, Drama Desk Recipient. I give thanks to my Ori, Ancestors, and Family for their constant support and love. adesola.com IG @adesolaosakalumi.

Check out this podcast replay of our one on one conversation with 2023 Tony Award Winner Michael Arden hosted by SDCF and the Museum of Broadway. Interviewed by SDC Executive Director Laura Penn, this conversation focuses on Michael's expansive career to date including a deeper dive into his work as an artist and practice as a director. We held this conversation in March 2024. The video and audio was recorded by Michael Weir supported by the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation. Transcript available upon request. Michael Arden (Director) was awarded the 2023 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for his production of Parade starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, which will have a national tour beginning early 2024. Michael was also Tony nominated for his revivals of Once On This Island and Spring Awakening. Michael wrote and directed Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol which played the Nederlander Theatre last Holiday season and starred Jefferson Mays. Michael will helm the new Stephen Schwartz and Lindsey Ferrentino musical The Queen of Versailles starring Kristin Chenowith and a new musical adaptation of the cult film The Lost Boys. Other directing credits include: Maybe Happy Ending at the Atlanta Alliance, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  at Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and site specific works: American Dream Study and ALIEN/NATION with his company The Forest of Arden. Arden has been named on Variety's Impact List and is the winner of an NAACP Award for best direction of his revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Wallis Annenberg in Los Angeles. In addition to directing theater in America and around the globe, he regularly directs “The Connors” on ABC, and has appeared in numerous features and TV shows, most notably: Grey's Anatomy, Bride Wars, Anger Management, Source Code, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. On stage, Arden has appeared on Broadway in Big River; The Times, They Are A-Changin', and King Lear. Arden is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and alumni of the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School. Michael and longtime creative and design partner Dane Laffrey founded AT RISE CREATIVE, a production company that strives to create groundbreaking live experiences with an emphasis on design and innovating technologies. Photo credit:  Laura Penn has been Executive Director of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) since 2008. This year, she was appointed by President Biden to serve as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Most recently, she was elected to the Board of the Entertainment Community Fund. Under her leadership, SDC's Membership has grown more than 100%, a result of her work expanding jurisdictions; leading bold and successful negotiations; and furthering the Union's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives and political engagement. She serves on the General Board of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) and is an active member of DPE's Arts, Entertainment, and Media Industry Coordinating Committee (AEMI). She is co-Chair of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds, the first woman to hold a leadership position with this coalition of 18 influential unions representing workers on Broadway. Laura serves on the Tony Awards Administration Committee and is a Tony Voter. She served as a panelist for the New York State Council for the Arts, for more than a decade was a site evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, was Vice President of the League of Resident Theatres, and was two-term Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. Recognized with Seattle's Distinguished Citizen Medal, she is an advocate for civic dialogue and public participation and has been dedicated throughout her career to the idea that artistic excellence and community engagement are intrinsically connected. Laura previously served as an arts executive for Intiman Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre and began her career at D.C.'s Arena Stage, Living Stage Theatre Company. She currently teaches Labor Relations in the graduate program at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

In this episode, Hayley and Amy chat with multi-hyphenate Mayah Lourdes Burke about creating equitable rehearsal spaces as an artivist, juggling hats as a multi-hyphenate, and building and nurturing community in theatrical work! Click here for a ⁠transcript⁠ of the episode! Episode Notes Hosts: Hayley Goldenberg and Amy Andrews Guest: Mayah Lourdes Burke Music: Chloe Geller Episode Resources: IlluminArt Productions Question Generator Guest Bio: Mayah “My” Lourdes Burke (she/her) is a director, producer, vocalist, playwright, poet, and actor from NYC. Credits: 54 Below Sings Jessie J (Producer), 54 Below Celebrates Curvy Queens, 54 Below Goes to the Library, and A Year With Frog and Toad (Toad). Mayah was a Directing Observer for SDCF for the revival of The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. Her recent directing credits include The Pitfalls of Exaggerated Swagger by Cris Eli Blak, Motherless… by Cherise Kimoy, Good Grief: A Best Friend Play by Ngozi Anyanwu, We are Proud to Present… by Jackie Sibblies Drury, and Funnyhouse of a Negro by Adrienne Kennedy. Her original play, 4SZNS, had its first fully staged production at 2022 Frenzy Fest at El Barrio's Artspace in East Harlem, NYC. She is a Touring Company Member and Teaching Artist with IlluminArt Productions, an Artistic Coach with MTEAF, and a proud member of the Makers Ensemble. In 2022, Mayah received a Staten Island Youth Award for community contribution to Arts and Culture. She has a passion for encouraging and molding young minds through the power of Artivism and is a huge celebrator of the world of new works. Mayah is exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to be here and would love to give thanks to God and all the people who have supported her along the way. Find Mayah Online: Mayah's Website Instagram Email Mayah Thanks for listening! Who do you want to hear from next on the Women & Theatre Podcast? Nominate someone ⁠here⁠. The Women & Theatre Podcast is created and produced by Hayley Goldenberg and Amy Andrews. Please like, comment, subscribe, follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠, and consider ⁠making a donation⁠ to support our work. Thank you for listening!

