Application for National Directors Fellowship to be Accepted Beginning Next Week

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National New Play Network, and Stage Directors & Choreographers Foundation have announced open applications for a second round of fellows of the National Directors Fellowship (NDF). Applications will be accepted online January 11-15 at the O'Neill website (www.theoneill.org).

Five early-career professional directors are selected each year for the program. NDF offers tools, networks, training, and practical experience to arm the next generation of storytellers for the stage, and propel the advancement of new play production in America.

"Response from the directorial community has been overwhelming; the National Directors Fellowship has clearly met a real need in supporting early career directors. I'm excited by this expansion of the O'Neill's mission to support early career theater artists of all stripes, and to continue this work with our partners," states O'Neill Executive Director Preston Whiteway. "The current group of five fellows will shortly move to their professional opportunities at NNPN theaters around the country."

NDF seeks directors with demonstrated commitment to new play development/production and a passion for supporting the work of contemporary, living playwrights. These directors have established a themselves within a specific theater community and are seeking to expand their impact- geographically by working in other regions, socially by expanding their collaborator and playwright network, or professionally by transitioning away from assisting and receiving more opportunities to direct new work.

Strong preference is given to those with at least one directing credit outside an educational setting.

Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director of the O'Neill's National Playwrights Conference, also leads the NDF program. "NDF bridges an important gap in our field, since few opportunities exist for emerging directors with a new play focus," she says. "I've been encouraged by this collective response, ensuring strong support networks, mentorship, practical experience for the directors who will shape storytelling on our stages for generations to come."

For additional information, application requirements and deadlines, visit http://www.theoneill.org/professional-development-and-education/ndf or email ndf@theoneill.org.