Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Releases 65 FOR THE 65TH in Honor of Union’s Anniversary
The commemorative publication highlights 65 influential members who helped shape the American theatre.
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has announced the release of 65 for the 65th, a celebratory publication honoring 65 directors and choreographers whose work has transformed the American theatre. The project coincides with the union’s 65th anniversary and is available now in digital format.
Compiled from more than 500 nominations submitted by SDC members, the final list was selected through a rigorous seven-round voting process. Each featured artist is honored with a portrait, a brief biography, and a tribute written by a fellow SDC member or esteemed colleague. The collection also includes a special “Founder’s Circle,” spotlighting Agnes De Mille, Bob Fosse, and Shepard Traube—three members instrumental to the union’s founding.
“The lives and legacies of the directors and choreographers featured in this publication are a testament to the strength and influence of an SDC community that is now more than 3,500 Members strong,” said SDC President Evan Yionoulis. “We are proud to recognize the craft and contributions of these visionary leaders and to share their impact with the wider world.”
65 for the 65th also includes a foreword from Yionoulis, an essay by SDC Executive Director Laura Penn contextualizing this cultural moment, and a brief history of the union’s work on behalf of stage directors and choreographers.
Notable artists featured in the publication include Debbie Allen, George C. Wolfe, Rachel Chavkin, Susan Stroman, Michael Greif, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Julie Taymor, Joe Mantello, and many more. Tributes are contributed by leading peers such as André De Shields, Kenny Leon, Annie-B Parson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Tyne Rafaeli.
65 FOR THE 65TH: AN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
- Founder’s Circle: Agnes De Mille, tribute by Jerry Mitchell
- Founder’s Circle: Bob Fosse, tribute by Marcia Milgrom Dodge
- Founder’s Circle: Shepard Traube, tribute, his own words
- George Abbott, tribute by Harold Prince
- JoAnne Akalaitis, tribute by Daniel Fish
- Debbie Allen, tribute by Marguerite Derricks
- William Ball, tribute by Warner Shook
- Lou Bellamy, tribute by Talvin Wilks
- Michael Bennett, tribute by Baayork Lee
- Patricia Birch, tribute by Tom Moore
- Anne Bogart, tribute by J.Ed Araiza
- Lee Breuer, tribute by Jim Nicola
- Peter Brook, tribute by Sharon Ott
- Camille A. Brown, tribute by Pam MacKinnon
- René Buch, tribute by José Zayas
- Vinnette Carroll, tribute by Susan H. Schulman
- Rachel Chavkin, tribute by André De Shields
- Ping Chong, tribute by Mei Ann Teo
- Martha Clarke, tribute by Vivienne Benesch
- Graciela Daniele, tribute by Sergio Trujillo
- Gordon Davidson, tribute by Lisa Peterson
- Sheldon Epps, tribute by Seema Sueko
- Zelda Fichandler, tribute, her own words
- Richard Foreman, tribute by Annie-B Parson
- Frank Galati, tribute by Mary Zimmerman
- Michael John Garcés, tribute by Lou Moreno
- Michael Greif, tribute by Schele Williams
- Tyrone Guthrie, tribute, his own words
- Steven Hoggett, tribute by Katie Spelman
- Michael Kahn, tribute by Alan Paul
- Elia Kazan, tribute by Austin Pendleton
- Woodie King, Jr., tribute by Kenny Leon
- Mark Lamos, tribute by Melia Bensussen
- Tina Landau, tribute by Kenneth Ferrone
- Michael Langham, tribute by Mark Lamos
- Baayork Lee, tribute by Yasmin Lee
- Kenny Leon, tribute by Jamil Jude
- Irene Lewis, tribute by Kwame Kwei-Armah
- Emily Mann, tribute by Jade King Carroll
- Joe Mantello, tribute by Trip Cullman
- Kathleen Marshall, tribute by Rob Ashford
- Marion McClinton, tribute by Lou Bellamy
- Jerry Mitchell, tribute by Marc Bruni
- Mike Nichols, tribute, his own words
- Trevor Nunn, tribute by Susan Stroman
- Jack O’Brien, tribute by Seret Scott
- Harold Prince, tribute by Lonny Price
- José Quintero, tribute, his own words
- Ellis Rabb, tribute by Jack O’Brien
- Lloyd Richards, tribute by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
- Jerome Robbins, tribute by JoAnn M. Hunter
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson, tribute by Stephen McKinley Henderson
- Alan Schneider, tribute by Susan Einhorn
- Susan H. Schulman, tribute by Steve H. Broadnax III
- Seret Scott, tribute by Sheldon Epps
- Andrei Serban, tribute, his own words
- Bartlett Sher, tribute by Miranda Haymon
- Susan Stroman, tribute by Andy Blankenbuehler
- Daniel Sullivan, tribute by David Auburn
- Julie Taymor, tribute by Tyne Rafaeli
- Twyla Tharp, tribute by Daniel Ezralow
- Tommy Tune, tribute by Jeff Calhoun
- George C. Wolfe, tribute, his own words
- Robert Woodruff, tribute by Anne Bogart
- Garland Wright, tribute by Bartlett Sher
- Chay Yew, tribute by Graham Schmidt
- Jerry Zaks, tribute by Stephen Edlund
- Mary Zimmerman, tribute by Amanda Dehnert
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