We are excited to bring you this new podcast series, The Art of Collaboration. This series will focus on directors and choreographers in conversation with some of their collaborators on a specific production. This series will explore the ins and outs of these processes, both the finer details as well as overarching ideas about what goes into a productive collaboration on a show. In this inaugural episode, Director Alex Timbers, Costume Designer Catherine Zuber, and Lighting Designer Justin Townsend are interviewed by Foundation Director Dani Barlow to discuss their experience working together on Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Learn more about this episode's guests below. Bios: Alex Timbers (Director) is the recipient of Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and London Evening Standard Awards, as well as two Obie and Lortel Awards. Broadway credits include Gutenberg the Musical; Here Lies Love; Moulin Rouge!; Just For Us; Beetlejuice; David Byrne's American Utopia; Oh Hello with Nick Kroll and John Mulaney; The Pee-wee Herman Show; Peter and the Starcatcher; and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (also bookwriter). For television, he co-created Amazon's “Mozart in the Jungle” (Golden Globe Award) and has helmed the Netflix specials “John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous,” “Ben Platt: Live at Radio City,” and most recently “John Mulaney: Baby J” (2023 Emmy Award nomination). His debut picture book, Broadway Bird, set in an all-animal version of Broadway, is published by Macmillan. @alextimbers   Justin Townsend (Lighting Designer): His professional lighting design work includes such productions as: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award); Jagged Little Pill (Tony Nomination); American Psycho (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Henry Hewes Award); The Humans (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award); Here Lies Love, (Drama Desk Award, Public Theater); Vietgone, (MTC); Pretty Filthy, (Civilians); Mr. Burns, a Post Electric Play, Milk Like Sugar, (Playwrights Horizons); Odyssey, A Winter's Tale, (Public Works at the Delacorte Theater); Venus, (Signature Theater); Unnatural Acts, Mother Courage, and Galileo (Classic Stage Company) Catherine Zuber (Costume Designer) Broadway: Moulin Rouge, (Tony Award, Olivier Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), Mrs. Doubtfire, My Fair Lady, (Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), Oslo, War Paint (Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award), King & I, (Olivier Award, Tony Award), Fiddler on the Roof, Golden Boy. South Pacific (Tony Award); The Coast of Utopia (Tony Award); The Light in the Piazza (Tony Award); Awake and Sing! (Tony Award); The Royal Family (Tony Award);  Gigi (Drama Desk Award). Metropolitan Opera: Rigoletto, Porgy & Bess, Il Barbieri di Siviglia, Les Contes d'Hoffman, Comte Ory, L'elisir d'Amore, Otello, Dr. Atomic, Roméo et Juliette. 2016 Induction: Theater Hall of Fame.  Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation: Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) exists to foster, promote, and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDCF's mission is to create access to the field, to connect artists to each other and to the public, and to honor these artists' theatrical legacies. The centrality of directors and choreographers in theatre and the impact they have on other artists' careers—from playwrights to designers to actors—makes SDCF's services essential to the wider theatre industry's continued health and vitality. Through its dynamic educational programming, including Observerships, Fellowships, public panels, and day-long symposia, SDCF serves the needs of directors and choreographers at every stage of career. www.sdcfoundation.org

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Director and one of the American Theatre Magazine's 10 Rising Black Woman+ to Watch in Theatre, Danielle (Dani) Barlow talks about her career as an Arts Manager and the work of SDCF. Topics discussed include being in the room when it happens, networking, grad school, mentors, finding your purpose, and allowing yourself to be curious. Edited by Justin Payne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are excited to bring you this podcast series, Choreographers in Conversation. This series allows choreographers to interview other choreographers whose work excites them as a way to learn more about their craft and preserve the stories of these exciting artists in our industry. In this episode Choreographer and Creative Director Ellenore Scott interviews Choreographer Camille A. Brown to hear more about her career and where her love of dance and choreography comes from, what inspires her, working with collaborators, and how Camille approaches her work with ranges in size and types of stages. They also discuss Broadway debuts, the preproduction process, and staying true to yourself in your work. Bios: Camille A. Brown: Broadway: for colored girls… (7 Tony award nominations including Best Direction of a Play and Choreography), Choir Boy (Tony & Drama Desk Nominee), Once on This Island (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Chita Rivera Nominee), A Streetcar Named Desire. Off Broadway and regional: Much Ado About Nothing (Audelco Award), Toni Stone (Audelco, Lortel Nominee), Bella (Playwrights Horizons, Lucille Lortel Nominee, Audelco Award), Fortress of Solitude (Lucille Lortel Nominee); tick, tick...BOOM! (Encores!). The Wiz (MUNY), Stagger Lee (DTC); Once (Pittsburgh CLO). Opera: Fire Shut Up in My Bones (co-directed with James Robinson- Bessie nomination), Porgy & Bess, Champion.  Television: Harlem (Amazon Prime), Nike/Jordan commercial. Jesus Christ Superstar Live” (NBC). Film:  Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Netflix). Company: Bessie winning Camille A. Brown & Dancers. Awards: Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Choreography, ISPA's Distinguished Artist, Dance Magazine Award, Guggenheim, Doris Duke Artist, Princess Grace Statue Award, Jacob's Pillow Award, and New York City Center, USA Jay Franke & David Herro Fellow, TED fellow, Kennedy Center's Next 50, Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship www.camilleabrown.org  Ellenore Scott (she/her) is a New York based choreographer and creative director. Broadway: Funny Girl, Mr. Saturday Night. Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Titanique. Other choreography credits include: So You Think You Can Dance?, Single All the Way (Netflix), Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. Scott's work has been seen at The Bushwick Starr, The Old Globe, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, McCarter Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Cape Fear Regional Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre. As a performer, Scott appeared in numerous television shows (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Smash, The Blacklist, Glee!) and was a finalist and All-Star on So You Think You Can Dance? Scott is the Artistic Director of ELSCO Dance, a contemporary-fusion dance company. As a content creator, Scott makes lifestyle, dance and comedy videos for over 1 million followers on TikTok. @helloellenore https://www.ellenorescott.co/ Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation: Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) exists to foster, promote, and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDCF's mission is to create access to the field, to connect artists to each other and to the public, and to honor these artists' theatrical legacies. The centrality of directors and choreographers in theatre and the impact they have on other artists' careers—from playwrights to designers to actors—makes SDCF's services essential to the wider theatre industry's continued health and vitality. Through its dynamic educational programming, including Observerships, Fellowships, public panels, and day-long symposia, SDCF serves the needs of directors and choreographers at every stage of career. www.sdcfoundation.org

