Observership Program
Read the below instructions carefully. Visit our FAQ page for additional details.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) Observership Program grants emerging Directors and Choreographers 25 paid opportunities to observe the work of master Directors and Choreographers as they create productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and at leading regional theatres across the country. SDCF Observers have access to the entire rehearsal process, from first rehearsal through previews to opening night. Observers are guaranteed the invaluable opportunity to observe, first-hand, the techniques, disciplines, approaches and insights of master artists as they create new productions and revive classics. The exact nature of each Observership varies depending on the needs and desires of the master Director or Choreographer. Observerships are selected by committee; master artists in 2012-2013 were Rob Ashford, Mark Brokaw, Mark Cuddy, Trip Cullman, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Timothy Douglas, Sheldon Epps, Sam Gold, Igor Goldin, Skip Greer, Michael Halberstam, Joseph Haj, Doug Hughes, Dan Knechtges, Brian Kulick, Art Manke, Emily Mann, Sean Matthias, John Rando, Susan Stroman, Chet Walker, and Michael Wilson.
STIPEND: Each Observer receives a grant of a weekly stipend of $200 and a project travel stipend. In addition, any Observer who is not already a Member of SDC will be awarded a free one-year SDC Associate Membership.
APPLY: Application to this year’s program is free to SDC Members and Associates. A $25 application fee is required to apply for those unaffiliated with SDC.
Return completed application form along with a one-page artistic statement, one-page resume and one letter of recommendation to SDCF postmarked by July 31, 2013.
2013-2014 Observership Guidelines 
2013-2014 Observership Application – Word 
PDF
FAQs – Please read all information BEFORE contacting the Foundation.
DEADLINE: July 31, 2013.
OPEN HOUSE: TBA.
Please contact Foundation@SDCweb.org or 646.524.2226 with any questions.
SDCF’s Observership Program is made possible by generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council of the Arts, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and many generous individuals and corporations.
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Emerging Artists Symposium: Plays
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation announces its Emerging Artists Symposium on plays to build community and provide information on craft and career to emerging directors and choreographers. Participants will spend the day discussing conceiving, developing, and directing plays with professional directors, producers and industry professionals.
WHEN: This year’s symposium will take place on Monday, June 17, 2013 at MTC Rehearsal Studios.
APPLY: To apply, mail your directing resume and completed application to SDCF, 1501 Broadway, Suite 1701, NY, NY 10036 ATTN: Symposium Plays. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Acceptance will be limited and rolling – priority will be given to those who apply by May 1.
Application in Word
Application as PDF 
Emerging Artists Symposium: Musicals
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation just completed its Emerging Artists Symposium on musicals to build community and provide information on craft and career to emerging directors and choreographers. Participants spent the day discussing conceiving, developing, directing, and choreographing musicals with professional directors, choreographers, and industry professionals.
WHEN: This year’s symposium took place on Monday, May 20, 2013 at Manhattan Theatre Club’s rehearsal space and featured industry professionals.
Fellowship Programs
The Charles Abbott Fellowship: Established by a wide group of friends and colleagues of Charles Abbott to honor him upon his retirement as Artistic Director of Maine State Music Theatre, the goal of the Charles Abbott Fellowship is to help early-career directors of promise develop their skills in directing musical theatre by allowing them access to the entire rehearsal process as a master artist directs a classic American musical in a regional theatre of national recognition. In doing so, the Fellowship will present a new generation of gifted artists with a remarkable education in – and unique understanding of – the directorial skills necessary to create musical theatre, the workings of regional theatre, and the leadership of those artists shaping the regional arts landscape. One Charles Abbott Fellowship will be awarded each year for at least five years. Each Fellow will be mentored by a leading director in the field who will share information, insights and resources. The Fellow shall have the opportunity to participate in the entire production process, from conceptual meetings, design discussions, casting sessions, rehearsals, previews, etc. The mentor is responsible for including the Fellow in the production process. To provide financial assistance to the Fellow, SDCF will offer a monetary stipend to the Fellow during the rehearsal period. Application process is open, and selection process is by committee of professional directors and choreographers.
Recent Abbott Fellows: Robert Barry Fleming: Music Man at Arena Stage directed by Molly Smith in Washington, DC
AWARD: $2,500 stipend
APPLY: TBD
The Denham Fellowship: In October of 2006 Mary Orr Denham established the Denham Fellowship through a bequest to SDCF in honor of her late husband, Reginald H.F. Denham. The Denham Fellowship is “an annual award to aspiring young directors, and particularly women directors, to further develop their directing skills”. Candidates may apply to the Denham Fellowship under one of two criteria: fee enhancement and self producing. The Denham Fellowship under fee enhancement would serve to augment a fee offered to the Director be a theatre or producer.When the recipient is a self-producing director, the Denham fellowship will serve to cover/augment the Director’s fee. Application to the Denham Fellowship is open to SDC Members and Associates only. Both men and women may apply; as per Ms. Denham’s bequest, priority is given to women.
