The Sundance Institute News

Three years ago, a YouTube channel called Wait in the Wings published its first video, titled 'The World's Most Dangerous Musical -- Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark.' From that moment on, Brendon Henderson gained a reputation in the theatre world - The Explorer of Underrated Shows. Since then, Wait in the Wings has been used as a place for Brendon to publish documentaries on different underrated Broadway shows that haven't been given their full due by the theatre community. He's discussed shows like Carrie, Groundhog Day, Diana, Rebecca, and even fictional shows like Rogers the Musical from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Playwrights Horizons will present the second season of Soundstage, its scripted fiction podcast. With plays written specifically for the audio format, not translated or recorded live from the stage, Soundstage has established itself as a singular, adventurous presence in both the podcasting and theater worlds. Listen to the Season 2 intro here!

The Latinx House, the Sundance Institute’s Women at Sundance program, Netflix, and Shondaland announced three Latina directors who will participate in the inaugural Adelante Directors Fellowship, a groundbreaking program that supports up-and-coming directors’ professional development, creating a pipeline to uplift independent filmmakers.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater today announced that Artistic Director Molly Smith has decided to retire in July of 2023. The Arena Stage Board of Trustees will conduct a nationwide search to appoint a new Artistic Director to build on the pioneering legacy of Smith and Arena’s Founder Zelda Fichandler.

Six composers have been invited to participate in a lab environment prioritizing craft, innovation, and building a community of next generation film music artists. Led by program director Peter Golub with the support of Creative Advisors working in the industry, the fellows will engage in a week-long Intensive celebrating the power of film music.

Kramer will lead the global membership, the Oscars, the institution’s education and emerging talent initiatives, the Academy’s extensive collections housed in the Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, and the Academy Museum and its ongoing calendar of exhibitions, screenings, educational and public programs, and retail operations.

TheaterWorks Hartford, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, is excited to announce its upcoming 2022–2023 season. Rob said 'This season, we’re focusing on plays that we hope inspire our audiences to come see LIVE theater. Great music, captivating stories, and world-class writing – these stories are uplifting, powerful … and will engage us all in important conversations. We’re particularly excited that they are written by four female playwrights representing the best and most important voices in American theater. These plays tell our stories.'

New York Theatre Workshop and National Black Theatre will present Dreaming Zenzile, based on the life of Miriam Makeba, by Grammy-nominated Vocalist/Composer Somi Kakoma, directed by Obie Award winner, Tony Award nominee, NYTW Usual Suspect & former NYTW 2050 Artistic Fellow Lileana Blain-Cruz.

Men, Money and Madness. The award-winning cabaret show, written and performed by Tessa Bell, directed by Victoria Lavan and produced by Dina Morrone comes to Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, in Los Angeles, CA 90068. July 15-July 17, 2022. Fri. & Sat. at 8:00, Sun. at 2:00.

After celebrating its 25th Anniversary in residence at Theater Wit—a season that featured the world premiere, acclaimed hit Relentless, which went on to an extended run at Goodman Theatre—the company will return to its longtime home in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood, located at 615 W. Wellington Avenue, for three productions.

Today, The Bentonville Film Festival unveiled their distinguished Competition Jury, singularly dedicated to inclusive representation in media and entertainment. The festival, produced by the BFFoundation and chaired by Academy Award-winning Actor Geena Davis, will take place in-person June 22-26 and virtually June 22-July 3. The illustrious group of jurors is composed of award-winning producers, directors, actors and authors, including actor Yolonda Ross, film and television producer Bird Runningwater, actor Shohreh Aghdashloo, writer and filmmaker Justine Bateman, among others. The Festival is sponsored by Founding Partner, Walmart and Presenting Partner Coca-Cola. 

​​​​​​​Ucross and Cave Canem have joined forces to present a literary fellowship that provides creative support to Black poets. The 2022 Toi Derricotte Residency at Ucross has been awarded to interdisciplinary poet S. Erin Batiste of Brooklyn, New York. 

The nonprofit Sundance Institute is pleased to announce the 2023 Sundance Film Festival will take place as a hybrid festival in Park City, Salt Lake City, Utah, and beyond, from January 19 through January 29, 2023. “We can’t wait to return to our home in Park City and present exciting new work from around the world live and in person,” said Festival Director Tabitha Jackson. “We also have two years of digital exhibition and participation under our collective belt, and are returning to the excitement and immediacy of live events while retaining a powerful online offering.”

New York Theatre Workshop and National Black Theatre announced today casting, dates and ticket information for Dreaming Zenzile, based on the life of Miriam Makeba, by Grammy-nominated Vocalist/Composer Somi Kakoma directed by Obie Award winner, NYTW Usual Suspect & former NYTW 2050 Artistic Fellow Lileana Blain-Cruz.

Broken Box Mime Theater will present the With Words Series, as part of their World Premiere of Take Shape at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street New York, NY 10019), April 1-May 1.

Ucross, the prestigious artist residency program in northern Wyoming, ushered in a new era of leadership this month. On April 1, William (Bill) Belcher took the helm as president, and he has appointed Vickie Abbott as managing director. Ensuring a smooth transition, former Ucross president Sharon Dynak will continue with the organization part-time as a creative advisor.

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announced Eisa Davis as the first recipient of the Roth-Vogel New Play Commission launched in partnership with 12-time Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel, whose extraordinary collaborations with The Vineyard have spanned over two decades.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE along with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation have announced the lineup for the 2022 First Light Festival, part of the EST/Sloan Project to develop plays exploring science and technology.  

Keen Company's World Premiere of the new comedy This Space Between Us by Peter Gil-Sheridan (The Rafa Play), directed by Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein, will begin its final two weeks. Performances will continue through April 2nd only at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and Dyer Avenues.

All For One Theater will present The Gift Project, created, performed and music composed by Diana Oh ({my lingerie play}, The Infinite Love Party, My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre, Clairvoyance), and directed by Oh and Cotz at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater.