Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) Directing Initiative
SDC is an opportunity for students to explore the craft of directing with professional directors, educators, and peers. In Region II students participate in closed workshops with professionals in the field while showing work and receiving feedback.
One student director (either graduate or undergraduate) from each region will be selected to participate in the National Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival in Washington D.C. each April. This award includes travel, lodging and per diem expenses, as well as attendance at KCACTF National Festival workshops and performances. Unique educational opportunities will be planned for the award recipients at the National Festival.
In addition, finalists receive a one-year Associate Membership in SDC. SDC underwrites the National Award(s), which is the result of a unique collaboration between SDC and KCACTF. Associate Membership in SDC introduces each regional finalist to the national community of professional stage directors and choreographers. Additionally, they receive the monthly E-Newsletter, a subscription to SDC Journal (the Union’s quarterly magazine), free or discounted admission to SDC Foundation’s events, and specially negotiated discounts. For more information about SDC, please visit the website at SDCWeb.org.
To be eligible for the SDC Directing Fellowship Program, a student must:
- Attend a school which has entered at least one production in the regional festival at either the associate or participating level;
- Be a bona fide student at the time of the regional festival;
- Be nominated by a faculty member at their school;
- Submit a completed registration packet via Airtable by December 9, 2022.
Application Requirements: DUE Friday December 9, 2022
- A Statement of Intent (1-page max.) addressing the reasons for your interest in the SDC Directing Initiative Program. Have you directed in the past? What successes and challenges have you faced? How will participating in this program contribute to your growth as a director? If you haven’t directed in the past, why are you interested in directing and what do you hope to learn in the program? Please affirm your ability to attend the festival in-person at West Chester (Festival 55: Tuesday, January 17 through Saturday, January 21, 2023).
- Faculty/Nominator-of-Record Letter of Recommendation which speaks to the student’s directing accomplishments and potential. The letter should provide information about the student’s record as a student of directing, including coursework and practical directing experience, imagination and artistic vision, communication skills, and ability to collaborate with others. In addition, the letter should provide the faculty member’s assessment of how participation in this program may benefit the student. Please affirm the student director’s ability to attend the virtual festival. Nomination Letters may also be sent directly to directing@kcactf2.org or uploaded with the applicants submission.
- Choose one of the scenes from the list of SDC nationally selected scenes. Read the play the scene is from. Provide a concept pitch for the scene you will work on. This can be either composed through writing on a document OR composed through the student speaking on a video. The video should be 3-5 minutes or the document should be 3-5 pages. Feel free to incorporate visual and audio references. You should address the following:
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- Why this play now?
- What is your point of view of what this play is doing?
- How do you imagine the scenic, costume, sound, and lighting design functioning to support your concept?
- How will you hold space in your rehearsal room?
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Registration for Festival 55 now CLOSED
Round 1 = Concept Pitches (outlined in Application Requirements)
Round 2= Direct a Staged Reading of NPP Finalists with precisely 2 hours of rehearsal. Directors may use music stands, chairs, and one prop. 1 hour of rehearsal time will be scheduled for the directors in the studio theatre space.
Nationally Selected Scenes & Rules for Upcoming Festival
Contact
Jamie McKittrick
she/her/hers
SDC Chair
Muhlenberg University