87th Annual Drama League Awards at The Drama League

The Drama League will continue its tradition of honoring the outstanding accomplishments of the New York theatrical community with The Drama League Awards, which will be pre-recorded and streamed on MAY 21. 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 with voting expected to take place in the coming months. More information about this year's ceremony, including the longstanding special recognition award recipients, will be announced at a later date.

"Our admiration for the enormous talent and determination of the theater community during the global COVID-19 pandemic, makes us prouder than ever to celebrate their accomplishments with the oldest theatrical honors in America," says Executive Director Bevin Ross.

The Drama League also announced today the dates and line-up for DirectorFest 2021, a multi-week festival celebrating the art of stage directing and honoring the service organization's 2020-21 Directors Project class of New York and Classical Fellowship recipients. Five select Directors Project fellows, early to mid-career artists chosen each year from hundreds of applicants worldwide, will direct vibrant new theatrical productions to be staged, filmed, and produced this spring and made accessible to audiences online. Four productions, directed by New York Fellows Cristina Angeles, Signe V. Harriday, Taylor Haven Holt, and Cait Robinson, will premiere this JUNE and will each be available for ticket-holders to stream for one week only. In addition to the JUNE line-up, a benefit reading of John Lyly's Gallathea, directed by Classical Fellow Emma Rosa Went and presented in collaboration with Red Bull Theater, will premiere MARCH 15 and will be available to stream for four days.

"This year's Drama League Directing Fellows have responded to this extraordinary year with grace, innovation, adaptability, and deep curiosity," said Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks. "Cait, Cristina, Emma, Signe, and Taylor have taken advantage of the possibilities of digital theater to beautiful effect. I can't wait for audiences and the industry to see these talented artists working in this new way so beautifully."

Signe V. Harriday will direct Sharon Bridgforth's the bull-jean stories.; Cait Robinson will direct Laura Schellhardt's The K of D; Cristina Angeles will direct the world-premiere of Eliana Pipes's Unf*ckwithable; and Taylor Haven Holt will direct Enda Walsh's A Girl's Bedroom. All JUNE productions will be filmed at A.R.T./New York Theatres by Director of Photography Daniel Feighery ("Gilbert," President Obama's 2012 Campaign). The DirectorFest 2021 creative team also includes Production Manager Alberto Ruiz (NYCB, TFANA), Scenic Designer Cate McCrea (DirectorFest 2020, A Woman of the World (The Acting Company)), Costume Designer Christopher Vergara (In the Heights, The Color Purple (Broadway, Associate)), Lighting Designer Molly Tiede (Love, Love, Love (Roundabout, Associate), Hamilton Tony Awards after-party), Sound Designer DJ Potts (DirectorFest 2020), Properties Designer Caspin Jones (DirectorFest 2020 Associate), Casting Directors Erica A. Hart (ABC, HBO) and Victor Vazquez (X Casting NYC), and Health Safety Supervisor Arabella Powell (Broadway PSM, Program Director of Open Stage Project). DirectorFest is produced by The Drama League artistic line producer, Ali Skye Bennet. Casting, stage management, on-sale dates, and streaming details will be announced at a later date. For complete details on DirectorFest 2021, including creative team bios and full show descriptions, visit directorfest.org.

Both DirectorFest and The Drama League Awards come at a time when the 105 year-old organization reimagines its other programs for the digital space, with its acclaimed podcast, TA(L)KING DIRECTION, adding new episodes this MARCH with guests Liesl Tommy (Broadway's Eclipsed), and Wayne Brady (Kinky Boots), and its recently-announced series THE ESSENTIALS, serving artists and audiences all over the world with opportunities to develop core skills in a workshop environment.

To stay up to date with what's happening at The Drama League, visit dramaleague.org and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.