Desdemona Chiang News

​Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has named Charlotte Cohn as this season's SDCF Denham Fellow for her upcoming production of The Sound opening in May 2025 produced by Center Stage Theatre.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society has elected Michael John Garcés as Executive Board President at its Annual Membership Meeting.

The Phoenix: Part I, a sweeping new musical blending Chinese classical dance, revolutionary ballet, and contemporary musical theatre, will receive an invited only industry reading. Learn more!

The Orchard Project has announced the teams and artists selected to participate in its 2025 Summer Labs in Saratoga Springs, NY. Fifteen teams are creating new theatrical work in The Orchard Project's hallmark Performance Lab; eight are developing television shows in its Episodic Lab; four are creating new podcasts in its Audio Lab; and nine multidisciplinary artists are developing new work in the Greenhouse Lab.

The Drama League has revealed the thirty exceptional stage directors receiving the 2025 fellowships, assistantships, residencies, and programs collectively known as The Directors Project. Learn more!

The Virginia Theatre Festival has announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming production of playwright Lloyd Suh’s The Heart Sellers. The Heart Sellers will run from July 11-July 20 and will be directed by Desdemona Chiang, who returns to VTF, where she directed Harvey in 2018.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the NAMT Member Theatre and Writer Recipients for the 2024/2025 Writers Residency Grants, part of the Frank Young Fund for New Musicals.

The Lucille Lortel Theatre has revealed that four new musicals will receive support through the 121 Project, the Lortel's tailored development program for new musical works. Learn more!

The Virginia Theatre Festival's 2025 season will open on Friday, June 27 with Stephen Sondheim's classic musical Into the Woods. The Virginia Theatre Festival is a program of the University of Virginia.

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company will present the twentieth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Cheeyang Ng & Eric Sorrels. Learn more!

SDC announced the results of its 2024 Executive Board election, highlighting new leadership roles and the organization's future direction. Discover the elected members and their upcoming initiatives.

The Fred Ebb Foundation will present the twentieth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Cheeyang Ng & Eric Sorrels. Learn more about the award and the ceremony here!

Singaporean songwriter Cheeyang Ng is back at Joe’s Pub this Saturday 10/5 with an evening of songs from their various musicals-in-development, including Eastbound with Khiyon Hursey (Hamilton) and Māyā with Eric Sorrels (Kennedy Center). Read a conversation with Ng about the show and their journey to champion underrepresented voices.

Are you trying to plan your entertainment for the week or looking for a fun show to see this weekend? We have you covered with a few top picks for jazz, cabaret, comedy, and more! NYC has so many incredible events, but here are a few top picks to consider this week including an Anthony Newley tribute, Marilyn Maye, and Graham Nash.

The Drama League opened applications today for the 2025-2026 programs of its Directors Project. Applications for the many Fellowships, Residencies, and Assistantships are available now. Learn more about the programs!

Cheeyang Ng, Princess Grace Award winner, will return to Joe's Pub with their solo show. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival announces its 2025 season, celebrating its 90th anniversary with nine productions, including Shakespearean works, classics, August Wilson, and INTO THE WOODS, from March 7 to October 26.

The 2024 Drama League Awards were held on May 17th at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City, marking a spectacular celebration of theatrical excellence!

The Drama League has announced the nineteen stage directors receiving the 2024 fellowships, assistantships, residencies, and fund programs collectively known as The Directors Project.

Dear Readers, I want to share with you one of the issues I come up against while writing these reviews. How much of the story to tell you. Especially with shows such as “Sanctuary City” by Martyna Majok, currently playing at the Seattle Rep, I want you to experience it somewhat blind, and let this brilliantly layered show unfold and wash over you the same way it did for me. But I want to tell you what it’s about. So, I’ll do my best and still try to avoid the spoilers.