SDCF Announces Morehead State & UNLV Co-Winners of Guest Artist Initiative

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) announces the selection of Morehead State University and University of Nevada Las Vegas as co-winners of the 2010-2011 Guest Artist Initiative Program grants. Each school will receive SDCF funding of $3000 to hire a professional director or choreographer for a mainstage production in early 2011.

Through the Guest Artist Initiative, SDCF assists colleges and universities in hiring guest directors and choreographers, providing the schools with funding and administrative support. SDCF publicizes the guest artist position to professional directors and choreographers nationwide, collects and collates applicants' materials, and sends materials to the school for hiring decision; SDCF plays no role in hiring.

Morehead State University will hire a guest choreographer for its Spring 2011 production of Grease. Denise Watkins, Associate Professor of Theatre at Morehead, states of the selection: "We are thrilled to receive this grant. This is just the boost we need to continue the momentum we have in our burgeoning program. We are looking forward to collaborating with a professional choreographer, and we are thankful to the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation for helping us to provide a quality learning experience for our students."

UNLV will hire a guest director for its production of Summers of Fear: The Race to Stop Polio in Winter 2011. Artistic Director Dr. Robert Benedetti says of receiving news of the grant, "We hope that this grant will usher in a policy of including premieres of new works in many of our future seasons."

Additional productions through SDCF Guest Artist Initiative funding are upcoming at Arizona State University, Michigan State University, and Fordham University.

Visit www.SDCweb.org (see Foundation/Guest Artist Initiative) or contact Ellen Rusconi at 212.391.1070x244 / ERusconi@SDCweb.org for more information.

Founded in 1965, SDCF exists to foster, promote and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers. SDCF provides opportunities to practice the crafts of directing and choreography; gathers and disseminates craft and career information; promotes the profession to emerging talent; provides forums for exchange of knowledge among directors and choreographers; and increases the awareness of the value of directors' and choreographers' work.

Among SDCF's programs are: Observerships, through which emerging directors and choreographers receive paid opportunities to observe master directors and choreographers working on new productions; Fellowships, opportunities for advanced emerging directors and choreographers; Live On Screen Initiative to help prepare directors and choreographers for capturing live performance for broadcast; Hauptman Fellowship for arts administrators; Symposia for directing and choreography; the "Mr. Abbott" Award for lifetime achievement in American Theatre; the Joe A. Callaway Award for excellence in the crafts of directing and/or choreography; and the Zelda Fichandler Award for contribution to directing and choreography outside of New York.