The drama league

Yikes. Before the summer I promised that I'd put out this magnum opus on what fellowships/programs were available for directors. I stink. Here it is - the next chapter: "the drama league".

Another great program/fellowship/grant is the drama league. There are four different flavors of the directors programs: 1) fall 2) summer 3) new
directors/new works 4)roundabout assistantship/observership (which reminds me: ssdc offers observerships as well).

4) the roundabout assistantship is what it sounds like: you get to assist/observe one of the shows. I know a director who got to assist a show that transferred to broadway and went on tour. She stayed with the show, on salary, for months. Not a bad gig - but of course, you can't anticipate a job working out like this. I also know of an actress who was interested in directing. She also did this roundabout gig. I suppose the roundabout is a pretty good way to assist on some rather larger broadway-like shows with more broadway-bound names.

3) New directors/new works. This is really a grant for a production on a new work. Not sure how many of these DL gives out, but I don't think the grant themselves are for more than about $1500. I could be wrong. Still, its a good opportunity to get some money for a piece of work you're interested in getting up on its feet.

2) Summer. You spend part of the summer in ithaca, new york at the hangar working with new playwrights (kenny finkle and kate walat have had their works directed there). I think you also get to work with the young company on children's shows. It is supposed to be a vigorous experience and I know a number of great directors who have done this. This seems right for the director just out of college - although I know of several experienced professionals who have gone up to ithaca on this one.

1) Fall. This is the program I did. It was great for me. You start with wonder week in new york - boot camp for meeting everyone (directors, producers, artistic directors, casting directors etc). Then you spend several days at a retreat (we went to the o'neill in ct) - working with a mentor and with terrific actors. Afterwards, you assist regionally as well as on broadway or off broadway. The program culminates with a showcase, fully produced in nyc.

This is a good one - and includes a stipend. It is a great way to immerse yourself in the "new york scene" if that's important to you. Also, it allows you to see how theater is directed at the regional level. And, most importantly, I think it can fill in important artistic blanks in a young director's arsenal.

Four months long, the fall directing program absolutely took me to a new level in my directing and helped refine my aesthetic.

For way more information, go to

http://www.dramaleague.org/directors/index.htm