Gabriel Stelian-Shanks News

The Drama League’s Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, and Executive Director Bevin Ross, have released production images of the first two shows featured in DirectorFest 2022, a festival spotlighting the art of contemporary stage directing by an exciting new generation of talent, featuring brand new productions led by its current Directing Fellows.

Honoring Emmy Award-winner and Grammy Award-nominee Wayne Brady, the event was hosted by Grammy Award-winner Kandi Burruss and featured performances by Broadway stars Tituss Burgess, André De Shields, Telly Leung, Bonnie Milligan, and more.

As the nation’s only full-time creative home for directors, The Drama League’s new program portfolio is the result of a company-wide evaluation, undertaken during the pandemic and in conversations with over 100 artists, artistic leaders, producers, activists, and community members.

The Drama League Directors Project is the paramount mentoring and career development program for early-career stage directors. Since its founding in 1984, the Drama League's Directors Project has over 300 alumni working in all facets of entertainment ranging from Broadway to television.

The Drama League has officially launched a contest for composers to post a new Broadway-style 'Anthem for the Future of Theatre' on TikTok, a platform that has been instrumental in uplifting aspiring theatre professionals during the pandemic.

The Drama League announced today the 2021 Fall programming for THE ESSENTIALS, an expanded series of workshops and seminars curated to help directors and theatermakers explore best practices and changing realities in the industry, offering vital tools for artists to succeed. 

The Orchard Project today announced its 2021 programs as well as the names of participating artists and companies.

The Drama League announced today three-time Tony Award-winning producer, CEO, and Founder of BroadwayHD Bonnie Comley will become the organization's new Board President. Comley’s unique skill set has proved invaluable to The Drama League over the course of the last 16 months as the organization’s programming is abundant with digital capture.

The Drama League has announced that Gloria, Emilio & Emily Estefan, along with the evenings honorees Iris Smith, Liesl Tommy, Richard & Demi Weitz, and more, will appear at The 87th Annual Drama League Awards streaming this Friday, May 21, 2021 at 7:00PM ET. 

The Drama League has announced the recipients of the 2021-2022 Drama League Directing Fellowship and Residencies, part of the umbrella of programs known as the Directors Project. Each recipient will receive financial and career development support, skill-honing workshops, and production opportunities at theaters across the country.

The Drama League has just announced the 2021 Nominees and Special Recognition Honorees for The 87th Annual Drama League Awards. Keeping in the tradition of honoring the outstanding accomplishments of the theatrical community, as they have since 1935, this year the organization has established five unique categories to honor the extraordinary achievements of artists across the nation who created digital and socially-distanced theatrical productions during this challenging year of suspension for live arts.

Lightning Rod Special is launching Sound Break, a new series of audio works made in LRS’s signature explosive style. These three brand-new audio shows to be released throughout 2021 are designed for at-home listening, available for free online to all listeners. Sound Break is theater when and where you want it.

The Drama League will present the 87th Drama League Awards, which will be pre-recorded and streamed on May 21, 2021. The nomination process, which will focus on extraordinary digital theatrical productions during the shutdown of live performance and identifying individuals and organizations that made an impact in the last year, is currently underway.

The Drama League has announced today THE ESSENTIALS, an expanded series of workshops and seminars developed to explore best practices and changing realities for stage directors and theatermakers, offering vital tools for artists to succeed.

The Drama League announced today Season 2 of its digital series, TA(L)KING DIRECTION: The Drama League Podcast. Season two will explore the changing state of the theatre industry and its early steps towards re-emergence in 2021, with an all-star lineup of directors, producers, and artists.

The Drama League has announced the formation of its first Directors Council, featuring nationally-renowned directors Daniel Banks, Melia Bensussen, Christopher Burris, Jillian Carucci, Jennifer Chang, Desdemona Chiang, R.J. Cutler, Estefanía Fadul, Raz Golden, Brian Eugenio Herrera, Adam Immerwahr, Gwynn MacDonald, Tony Phelan and more.

May and June episodes will feature Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus, choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and actor Elizabeth Stanley on their collaboration during Jagged Little Pill; Tony-winning director Michael Mayer with actors Jonathan Groff and Christian Borle on Little Shop of Horrors; directors Lileana Blain-Cruz, Sheryl Kaller, and Desdemona Chiang; director Gaye Taylor Upchurch and playwright Lauren Gunderson on The Half-Life of Marie Curie; and more.

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??The Drama League has announced the 2020 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much- coveted Distinguished Performance Award.

The Drama League presents DirectorFest,  the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing.  The festival series that began January 10, 2020 continues with an evening of short plays with The Lover  by Harold Pinter, directed by NJ Agwuna,  and Appearances by Tina Howe, directed by Lindsey Hope Pearlman.  

The Drama League (Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Director Bevin Ross) presents the 36th annual Directorfest, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. Directorfest began January 10 and concludes on February 4, 2020 at various locations around NYC: The New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thomson Avenue), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). For festival details and tickets, visit directorfest.org or call (212) 244-9494 x102. Industry/Theatre Professionals may request tickets by emailingDirectorFest@dramaleague.org.