Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has named founding artistic director of Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage Joanie Schultz this year's recipient of the Zelda Fichandler Award. 

Named for the late founding artistic director of Arena Stage, the Zelda Fichandler Award recognizes directors and choreographers who have demonstrated great accomplishment with singular creativity and deep investment in a particular community or region.

Schultz will be honored with an unrestricted award of $5,000 from SDCF, and will be recognized in a celebration at Steppenwolf Theatre Company April 6, along with three selected finalists for the award: Dr. Brian Cheslik, Maija García, and Addie Gorlan-Han.

"What we celebrate with the Zelda Fichandler Award is not just artistry, and not just vision, but rigorous day-after-day perseverance. The fulfillment of the promise to build theatres that reflect the communities they serve, the passionate belief that theatre is vital and should be accessible to all, and the stamina to keep pushing the boundaries of what theatre can be. Honoring Joanie’s work in the Central Region is a reminder that the heartbeat of American theatre is everywhere—from Chicago to Cincinnati and beyond," said SDCF President Leigh Silverman in a statement.

SDCF is a not-for-profit foundation which celebrates and supports directors and choreographers throughout their careers.

Visit SDCFoundation.org.