In this special podcast episode, SDCF Director Dani Barlow and SDCF Board of Trustees Member Seema Sueko discuss the revitalized Professional Development Program (formerly the SDCF Observership Program). You can visit SDCF's website to learn more: https://sdcfoundation.org/professional-development-program/ SDCF's revitalized Professional Development Program provides opportunities for early career directors and choreographers to observe and/or support experienced directors and choreographers during the production process. The goals of this program are to provide access to directors and/or choreographers who have not seen the work of an experienced director/choreographer or have not previously worked on a certain type of production or at a certain level and provide mentorship from experienced directors and choreographers to newer directors and choreographers. Applications for the 2022-23 Season Cycle 1 will open Friday November 11, 2022.

***This episode is brought to you by Cinapse. Cinapse is an app that streamlines workflows for film and television crews, cast members, and studio employees. What they are building is truly game changer and I'll be doing a deep dive with them in the upcoming weeks. Follow them @cinapse for more.*** Barbara Whitman is a theater producer who made her Broadway debut producing A Raisin in the Sun, starring Sean Comb and Phylicia Rashad,  An impressive lady, she has won multiple Tony and Drama League Awards for producing musicals like Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Fun Home, The Humans and of course, A Strange Loop, which I was lucky enough to see on Broadway back in August.  In 2021, she established the Barbara Whitman Award at Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, SDCF for sure. The award will be given annually to a female, trans, or non-binary early career director.  Currently, Barbara is producing Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright's new play, GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR, starring Sean Hayes. The play will open on Broadway Spring 2023. A native New Yorker, Barbara attended NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study and received an MFA in Theatre Management and Producing from Columbia University. With roots in the theater, it's no surprise that's she's built a career around this art form. She has a deep passion for story, and especially for outlier stories that  live outside the more commercial broadway fare.  Gems from our chat include: How the definition of a producer has evolved The importance of introducing audiences to live theater Tips on how to get started producing theater Xoxo CG

We are excited to bring you this podcast series, Choreographers in Conversation. This series will allow choreographers to interview other choreographers whose work excites them as a way to learn more about their craft and preserve the stories of these exciting artists in our industry. In this episode Sam Pinkleton interviews Annie-B Parson. The two discuss the experience of choreographing for musicians and opera, being a choreographer not a dancer, and how one collaborates or doesn't with dancers and musicians. Sam asks Annie-B about how she prepares for a project, who she makes dance pieces for, and how she thinks teaching influences her work. Additionally, the two talk about Annie-B Parson's new book called The Choreography of Everyday Life that was published on October 11th, 2022. They also reiterate that choreographers are for more than carrying a couch across the stage.  Annie-B Parson: Annie-B Parson is a choreographer. She has made choreography for rock shows, marching bands, movies, museums, objects, television, augmented reality, opera, ballet, theater, symphony orchestras, string quartets, and a chorus of 1,000 amateur singers. She has made dance and stagings for the work of David Byrne, David Bowie, Lorde, St. Vincent, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Wendy Whelan, Laurie Anderson, Suzan Lori Parks, Spike Lee, Jonathan Demme, Salt ‘n Pepa, Esperanza Spalding, David Lang, Anne Carson, and the Martha Graham Dance Co. Annie-B is the artistic director of Big Dance Theater. Annie-B just published a new book on October 11, 2022 called The Choreography of Everyday Life. https://www.bigdancetheater.org/founders-directors/ Sam Pinkleton:  Sam Pinkleton is a Tony Award-nominated theater and dance maker. His work on Broadway includes Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, Machinal, Heisenberg, Significant Other, Amélie, and Macbeth. His recent work includes Jeanine Tesori and David Henry Hwang's Soft Power, the youth-led civic spectacular Runaways in Central Park and collaborations with the Dutch National Opera, Carnegie Hall, BAM, Virgin Voyages, The Civilians, Swing Left, and Cirque du Soleil. He is currently directing the world premiere of Noah Diaz' You Will Get Sick for Roundabout Theater Company. He does not own any dance shoes. sampinkleton.com Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation: Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) exists to foster, promote, and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDCF's mission is to create access to the field, to connect artists to each other and to the public, and to honor these artists' theatrical legacies. The centrality of directors and choreographers in theatre and the impact they have on other artists' careers—from playwrights to designers to actors—makes SDCF's services essential to the wider theatre industry's continued health and vitality. Through its dynamic educational programming, including Observerships, Fellowships, public panels, and day-long symposia, SDCF serves the needs of directors and choreographers at every stage of career. www.sdcfoundation.org

