The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) will publish 65 for the 65th, a new print celebration of 65 members of the society, in honor of its 65th anniversary later this year.
65 for the 65th will include a photo and brief bio of each of the selected society members, alongside a tribute from another SDC member. Additionally, there will be three special Founders Circle tributes to Agnes de Mille, Bob Fosse, and Shepard Traube, without whom the SDC would not exist. 65 for the 65th will also includes a letter from Society President Evan Yionoulis, a brief history of the SDC, and an essay from Executive Director Laura Penn that puts this current challenges for American arts and culture into a larger historical context.
The full list of nominees was rigorously considered by a cross-section of SDC members, with seven rounds of voting before the final honorees were selected. “This was an exhilarating and challenging process; we could have made this list 100 different ways and not come close to capturing the breadth and depth of the talent and inspiring work of our membership over the past 65 years,” says Yionoulis in a statement. “The lives and legacies of the directors and choreographers featured in this publication are a testament to the strength and influence of an SDC community that is now more than 3,500 members strong. We are glad to have this opportunity to recognize the craft and contributions of these artists—our visionary leaders, colleagues, friends—and to introduce them to those who may not yet know their impact.”
The Founder's Circle tributes will include Jerry Mitchell paying tribute to Agnes de Mille, Marcia Milgrom Dodge on Bob Fosse, and writing from Shepard Traube's own pen.
The 65 additional tributes will include George Abbott, tribute by Harold Prince; JoAnne Akalaitis, tribute by Daniel Fish; Debbie Allen, tribute by Marguerite Derricks; William Ball, tribute by Warner Shook; Lou Bellamy, tribute by Talvin Wilks; Michael Bennett, tribute by Baayork Lee; Patricia Birch, tribute by Tom Moore; Anne Bogart, tribute by J.Ed Araiza; Lee Breuer, tribute by Jim Nicola; Peter Brook, tribute by Sharon Ott; Camille A. Brown, tribute by Pam MacKinnon; René Buch, tribute by José Zayas; Vinnette Carroll, tribute by Susan H. Schulman; Rachel Chavkin, tribute by André De Shields; Ping Chong, tribute by Mei Ann Teo; Martha Clarke, tribute by Vivienne Benesch; Graciela Daniele, tribute by Sergio Trujillo; Gordon Davidson, tribute by Lisa Peterson; Sheldon Epps, tribute by Seema Sueko; Zelda Fichandler, tribute, her own words; Richard Foreman, tribute by Annie-B Parson; Frank Galati, tribute by Mary Zimmerman; Michael John Garcés, tribute by Lou Moreno; Michael Greif, tribute by Schele Williams; Tyrone Guthrie, tribute, his own words; Steven Hoggett, tribute by Katie Spelman; Michael Kahn, tribute by Alan Paul; Elia Kazan, tribute by Austin Pendleton; Woodie King, Jr., tribute by Kenny Leon; Mark Lamos, tribute by Melia Bensussen; Tina Landau, tribute by Kenneth Ferrone; Michael Langham, tribute by Mark Lamos; Baayork Lee, tribute by Yasmin Lee; Kenny Leon, tribute by Jamil Jude; Irene Lewis, tribute by Kwame Kwei-Armah; Emily Mann, tribute by Jade King Carroll; Joe Mantello, tribute by Trip Cullman; Kathleen Marshall, tribute by Rob Ashford; Marion McClinton, tribute by Lou Bellamy; Jerry Mitchell, tribute by Marc Bruni; Mike Nichols, tribute, his own words; Trevor Nunn, tribute by Susan Stroman; Jack O’Brien, tribute by Seret Scott; Harold Prince, tribute by Lonny Price; José Quintero, tribute, his own words; Ellis Rabb, tribute by Jack O’Brien; Lloyd Richards, tribute by Ruben Santiago-Hudson; Jerome Robbins, tribute by JoAnn M. Hunter; Ruben Santiago-Hudson, tribute by Stephen McKinley Henderson; Alan Schneider, tribute by Susan Einhorn; Susan H. Schulman, tribute by Steve H. Broadnax III; Seret Scott, tribute by Sheldon Epps; Andrei Serban, tribute, his own words; Bartlett Sher, tribute by Miranda Haymon; Susan Stroman, tribute by Andy Blankenbuehler; Daniel Sullivan, tribute by David Auburn; Julie Taymor, tribute by Tyne Rafaeli; Twyla Tharp, tribute by Daniel Ezralow; Tommy Tune, tribute by Jeff Calhoun; George C. Wolfe, tribute, his own words; Robert Woodruff, tribute by Anne Bogart; Garland Wright, tribute by Bartlett Sher; Chay Yew, tribute by Graham Schmidt; Jerry Zaks, tribute by Stephen Edlund; and Mary Zimmerman, tribute by Amanda Dehnert.
SDC represents and protects professional stage directors and choreographers throughout the United States. Their mission is to foster a national community of professional stage directors and choreographers by protecting the rights, health, and livelihoods of its members; negotiating and enforcing employment agreements across a range of jurisdictions; facilitating the exchange of ideas, information, and opportunities; and educating current and future generations about the critical role of directors and choreographers in leading the field.
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