Photo Flash: Andrew Lippa Hosts DGF's 2016-17 Fellows Showcase at Playwrights Horizons

Hosted by the Dramatists Guild Foundation President, Andrew Lippa, the event featured the work of the 2016-2017 class, including Michael R. Jackson, Patricia Ione Lloyd, Zoey Martinson, Len Schiff, David Mallamud, James Christy, Madeline Myers, C.A. Johnson, Nicole Pandolfo, and Khiyon Hursey.

The evening also included the presentation of the Thom Thomas Award, given to a Fellows alumnus demonstrating outstanding talent. The $10,000 Award was established last year by Iris Rainer Dart and Helen Lee Henderson on behalf of the late Thom Thomas (Beaches, The Musical; A Moon To Dance By). This year, the award was given to Sylvan Oswald (Sun Ra, A Kind of Weather), a playwright, professor, and DGF Fellow from 2003-2004.

Directed by Laura Brandel with Music Direction by Josh Kight, the Presentation featured performances by Kristen Browne, LaDonna Burns, Elijah Caldwell, Joanna Carpenter, Tyla Collier, Victoria Csatay, Latoya Edwards, David Foley Jr., Evan Gambardella, Caroline Gombe, Olli Haaskivi, Kendal Hartse, Mandi Masden, Doron JePaul Mitchell, Jason Moody, Melanie Nicholls-King, Larry Owens, Destinee Rea, Mouna R'miki, Grace Ann Rundhaug, Tai Lyn Sandhu, Tally Sessions, Jes Tom, Jesse Weil, and Remy Zaken.

The Presentation also served as a welcome event for a new class of Fellows. At the end of the evening, Andrew announced that Keelay Gipson, Morgan Gould, Eric Micha Holmes, Oliver Houser, Jeremy King, Janine McGuire, Sam Salmond, Arri Simon, Riti Sachdeva, and Deborah Yarchun would be the next group of individuals to embark on the development intensive.

The Fellows program is a selective, nine-month intensive for playwrights, composers, lyricists, and bookwriters. The program pairs talented writers with accomplished professional mentors, who help them hone their process, and find their unique voices. Fellows also have the chance to partner with one of several esteemed arts organizations, including Macdowell Colony and SPACE at Ryder Farm, for Fellows-specific development opportunities.

Former Fellows include Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen), Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen), Deborah Zoe Laufer (End Days), Masi Asare, Adam Gwon, and many others.

For more information on the Fellows program, visit dgf.org/programs/#fellows.

Program chairs Laurence O'Keefe, Diana Son and Michael Korie

Program Chairs Laurence O'Keefe, Diana Son and Michael Korie with DGF President Andrew Lippa

New Fellows Class: Jeremy King, Sam Salmond, Deborah Yarchun, Arri Simon, Janine McGuire, Oliver Houser and Morgan Gould (not pictured: Keelay Gipson, Riti Sachdeva, and Eric Micha Holmes)

Presentation director Laura Brandel with Kendal Hartse, an actress from the evening

Thom Thomas Award winner, Sylvan Oswald

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