In this episode, Jennifer talks to Dani Barlow about what it means to be a theater manager. Dani shares helpful tips for creating change, fostering a network of your peers, and having a vision.  They break down the various types of positions on the arts administrative side of things, responsibilities and skillsets that are useful in these roles, and the necessity of these individuals for the creative process.  About Dani:  Dani Barlow (she/her) is a theater manager who currently serves as the Director of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation in New York City. Prior to SDCF she serves as Interim Associate Producer at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in DC. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Yale School of Drama in 2020 and during her time there she held the positions of Associate Director of Development and Alumni Affairs for Yale Repertory Theatre and Yale School of Drama, Company Manager of Yale Repertory Theatre, and Yale Management Fellow at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. She has also worked in different administrative capacities prior to graduate school at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, and Studio Theatre. SDC IG: @sdcfoundation Want to coach with Jennifer? Schedule a session here! https://appt.link/jenniferapple Monologue Sourcing Promo Link! https://empoweredartistcollective.com/podcastpromo Learn more: https://www.empoweredartistcollective.com/podcast EAC IG: @EmpoweredArtistCollective  EAC TikTok: @EmpowerArtistCollective EAC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empoweredartistcollective/ Check Out Our Merch! https://www.empoweredartistcollective.threadless.com/ Any thoughts you'd like to share? Email us at EmpoweredArtistCollective@gmail.com

Our guests this week are Ace Berry AIFD PFCI and Patience Pickner AIFD PFCI, both are florists in different part of our country and have teamed up to offer a learning experience called Inspired Design. The episode is packed with sound insights into their own floral experiences and the lessons they've learned while growing their florist businesses and paying their opportunities forward. Ace Berry AIFD, PFCI, CFD, TMF, worked in the oil fields of Texas for 5 years before finding his true passion .....FLOWERS!!! He recently opened his own Floral shop in Fulshear, Texas. He Earned his Texas Master Florist in 2012 and has travelled the country taking classes and working with some of the best designers in the world! Ace was also cast on Reality show Full Bloom which is a floral competition on HBO Max where Ace was the runner up. Patience Pickner AIFD, PFCI, SDCF lives in Chamberlain SD, a picturesque town located on the banks of the beautiful Missouri River.  Purchasing a bankrupt flower shop in 1998, she quickly turned it around by specializing in customer service, super fresh flowers and unique designs....and also by adding lots of wonderful home décor items.  Learn more about Ace and Patience with all of our past guests by visiting TheFlowerPodcast.com Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. We are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, Gaana, and many more! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for access to all of our Zoom chats, tutorials, IG Lives, and video extras. Sponsors of The Flower Podcast Curate Accent Decor Rooted Farmers Real Flower Business Society of American Florists ASCFG Intrigued Experience Conference

As live productions resume across the country, theater artists and managers are working to reopen for audiences. There are several conversations they must respond to—namely the ongoing pandemic and calls for action for equity and inclusion. This series will elevate those conversations, hearing from a group of theater leaders, directors and choreographers about their experiences on returning. In the first installment of this series we hear from Producing Artistic Director of Philadelphia Theatre Company Paige Price and director of The Garbologists at Philadelphia Theatre Company Estefanía Fadul as they join us in conversation and discuss the process of putting up this production. Learn more about the panelists here: https://sdcfoundation.org/sdcf-conversation-series-returning-to-rehearsal/ Join our mailing list: https://forms.gle/4yBHJSyu98cQw2Qm8

As live productions resume across the country, theater artists and managers are working to reopen for audiences. There are several conversations they must respond to—namely the ongoing pandemic and calls for action for equity and inclusion. This series will elevate those conversations, hearing from a group of theater leaders, directors and choreographers about their experiences on returning. In the second installment of this series Raja Feather Kelly, choreographer of SUFFS, Leigh Silverman, director of SUFFS, and Yuvika Tolani, Director of Producing at The Public Theater join us in conversation as they discuss the process of putting up this production. Learn more about the panelists here: https://sdcfoundation.org/sdcf-conversation-series-returning-to-rehearsal-2/ Join our mailing list: https://forms.gle/4yBHJSyu98cQw2Qm8

As live productions resume across the country, theater artists and managers are working to reopen for audiences. There are several conversations they must respond to—namely the ongoing pandemic and calls for action for equity and inclusion. This series will elevate those conversations, hearing from a group of theater leaders, directors and choreographers about their experiences on returning. In the final installment of this series Justin Emeka, Resident Director at the Pittsburgh Public Theater and Marya Sea Kaminski, Artistic Director at the Pittsburgh Public Theater join us in conversation. Learn more about our panelists here: https://sdcfoundation.org/sdcf-conversation-series-returning-to-rehearsal-3/ Join our mailing list: https://forms.gle/4yBHJSyu98cQw2Qm8

