Gabriel Stelian-Shanks News

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) opened DirectorFest 2019: The 35th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing, last evening with the musical Marry Me A Little, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Directed by 2018 Leo Shull Musical Theatre Directing Fellow Kemar Jewel, with music direction by Josh Kight at New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street). Festival programming, tickets and additional details are available at www.directorfest.org, or by calling (212) 244-9494.

The Drama League presents DirectorFest 2019: The 35th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing, now in its 35th year. The festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase evening of a new musical, discussion forums, and conversations with notable American directors. DirectorFest will take place at various locations around NYC: New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thompson Avenue, Long Island City), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). Festival programming, tickets and additional details are available at www.directorfest.org, or by calling (212) 244-9494.

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) has announced casting for DirectorFest 2019: The 35th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing. DirectorFest takes place at various locations around NYC: New Ohio Theatre (154 Christopher Street), The Drama League Theater Center (32 Avenue of the Americas), LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thompson Avenue, Long Island City), and Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street). Festival programming, tickets and additional details are available at www.directorfest.org, or by calling (212) 244-9494.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) has announced the theater directors chosen to develop new plays and musicals as part of the 2019 Drama League Artist Residency Program. Public work-in-progress presentations of each residency will be held periodically throughout the year at The Drama League Theater Center, 32 Avenue of the Americas, in Tribeca. Schedules for the presentations, which are open to the public, will be available throughout 2019 at www.dramaleague.org or by calling (212) 244-9494.

The Drama League announced today the 2019 line-up of DirectorFest, the only festival in the United States exploring the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 35th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase evening of a new musical, discussion forums, and conversations with America's notable directors. 

Last night was the Drama League's 35th Annual Benefit Gala: A Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring film, television, theater icon and three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane. The black-tie evening also celebrated theater producer Fran Weissler for Visionary Leadership in American Theater. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out all the photos below!

Loading Dock Theatre will produce a reading of the new horror play, The Pitchforks by Andrew Kramer, on Saturday October 27 and Sunday October 28 at 5pm as a special Halloween offering of The Forklift Reading Series at their space at 170 Tillary St.

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director, Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) has announced the roster of special guest performers for its 35th Annual Benefit Gala: A Musical Celebration of Broadway honoring film, television, theater icon and three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane. The black-tie evening, which will also celebrate theater producer Fran Weissler for Visionary Leadership in American Theater, will take place on Monday, November 5, 2018 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in New York City at The Plaza (768 Fifth Avenue). The Gala Co-Chairs are Kathy Henderson, Janet M. Kagan, and Joseph Pizza.

The Drama League opened its applications today for the 2019 Directors Project Fellowship Programs, which offer unique opportunities for early and mid-career stage directors to advance their artistry, learn new skills, stage new work, and develop their careers.  The only program of its kind in the nation, it boasts 12 different fellowships, including a new initiative in community-based theater and a new immersion in the development of new musicals.  The deadline for completed applications is 12:00 p.m. (US EST) on Tuesday, December 11, 2018.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director), in addressing a safe working environment for directors, actors, and stage managers, announced today the creation of a new workshop that will focus on intimacy issues in the creative working environment. The special workshop, Intimacy Direction, hosted and lead by Intimacy Director Claire Warden, will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2018 beginning at 11:00 a.m. at The Drama League Theater Center in Tribeca (32 Avenue of the Americas.)

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) opened its applications to the public for the 2019 Director Residency Programs, which support theatre directors with resources to build and develop new plays, musicals, performance pieces, hybrid works, and devised theatre projects during the 2019 calendar year. The deadline for completed applications is Noon (12pm) US EDT on Friday, September 7, 2018.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) announced today that Mia Rovegno and Mia Walker have been named this year's recipients of The Drama League's Directing Fellowship in Film and Television, which gives early- and mid-career theater directors their first opportunities to shadow on professional film and television projects. Ms. Rovegno and Ms. Walker will receive financial support, travel allowances, expert mentors, and a shadow directing assignment as part of their fellowship.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) announced the 2018 Drama League Awards Winners yesterday 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 (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) announced the 2018 Drama League Awards Winners on Friday afternoon 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 (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2018 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 nominations were announced this morning by Tony® Award winners Harriet Harris, Julie White and Tony® Award nominee Christopher Sieber at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online right here at BroadwayWorld.com.

Every spring the new crop of Drama League Directing Fellows come to New York City for a week of immersion with theater professionals. Bonnie Comley, Vice President of the Board for the Drama League and her husband six time Tony Winner, Stewart F. Lane hosted a dinner at the new Bond45 for a pre-theater meal and conversation about commercial producing. Also, at the table to share their expertise was another multi Tony Award winning couple, Janet Kagan (also a Drama League Board member) and Howard Kagan and the Drama League's Executive Artistic Director, Gabriel Stelian-Shanks and Program Director, Sherri Eden Barber.

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) has announced the eleven exceptional stage directors who have been selected as the 2018 Directing Fellows of The Drama League Directors Project: Jake Beckhard, Jennifer Chang, Tara Elliott, Kyle Haden, Myeongsik Jason Jang, Kemar Jewel, Seonjae Kim, Margaret Lee, Dennis Yueh-Yeh Li, Ivey Lowe, and Christopher Nuñez. They will be publicly introduced to the professional theatre community during the 84th Annual Drama League Awards, which will be held on Friday, May 18, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway). More information can be found at www.dramaleague.org.

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The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2018 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 nominations were announced this morning by Tony® Award winners Harriet Harris and Julie White, and Tony® Award nominee Christopher Sieber at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online right here at BroadwayWorld.com. Click here for a full list of nominees and go behind the scenes of the special morning below!

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2018 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 nominations were announced this morning by Tony® Award winners Harriet Harris and Julie White, and Tony® Award nominee Christopher Sieber at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online right here at BroadwayWorld.com. Click here for a full list of nominees and check out photos from inside the special event below!