We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the Inaugural Abe Burrows Award for Assistant Directors.
Established by the James and Deborah Burrows Foundation and supported by a generous matching contribution from Thomas Kail, the award will be given this year to two early career directors, Violeta Picayo and Sharifa Yazmeen, each of whom will receive an unrestricted $10,000 award. The Abe Burrows Award is given annually to a director or director/choreographer who is working as an assistant director. The award will allow the recipients to fully focus on their work as an assistant director to an SDC Member between June 2024 and December 2025.
About The Awardees:
Violeta Picayo is a bilingual Cuban-American director/choreographer and actor. She makes theater to ask questions together, and create spaces where wondering is a full-body activity. Violeta has directed world premiere productions including Helen. (SuperGeographics, En Garde Arts, La Mama), and The Strangers Came Today (Society, New Ohio). Works-in-development: Her Sleeping Nation by Emily Zemba, Pack Animals by Caitlin George, Care & Keeping by Emily Breeze. She has worked at NYC venues including La Mama, BAM, The Public, Second Stage, Gym at Judson, New Ohio; regionally throughout the US at the American Repertory Theater, Portland Center Stage, Fisher Center, City Theatre; and internationally in Argentina, Chile, England, Greece, India, Scotland. Violeta is a company member of The SuperGeographics and an associate artist of SITI Company. She is a proud graduate of Vassar College, the National Theater Institute, and SITI Company’s Conservatory.
Sharifa Yazmeen (she/her) is a trans Arab-American director, actor, and playwright. She has completed directing fellowships with The Drama League, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Manhattan Theatre Club, Geva Theatre, and was a Eugene O’Neill national directing fellow. Yasmin’s playwriting focuses on the intersection of Queer and Arab identities. Her plays have been published in Overheard, a collection of monologues by and for TNB2S+ artist and The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays. Her play Close to Home was distinguished by the American Theatre Wing at the annual Antoinette Gala, and was recently included on the 2023 Kilroy’s list. Yasmin was also honored as the inaugural recipient of the SCDF Barbara Whitman Award in 2021, and holds a MFA in Directing from Brown/Trinity Rep. www.sharifayazmeen.com
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About Abe Burrows:
Born December 18, 1910 in New York City, Abe Burrows graduated New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn and later attended both City College and New York University. His career in radio and television writing began with This is New York (1938), followed by the Rudy Vallee Program (1940), Duffy’s Tavern (1940-1945), and the Abe Burrows’ Show (1946-1947). Burrows then turned to writing for the stage. Burrows wrote, doctored, or directed such shows as Guys and Dolls (1950); Make a Wish (1951); Two on the Aisle (1951); Three Wishes for Jamie (1952); Can-Can (1953): Silk Stockings (1955); Say, Darling (1958); How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961); Cactus Flower (1965); Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1966); Forty Carats (1970); Good News (1974 Revival); Four on a Garden (1971): and many others. With his collaborator Frank Loesser, Burrows won a Pulitzer Prize for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, he won four Tony Awards. Burrows died on May 17, 1985.