In this episode, the SDCF 2021 Zelda Fichandler Award Winner, Mark Valdez is interviewed by Michael John Garcés and they discuss everything from the most beautiful theater and how art can influence policy to rethinking the need for traditional performance spaces and leavening heavy themes with silliness and surprises. This podcast took place in early February 2022, Mark is now the current Artistic Director for the Mixed Blood Theatre. The Zelda Fichandler Award recognizes directors and choreographers who have demonstrated great accomplishment to date with singular creativity and deep investment in a particular community or region. The award was named after Zelda Fichandler who was the founding artistic director of the Arena Stage in Washington D.C. You can find this year's recipient and finalists here.   Mark Valdez is an LA-based director, writer, and cultural organizer. His work has been seen at community venues and professional theatres across California, including a tomato field in Grayson, a de-commissioned Catholic cathedral in downtown LA, as well from the stages of La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley to the stages of Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood for a Center Theatre Group produced production. Nationally, Mark has worked at theatres such as the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, where he created A Road to a Dream, a community collaboration along a 10-mile stretch of the Buford Highway, to shed light on the toll our nation's broken immigration policies have on families and communities; Arizona's Childsplay Theatre where he adapted and directed Gary Soto's book, Chato's Kitchen, about a low-rider gato from East LA; and Trinity Rep in Providence, where he directed A Christmas Carol that included 85 community choirs. His play Highland Park is Here, won the Audience Award at the Highland Park Film Festival and will be featured in Re:Encuentro, the national Latina/o/x Theater Festival. He is a current Board member of Double Edge Theatre and Cornerstone Theater Company, and a former Board member of TCG. Mark is currently working on The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe, a multi-city project that aims to influence housing policy utilizing performance, cultural organizing, and creative community development strategies.

Hosts: Matt Broome, Jack Galvin, Buck Newman

SDCF announced the honorees of this year’s Joe A. Callaway Awards, Gordon Davidson Award, and The Zelda Fichandler Award. The Awards were presented virtually on Monday, February 8, 2021 at 8pm ET. The Joe A. Callaway Awards was presented to Danya Taymor for her outstanding direction in Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Playwrights Horizons), and to Travis Wall for his outstanding choreography in The Wrong Man (MCC Theater). The finalists for this award are Knud Adams and Les Waters. The Joe A. Callaway Awards recognize excellence in directing and choreography in New York City and are the only awards given by peer directors and choreographers for work on a single production. The Gordon Davidson Award was presented to Seret Scott. The Gordon Davidson Award is bestowed annually by SDCF to recognize a director or choreographer for lifetime achievement and distinguished service in the regional theatre nationally. The Zelda Fichandler Award was presented to Kamilah Forbes. The finalists for this award are Carol Dunne, Seema Sueko, and Pirronne Yousefzadeh. The Zelda Fichandler Award is SDCF’s first award devoted to the regional theatre. With this award, SDCF acknowledges the profound impact the founders of regional theatre have had on the field, honoring their legacy through the recognition of the extraordinary directors and choreographers who are transforming the national arts landscape with their unique, creative work and deep investment in a community. The Breakout Award was presented to Jenn Rose.  The Breakout Award is given to a director or choreographer for a production or selection of work that signals a shift in a career and the beginning of critical recognition — a “rising star” moment. For 2020, the winner and finalists were chosen on the above criteria and directed or choregraphed digital work during the pandemic that made an impact.

On July 22, 2020 SDCF held a webinar with financial behaviorist, Jacquette Timmons. Jacquette spoke with us about financial planning during long-term unemployment and shared her unique blend of strategic budgeting advice coupled with candid talk about the ways our emotions play out in our financial lives.

On July 9th, 2020 SDCF hosted a virtual roundtable conversation, moderated by Sheldon Epps, SDCF Trustee and Artistic Director Emeritus of Pasadena Playhouse. He led a conversation about the challenges and opportunities of leading a non-ethnic specific organization as a leader of color. Sheldon was joined by Artistic Directors Robert Barry Fleming (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Nataki Garrett (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Jacob Padrón (Long Wharf Theatre), Hana Sharif (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), and Stephanie Ybarra (Baltimore Center Stage).

We’re excited to share the second episode of The Founder’s Series with Anne Kauffman, as part of SDCF’s Masters of the Stage. In this episode, Anne speaks with Jonathan McCrory, Artistic Director and Sade Lythcott, CEO of the National Black Theatre. They discuss Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s revolutionary vision and the founding of Harlem’s National Black Theatre; how Jonathan joined the National Black Theatre team and how together, Sade and Jonathan have reimagined the theatre’s mission, audience and visibility in the 21st century.

The Founder's Series was created by Anne Kauffman, Artistic Director of Encores! Off Center at New York City Center, as part of SDCF’s Masters of the Stage. In this series, Anne interviews artistic directors and founders who have had a lasting impact on the nonprofit theater community around the country. In this episode Anne talks with Emily Mann, Artistic Director of the McCarter Theatre Center, about her career journey as a female director, the adversity she’s faced, and how she has navigated these situations, including the current COVID-19 crisis, with strength.

The Broken Drift crew is still on the road with the Turtle Soup Tour. For Episode 05 they find themselves in Memphis! The gang is scouting talent and catching up with old friends, plus they stumble across the coolest disco anyone has ever seen. Listen now to find out about the end of the trip.

