SDCF Podcast Series

On December 17, 2012, SDCF and SDC hosted a discussion of Theatre for Social Change with guests   Erik Ehn   and   Kamilah Forbes   (Hip Hop Theatre Festival) moderated by SDCF Producing Director Ellen Rusconi. Erik Ehn, a playwright, director, and educator, produces the Arts in the One World conference yearly, is Current Director of Writing for Performance at Brown University, and a founder of th...

Robert Lewis: On November 2, 1987, SDCF hosted a talk by   Robert Lewis , a founding member of Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, the Group Theatre, and the Actors Studio. He speaks with great charisma and dynamism of the founding of the Group Theatre, the Actors Studio, his experiences with some of the greatest stage actors of the 20th century (including Julie Harris, John Garfield),...

On February 27, 1986, SDCF held a conversation on Effective Playwriting with Directors   Stephen Porter   and   Howard Rossen , moderated by Playwright   Stephen Fife . The jumping off point of this conversation is Somerset Maugham's quote "The purpose of prose drama is to afford delight. I do not think it can usefully concern itself with the welfare of humanity or the saving of civilization. In m...

Downtown Opportunities for Directors and Choreographers : On October 1, 1998, SDCF hosted a panel on Downtown Opportunities for Directing and Choreography featuring producers from the vibrant downtown NY theatre scene including   John Clancy ,   Ellie Covan ,   Kristin Marting , Wendy Rohan ,   Mark Russell , and   David Tyree . These artistic leaders at the head of particularly prolific producing...

On September 25, 1996, James Graves, Associate Director of SDCF, moderated a panel about Directing Opera. Panelists included   Lillian Garrett-Groag ,   Mark Lamos , and   Rhoda Levine . With great vibrancy and humor, the panelists consider the challenges of working in foreign countries, methods to navigate working in a foreign language, and the skills and knowledge necessary for theatre artists t...

On November 20, 1996, SDCF in partnership with The Drama League explored the subject of Career Transitions with a panel of four Directors and Choreographers -   Seth Barrish ,   Kathleen Marshall ,   Richard Sabellico , and   Marlies Yearby   - who had recently reached a new point in career. Listen to this discussion to discover how their transitions came about, the experiences and encounters that...

On October 1, 2012, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation in partnership with Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) held a conversation entitled Directing Green   at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York. Director/Choreographer   John Carrafa , SDC's representative to BGA, led this discussion, which starts with   Allen Hershkowitz , Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC),...

In 1996, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation and the Drama League co-sponsored a discussion with then SDC Executive Director Barbara Hauptman, SDC Attorney Ron Shechtman, and director Pamela Berlin moderated by David Diamond about protection of intellectual property rights for stage directors. Through personal anecdotes regarding the controversial productions of   Love! Valour! Compa...

On July 23, 2012, Director   Stafford Arima   (2012 revisal of   Carrie, Altar Boyz ) and Director/Choreographer   Christopher Windom   ( Central Avenue Breakdown ) spoke with SDCF Producing Director Ellen Rusconi at a Director/Choreographer Network panel hosted by The New York Musical Theatre Festival discussion about developing new musicals. These two artists offer their experiences in developin...

Critics' Perceptions of Directors' Work : On March 1, 1984 director   James Furlong   moderated a panel of theater critics featuring Theater Editor for   Village Voice   Erika Munk , Theater Critic for WNEW-TV   Stewart Klein , and Theater Critic for   New York Magazine John Simon . They address the impact of good and bad reviews and the dynamic relationship between theater artists and critics. Th...

On October 28, 1985, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation invited   Peter Zeisler   to moderate a panel featuring journalists   Thulani Davis   and   Erika Munk , playwright   William Hoffman , and directors   Rhoda Levine ,   Judith Malina , and   Emily Mann . They speak in-depth about the role of theatre in society in the past, present, and how it is evolving into the future. In this co...

Producers Symposium 1983 : On February 25, 1983, director Nola Hague moderated a panel featuring esteemed producers Nelle Nugent, T. Edward Hambleton, and Michel Stuart, and director Judith Haskell. This passionate and experienced group spoke about the collaboration between directors and producers. Drawing from personal experience they share their beliefs on qualities that constitute a good direct...

Artistic Directors : In 1999, SDCF hosted a panel moderated by Executive Director of SSDC, Barbara Hauptman featuring Artistic Director of Adobe Theatre Company Jeremy Dobrish, Artistic Director of Drama Dept. Theatre Company Douglas Carter Beane, Artistic Director of Blue Light Theater Company Greg Naughton, Artistic Director of Abingdon Theatre Company Jan Buttram, and Co-Artistic Director of Th...