Recent Denham Fellows: Kathleen Amshoff: Swell for the 2012 Women Center Stage Festival in New York, NY; Tea Alagic: The Babbel Project for Incubator Arts Project in New York, NY; Joanie Schultz: Ring Cycle for the Building Stage in Chicago, IL; Jessi D. Hill: Angel Eaters for Flux Theatre Ensemble in New York, NY; May Adrales: Faith, Hope and Charity at PURE Theatre in Charleston, SC
AWARD: One award of $2,500 will be granted per fiscal year.
APPLY: Application process is now open for productions beginning rehearsal by June 30, 2013. Deadline to apply, July 31, 2013.
The Sir John Gielgud Fellowship: In 1996 this Fellowship originated from a generous contribution from Sir John Gielgud to provide opportunities for early career directors to study the artistic processes of master directors of classical plays. A Gielgud Fellowship Advisory Committee composed of leading directors of classical plays and other established theatre artists select the show, the mentor and the Fellow each year. Recommendations of established theatre professionals on the behalf of potential candidates are accepted and considered by the Advisory committee. The Gielgud Fellow receives a monetary award as well as a free one-year Associate Membership if the Fellow is not already an SDC Associate Member.
Recent Gielgud Fellows: Elyzabeth Gorman: Strange Interlude at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC; Saheem Ali: Angels in America at Signature Theatre in New York, NY; Michole Biancosino: Coriolanus at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, OR
AWARD: One award of $2,000 will be awarded as a stipend during the rehearsal period.
APPLY: Deadline varies depending upon production schedule.
The Mike Ockrent Fellowship: Modeled on our prestigious Sir John Gielgud Fellowship in Classical Theatre, the goal of the Mike Ockrent Fellowship is to help early-career directors of promise develop their skills in directing theatre by allowing them to assist a master director on the creation of a big-budget Broadway musical or play. In doing so, the Fellowship will present a new generation of gifted artists with a remarkable education in – and unique understanding of – the directorial skills necessary to create theatre on a Broadway scale. One Mike Ockrent Fellowship will be awarded each year. Each Fellow will be mentored by a leading director in the field who will share information, insights and resources. The Fellow shall have the opportunity to participate in the entire production process, from conceptual meetings, design discussions, casting sessions, rehearsals, previews, etc. The mentor is responsible for including the Fellow in the production process.
Recent Mike Ockrent Fellows: Alex Lippard: Bonnie and Clyde, directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun in New York, NY on Broadway; Tome Cousin: A Free Man of Color, directed by George C. Wolfe in New York, NY, at Lincoln Center Theatre; Gregg Wiggans: Promises, Promises directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford in New York, NY on Broadway; Elissa Weinzimmer: Minsky’s directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw in Los Angeles, CA at the Ahmanson Theatre
AWARD: One award of $5,000 will be awarded as a stipend during the tenure of the Fellowship.
APPLY: Varies depending on production schedule. Next opportunity will be after July 1, 2013.
The Shepard And Mildred Traube Fellowship: In 1999 the Shepard and Mildred Traube Fellowship was established in celebration of the 40th anniversary of SDC and to honor the legacy of Shepard and Mildred Traube. Shepard Traube was one of SDC’s founders and Mildred Traube served for many years as the SDC’s Executive Secretary. The Traube Fellowship supports the development of future Broadway artists by providing early-career directors and choreographers with the opportunity to assist or observer a master director of choreographers at work on a Broadway production. The Traube Fellowship is administered through and operates as a component of the SDCFoundation’s Observership Program, as such, only the current season’s Observership candidates will be eligible for this Fellowship.
Recent Traube Fellows: Stephen Kaliski: Evita, directed by Michael Grandage in New York, NY on Broadway; Sarah-Ashley Bischoff: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford in New York, NY on Broadway; David Alpert: Guys and Dolls, directed by Des McAnuff in New York, NY on Broadway; Kevin Hill: Guys and Dolls, choreographed by Sergio Trujillo in New York, NY on Broadway.
AWARD: A stipend of $200 per week of rehearsal and preview period plus small travel stipend.
APPLY: Same as Observership Program. See Observership Program for details.
Barbara Hauptman Fellowship: In November of 2007 the Barbara Hauptman Fellowship was established by the Boards of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and the SDCF to honor the former Executive Director’s twelve years of service and dedication to the SDC and in recognition of her commitment to the art and craft of stage direction and choreography. This fellowship is designed to provide one undergraduate or graduate level student, with an academic concentration in arts administration, with the opportunity to participate in the daily workings of the SDC and aid in the preparation and research for a national theatrical labor negotiation.
Recent Hauptman Fellows: Leah Keith (2012); Kristy Cummings (2010); Andy Drachenberg (2009)
AWARD: One award of $1,500 will be awarded as a stipend during the tenure of the Fellowship.
APPLY: Varies depending on project schedule.