Join hosts Gene Moore and Ernesto Ortiz as they do their best to help out comedians that are new to the game! Comedians perform 3 minute sets followed by constructive critique and positive feedback from a guest panel of professional comedians and club bookers. with Hosts: Gene Moore & Ernesto Ortiz Panel: Big Irish Jay Hollingsworth (MTV) , Tony Tripoli (E! & Fashion Police), Carlos Rodriguez, Jenny Cannfield (Laughs Unlimited) Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

Sit down with writer and comedian Billy O'Connor for his workshop, "That Sentence Sucks". O'Connor has written two novels, four screenplays, and a popular National newspaper column. In "That Sentence Sucks", Billy will improve your writing skills exponentially! Using proven journalism techniques, such as explosive verbs, specific nouns, "less is more" and avoiding adverbs, he will make your stand-up content more compact and effective. Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

We're going meta with this one! A podcast about podcasting?? Get outta town! Sit down with Broken Drift at the 2019 San Diego Comedy Festival as we discuss all things podcasting. We chat with visiting SDCF performers and discuss everything you need to know about podcasting; how to get started, what kind of equipment you might want, things to avoid and how to interact with guests. Even veteran podcasters could learn a thing or two from this panel! Featuring: Anthony Lacapa (Ronan Podcast & That Reminds Me of a Story), Adam Connie (The Adamant Podcast), Big Irish Jay Hollingsworth (HollingsWorthless Program & ASK A) Hosted by: Bill Laskowski (Meat Sweats Podcast) Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

Who says comedy is all fun and games? Sit down with Broken Drift as we chat with touring comedians about things that go bump on the road. From bouncing checks to getting bounced from a town, these seasoned vets tell stories of some of the more horrifying experiences they've had in the business. Host: Jack Galvin Panel: Jay "Big Irish" Hollingsworth, Kane Holloway, Brian Glowacki Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

Join Broken Drift as we sit down with San Diego Comedy Festival performers as we discuss Comedy on the road. We hash out the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in-between. Host: Jay Hollingsworth (MTV & All Def Digital) Tony Tripoli (E! & Fashion Police) Carlos Rodriguez (Laughs Unlimited & USO) Patrick DeGuire Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

Sit down with Broken Drift as we discuss Comedy Festivals and Competitions. Matt Walker and panel guests discuss how to make the most of your festival experience, why you should participate in them, what to do if you don't win, things judges hate and more. Wether you're a festival veteran or a complete newbie, this panel has a little something for everyone. Host: Matt Walker Panel Guests: Big Irish Jay Hollingsworth (Winner of March Comedy Madness) Hillary Hutson (Big Pine Comedy Festival, FPWDJ Contest, SDCF) Jack Galvin (Big Pine Comedy Festival & House of Comedy) Thank you to our sponsor, The Comedy Palace (San Diego) , for continuing to support The San Diego Comedy Festival and the California art community.

Brrrrr, it's cold in them thar hills! Get a toasty beverage and sit and listen to this week's Treading the Boards' Regional Theatre News. There's four season announcements, the SDCF presents its annual award tonight in San Fran and I'm going to tell you about a really cool app for actors to use for auditions and casting directors to use to view actors' auditions. Join the mailing list to receive notices about upcoming issues, the weekly newsletter and a link to this podcast simply text TREADINGTHEBOARD to 22828 SEASON ANNOUNCEMENTS Shakespeare & Company (MA) Bluff City Theater (MO) Creede Repertory Theatre (CO) Depot Theatre (NY) ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS BroadwayWorld.com - Loretta Greco receives Zelda Fichandler Award in SF SOMETHING I HAD TO SHARE WITH YOU... Shoot Me! Auditions for Actors app   Order your very own issue of Treading the Boards at ACLTHEATRERESOURCES.COM. THANKS FOR LISTENING & HAVE A CREATIVE DAY

Welcome to Masters of the Stage. This is the second installment of a series curated by Jennifer Tepper, author and Director of Programming at 54 Below in New York City, and released by SDCF to celebrate some of the many luminaries currently represented on Broadway. On March 23, 2016, Jennifer Tepper, author and Director of Programming at 54 Below, interviewed director John Doyle about his craft and illustrious career. In this conversation, Tepper and Doyle dive into Doyle’s methods for contemporizing both classics and revivals, as well as discussing his current Broadway revival of The Color Purple and his upcoming role as Artistic Director of Classic Stage Company.

Welcome to Masters of the Stage. This is the first installment of a series curated by Jennifer Tepper, author and Director of Programming at 54 Below in New York City, and released by SDCF to celebrate some of the many luminaries currently represented on Broadway. On February 15, 2016, Tepper interviewed Jerry Mitchell about the evolution of his wide-spanning career. Best known for Broadway hits like Kinky Boots, Hairspray, and the current production of On Your Feet, Mitchell discusses his journey from dancer, to associate choreographer, to the directing and choreographing hit Broadway shows. Mitchell discusses the lessons he learned as a performer that prepared him to choreograph and how he creates stories through movement, offering inspiration and advice for the next generation of directors and choreographers.

On June 23rd, 2014, Director Jack O’Brien visited the Emerging Artists Symposium for Plays and spoke with SDC Members about his career as well as his advice for the next generation. As O’Brien touches on his early days with the APA-Phoenix Repertory Company, his experiences with Porgy and Bess, his time at the Old Globe, and other phases in his career, he shares perspective gained on creating, re-creating, and directing. Overall, this is an insightful discussion that is sure to fascinate emerging and experienced artists alike.

