Presented by the The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) alongside the Fichandler Award, the awards honor John Rando's direction of The Heir Apparent and Martha Clarke's direction of the tragic dance piece Chéri.
Rando and Clarke were selected from more than 200 eligible productions in the 2013-14 New York City theatre season.
Additionally, Joseph Haj, producing artistic director of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC, receives the Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes a regional director changing the landscape of his or her community.
Jonathan Cerullo, Bruce Heath and Oskar Eustis present the awards. Speakers include Evan Yionoulis and Mark Lamos, who will share remarks from Zelda Fichandler.
In addition to the winners, SDC Foundation honors five Fichandler finalists in addition to Haj: Tracy Brigden in Pittsburgh, PA; Steven Cosson in New York, NY; Kwame Kwei-Armah in Baltimore, MD; Preston Lane in Greensboro, NC; and Bonnie J. Monte in Madison, NJ. The Callaway Award Selection Committee, composed of current longstanding SDC Members, also selected finalists. Finalists for direction included Jo Bonney for Small Engine Repair, produced by MCC Theater, in association with Jon Bernthal, Eric Bernthal, and Story Factory, LLC; Gordon Edelstein for Satchmo at the Waldorf, produced by Long Wharf Theatre, Shakespeare & Company, Scott & Roxanne Bok, Roz & Jerry Meyer, Ronald Guttman, Shadowcatcher Entertainment, John LaMattina, Joey Parnes, S.D. Wagner, and John Johnson; Doug Hughes for The City of Conversation, produced by Lincoln Center Theater at the Mitzi E. Newhouse; Des McAnuff for Fetch Clay, Make Man, produced by New York Theatre Workshop; and Moritz von Stuelpnagel for Hand to God, produced by MCC Theater.
Finalists for choreography comprised Chase Brock for Tamar of the River, produced by Prospect Theater Company; Denis Jones for Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story, produced by Merged Work Productions; Bob Richard for Inventing Mary Martin, produced by the York Theatre Company; and Shea Sullivan for Pageant, produced by SAS Productions, Kitty Potapow, Drew Desky, Michelle R. Rogers, and ABS Productions.
Previous winners include Gloria Muzio, Frank Galati, Susan Stroman, George C. Wolfe, Hope Clarke, Harold Prince, Gerald Gutierrez, Joe Mantello, Scott Elliott, Julie Taymor, Moises Kaufman, Frank Galati, Graciela Daniele, Trevor Nunn, Gabriel Barre, Mark Dendy, Jack O’Brien, Bartlett Sher, Devanand Janki, Daniel Sullivan, Doug Hughes, Christopher Gattelli, Peter DuBois, Bill T. Jones, Thomas Kail, Andy Blankenbuehler, Giovanna Sardelli, Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Garry Hynes, Martha Clarke, Ciaran O’Reilly, Byron Easley, Carolyn Cantor, Larry Keigwin, John Tiffany, Steven Hoggett, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Marlo Hunter.
Founded in 1965, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation exists to foster, promote and develop the craft and creativity of stage directors and choreographers.
Visit SDCFoundation.org for more information.