On April 24, 2012, SDCF hosted entertainment attorney Neil Rosini, of Franklin, Weinrib, Vassallo, and Rudell, to speak about how artists can use existing work to create new work without infringing on copyright. Rosini paints a clear picture of the nature of rights under copyright. He covers reproduction, adaptation, distribution, public performance, and public display. Other topics include the in...

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) hosted a One-on-One Conversation at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater with award-winning theatre makers   Elizabeth LeCompte , Founding Member and Director of The Wooster Group, and Young Jean Lee , Artistic Director of Young Jean Lee's Theater Company. Moderated by   Kristin Marting , Co-Founder/Artistic D...

On April 2, 2012, SDCF invited entertainment attorney   Elliot Brown   to speak about securing theatrical adaptation rights with SDCF Producing Director Ellen Rusconi. Brown gives animated examples of when adaptation rights are and are not necessary. He sheds light on how to start the process of engaging an attorney when interested in creating a piece of theater from an article, book, or film and...

On May 14, 2012, SDCF hosted a One-on-One conversation at the Axis Theatre Company in New York between theatre artists Lee Breuer and Taylor Mac , hybrid theatre artists of limitless imagination and inventiveness working mostly in experimental theatre both nationally and internationally, moderated by Mark Russell, Artistic Director and Producer of the Under the Radar Festival produced by The Publi...

On April 30, 2012, SDCF hosted a One-on-One conversation between   Walter Bobbie   and   Sam Gold   moderated by   John Clinton Eisner . They discuss their shared background in performance and respective discoveries that they are better suited for directing. Bobbie shares his career trajectory and the strategic choices he made in order to become the artist he wants to be. Gold speaks about buildin...

Directing Shakespeare: Casting - It's A Bear : On April 29, 2001 members of a Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation panel simulated a first casting session of   The Winter's Tale . The discussion is moderated by Artistic Producer of the Joseph Papp Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival   Rosemarie Tichler   and featured Casting Directors   Stuart Howard   and   Jordan Thaler .   Ori...

On April 28, 2001, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation invited Arthur Bartow , Artistic Director of the Drama Department at NYU Tisch, to moderate a conversation between   Michael Lupu , Senior Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theater;   Mark Bly , Associate Artistic Director of Yale Rep;   Louis Scheeder   of Classical Studio NYU Tisch; and freelance director   Daniel Fish about working on Shak...

On April 28, 2001, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation invited Arthur Bartow , Artistic Director of the Drama Department at NYU Tisch, to moderate a conversation between   Michael Lupu , Senior Dramaturg at the Guthrie Theater;   Mark Bly , Associate Artistic Director of Yale Rep;   Louis Scheeder   of Classical Studio NYU Tisch; and freelance director   Daniel Fish about working on Shak...

In 2001, five directors in the "Directing Shakespeare Symposium" sat down with moderator and set designer Ming Cho Lee for a unique experiment regarding the relationship between director and designers, specifically concerning a Shakespearean text. A mock first production meeting was held for an imaginary staging of A Winter's Tale , with the designers being told to end the meeting with the inspira...

On Monday, June 27th, 2011, SDC's   Gretchen Michelfeld   talked to veteran scenic designers   Rachel Hauck   (The Public, BAM, The Vineyard, South Coast Rep, and Eugene O'Neill Resident Set Designer) and   Nick Francone (Prospect Theater Company, SPF, Six Figures, New Georges, E.S.T., Santa Fe Opera, assistant on Wicked and Opera) about their experiences collaborating with a variety of directors....

On April 28, 2001, Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation invited NYU voice and dialect coach   Deborah Hecht , Juilliard Chairman of Voice and Speech   Ralph Zito , director   Mark Lamos , actor   Oni Faida Lampley , and actor   Boris McGiver   for a conversation about the importance of text work.   Louis Scheeder , Director and Founder of Classical Studio at NYU Tisch moderates. Topics in...

2011 DCN: Broadway Stage Managers' Secrets Revealed : On May 25th, 2011, SDC's   Gretchen Michelfeld   spoke with three Broadway Production Stage Managers about their experiences. Stage Managers   Jill Cordle   ( Jerusalem ),   Heather Cousens   ( Spring Awakening ), and   Ira Mont ( Arcadia ) give advice to early career directors on time management, speak to building trust and collaboration, and...