Mike Towry from SDCF joined Josh to talk about San Diego Comic Fest 2016, including their centennial reception for Forrest J. Ackerman, Disney legends attending the show, and other special guests attending the show. You will also hear a preview of the Mock Trial of the Winter Soldier, hear the issues that will be tried, and how lawyers are geeks too. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thelegalgeeks)

I've gotten dirty. Dirtier is more like it. My comedy has taken a turn for the blue side. This week i discuss some of my newer comedy material and how to find the line with the raunchier side of comedy. My lack of wanting to learn a foreign language growing up and the drawback of that now. I also announce my appearance at the 2016 San Diego Comedy Festival. I will be on three exciting shows during the festival. Only one of them is directly associated with the festival and is the blue comedy showcase. My other two shows include a spotlight comedy show and a burlesque comedy show. Details for everything can be found at www.brianrileycomedy.com   follow the podcast at @toomuchbrianpod on twitter and facebook. reach the podcast at toomuchbrianpodcast@gmail.com   Follow me at Twitter - @brianrileycomic IG - @brianrileycomic Facebook - Brian Riley Comedy website - www.brianrileycomedy.com  

On February 6, 2015, SDCF held a One-on-One discussion with directors Anne Bogart and Lear deBessonet at New York’s National Opera Center. Throughout this brief conversation between mentor and mentee, community, collaboration, and inclusivity are listed as core values for a director, which are illustrated through some of their respective career highlights. Additional topics discussed include rehearsal techniques and methods for preparation; the relationship between actors and audiences; what it’s like to empower and create theatre with people who don’t self-identify as artists; the various responsibilities that directors possess; and how approaches and performance styles on stage vary from film and television.

On January 27, 2014, SDCF hosted a DCN with director Michael John Warren to discuss his experiences with filming “live captures” of Broadway musicals like RENT and Shrek. 

On January 17, 2011, SDCF hosted a One-on-One Conversation with Berkeley Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Tony Taccone.

On July 22, 2013, SDCF and New York’s Culture Project co-hosted a panel discussion on generating your own work. The panel consisted of three highly regarded artists:  Rachel Alderman, Leigh Fondakowski, and Maija Garcia.

On July 8, 2013, SDCF hosted a panel discussion focused on the future of musical theatre. The panel featured writer Rick Elice, songwriter Jeff Bowen, singer/songwriter Amanda Green, director Stafford Arima, choreographer Kelly Devine and songwriter Benj Pasek. This conversation zeroes in on collaboration, the audition process and accepted genres of music as changing factors in the development of musical theatre today.

On May 20, 2013, at the Emerging Artists Symposium on Musicals, SDCF hosted a panel discussion called “The Cycle of Assisting” with dir/chor Maija Garcia and directors Shaun Peknic and Seth Sklar-Hey.

Understanding Automation: On January 7, 2013, SDCF spoke with Production Managers/Technical Directors David Benken and Martin Pavloff about "Understanding Automation: What Every Director Should Know Before Technical Rehearsals." This is a master class on automation from two practitioners who have supervised automated lights and scenery for Broadway and touring productions including The Lion King, Magic/Bird, Woman in White, Mary Poppins, and the 2008 - 2011 touring production of Dreamgirls. Pavloff starts by introducing critical terminology, discussing the use of pre-visualization, gives reasons to automate, and iterates the challenges of automation including safety concerns. Benken follows by illuminating concepts such as of rates of movement, the subtleties of automation, the relationships between director, set designer, and technical director, and gives real-world examples to illustrate. For the producer, director, choreographer, actor, designer, or theatre fan, this conversation offers a comprehensive overview of automation in theatre and provides the understanding necessary to maximize your working relationship with your technical director. Originally recorded - January 7, 2013. Running Time - 1:08:47 © 2013 SDCF

Women in Chicago: On Tuesday, December 4, 2012, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society hosted a panel on women directors and choreographers in Chicago with Rachel Rockwell, Joanie Schultz, Kimberly Senior, and Leigh Silverman. This informal town-hall discussion explores the positive and negative experiences women may encounter while pursuing a career as a director or choreographer. The conversation includes deliberation on the unique challenges and opportunities facing women directors and choreographers in Chicago and across the country. Together, the panel and the audience strive to answer the question, "How can all of us, our collaborators, theatres, service organizations, etc., support growth/continuance of women as directors and choreographers?" Originally recorded - December 4, 2012. Running Time - 1:20:21 © 2012 SDCF

Running Regional Theatres: On January 7, 1987, Artistic Directors Nagle Jackson (of Hartford Stage) and Mark Lamos (of McCarter Theatre) sat down with director Mary Robinson to speak about leadership in regional theatre. Jackson and Lamos discuss the challenges they face throughout their day-to-day routines and the struggle to balance the administrative and artistic aspects of the job. These artistic directors offer insight into the politics of and logistics behind choosing a season and the effective means to attract new audiences while continuing to appeal to current subscribers. For both Jackson and Lamos, risk and experimentation are paramount to feeling artistically fulfilled. They find that the younger generation does not respond to the tradition of season subscriptions, and both strive to alter the expectations of their audiences and spontaneous single-ticket buyers. At the end of the night it is about that communal catharsis -- and that is why audiences go to the theatre. This practical conversation is an intimate peak at the life of the artistic leaders behind Hartford Stage and McCarter Theatre's success and growth over the years. The listener will gain a richer understanding of what it is like to maintain and nourish experimentation within the administrative and artistic departments of regional theatres. Originally recorded - January 7, 1987. Running Time - 1:22:36 © 1987 SDCF

Marianne Weems/Erica Laird: Directing w/Technology and Music: At its 2013 Emerging Artist Symposium on Plays, SDCF hosted Artistic Director and Managing Director of The Builders Association, Marianne Weems and Erica Laird, in conversation on the process of directing and producing a production using multi-media elements. Listen as they share the intricacies involved in rehearsing and maintaining a piece when working with both human and non-human counterparts and how to fuse the two to symbiotically create a piece of holistic, organic art. The two will share tips on when technology can be successfully incorporated into a production and ways to focus the eye on both the media and theatrical elements without distracting from the overall meaning of the piece. These innovative theatre artists also speak to a director's responsibility when dealing with these theatrical mediums in addition to garnering enough financial and professional support to mount and sustain such a visionary art form. This comprehensive and insightful talk will enlighten theatre fans, producers and artists alike with ways to convey your true vision and challenge yourself with a neutral eye. Originally recorded - June 1, 2013. Running Time - 1:03:38 © 2013 SDCF

Theatre for Social Change: On December 17, 2012, SDCF and SDC hosted a discussion of Theatre for Social Change with guests Erik Ehn and Kamilah Forbes (Hip Hop Theatre Festival) moderated by SDCF Producing Director Ellen Rusconi. Erik Ehn, a playwright, director, and educator, produces the Arts in the One World conference yearly, is Current Director of Writing for Performance at Brown University, and a founder of the RAT movement. Kamilah Forbes is the Artistic Director of the Hip-Hop Theater Festival (HHTF), a non-profit presenter of new theater written by hip-hop generation artists through the lens of the urban cultural aesthetic. She is also a member of the Folger Shakespeare performance troupe, a co-founder of the Nommo Cultural Arts Camp for under-privileged youth in Kingston, Jamaica, and a director. They share thoughts on their own work, their varied audiences, the role of equitable partnerships in their work, and how they nurture emerging artists. Listen in as these passionate artists discuss their experiences in creating theatre that, at its core, is a vehicle for communication of social thought and transformation. Originally recorded - December 17, 2012. Running Time - 1:11:28 © 2012 SDCF

Robert Lewis: On November 2, 1987, SDCF hosted a talk by Robert Lewis, a founding member of Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the Group Theatre, and the Actors Studio. He speaks with great charisma and dynamism of the founding of the Group Theatre, the Actors Studio, his experiences with some of the greatest stage actors of the 20th century (including Julie Harris, John Garfield), his views on a variety of topics including the reason for the lack of theatre companies, the absence of a national theatre, and the crafts of acting and directing and underlying technique. This humorous, comprehensive and insightful talk will enlighten theatre fans, artists and producers with Lewis's view of the history, craft, and evolution of theatre around the world in the 20th century. Originally recorded - November 2, 1987. Running Time - 1:00:23 © 1987 SDCF

Effective Playwriting: On February 27, 1986, SDCF held a conversation on Effective Playwriting with Directors Stephen Porter and Howard Rossen, moderated by Playwright Stephen Fife. The jumping off point of this conversation is Somerset Maugham's quote "The purpose of prose drama is to afford delight. I do not think it can usefully concern itself with the welfare of humanity or the saving of civilization. In my opinion, what the theatre does best is to give pleasure by telling a story, delineating character, and by stirring emotions or causing laughter." Our panelists go on to discuss various aspects of plays including sentence length, scene structure, the importance of rhythm, as well as producorial aspects such as the pull between star vehicle and commercial quality and the need to challenge an audience. They frame much of their discussion by looking at The Constant Wife, and share their thoughts on why plays and writers became classics: Glengarry Glen Ross, ‘Night, Mother, Pinter, Shaw, Williams, Shaffer, Simon, and Mamet. This conversation is a master class for playwrights and directors on the many elements of a play and how to consider and improve upon a play while in production. Originally recorded - February 27, 1986. Running Time - 1:17:28 © 1986 SDCF

Maximizing Your Relationship with Sound Designers: On Tuesday, December 6, 2011, SDCF hosted a conversation between sound designers Jill BC Du Boff (Good People, Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home), Brett Jarvis (Kiki and Herb - Alive on Broadway!, The Donkey Show), and Rob Kaplowitz (Fela!, Pumpgirl) to find out how to work with designers to maximize the creativity and productivity of sound design. Designing the sound of a production is not only about finding the right sound effects or choosing the right song - it is its own art form that shapes and contributes to the emotional storytelling of the play. These three designers demystify the sound designer's role. They parse out the common misconceptions on the difference between designing for a straight play versus musical theatre. The three speak candidly and honestly about their best and worst collaborations with directors and offer tools for directors and designers to better articulate a concept for sound. The conversation answers all questions as to why sound is an integral and important medium for the theatre and offers both designers and directors techniques to collaborate effectively to realize the full artistic potential of sound. Originally recorded - December 6, 2011. Running Time - 1:15:30 © 2011 SDCF