INFORMATION OF NOTE:
- Please see evaluation criteria at the bottom of this page.
- Housing and travel is only included in opportunities where explicitly stated.
- Any applicant currently enrolled in a collegiate level institution must have completed their program by the start date of any opportunity they are applying for.
- Please do not include any links in your written responses in your application. They will not be reviewed and may disqualify you.
- Late applications will not be accepted. As our application portal gets extremely busy in the final hours of the application period, we highly suggest submitting your application before 6pm on August 21st.
We also wanted to share some additional information with you about the program’s cycles. As you may know, the Professional Development Program opens up opportunities two-to-three times a year. We have learned since the revitalized program was launched that the timing of these cycles fluctuates based on when the opportunities fall. Therefore, we have not been able to guarantee cycles opening during the same months each year.
For this reason, we plan to share at the top of each season when we expect each cycle to occur. We imagine a third cycle of applications opening by November 2024.
We will continue to provide updates on our website as we are able to confirm application timelines.
Applications for this cycle are now closed.
Shadowing – Hadestown with Associate Director Keenan Tyler Oliphant
This opportunity lets you shadow Associate Director Keenan Tyler Oliphant on Hadestown on Broadway in New York City for two weeks in the Fall 2024
Production Title: Hadestown the Musical
Theatre Information (location of the shadowing): Manhattan NYC
Dates: Two weeks in Fall 2024 (currently looking at October but exact dates will be decided between Keenan, the selected shadow, and the production)
Stipend: $1,200
Additional information: This Shadow opportunity is an ideal opportunity for an early or mid-career director specifically interested in learning more about the responsibilities and role of an Associate Director on a long running musical.
Learn more about Keenan Tyler Oliphant here and Hadestown the Musical here
Observership – Swept Away with Michael Mayer in New York City on Broadway
This opportunity lets you to observe Director Michael Mayer on Swept Away on Broadway in New York City starting September 2024
Production Title: Swept Away
Theatre Information (location of the Observership): Rehearsals in Manhattan NYC, tech and previews at the Longacre Theatre
Dates of Observership: September 23, 2024 (first rehearsal) – November 19, 2024 (opening night)
Award: $4,800
Additional information: This Observership opportunity is ideal specifically for a director whose specifically interested in musical theater and learning about the mounting of a large musical production at the Broadway level. The ideal candidate will also have an interest in learning the ins and outs of what it means to be an associate for a Broadway production and have an interest in that being a part of their future career trajectory.
Learn more about Michael Mayer here and the production of Swept Away here and the pre-Broadway production here.
Fellowship – Data by Matthew Libby with Tyne Rafaeli at Arena Stage
This opportunity lets you to be a Fellow to Director Tyne Rafaeli on Data at Arena Stage in Washington, DC starting October 2024
Production Title: Data by Matthew Libby
Theatre Information (location of the fellowship): Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
Dates of Fellowship: October 1st (first rehearsal) – November 8, 2024 (opening night)
Award: $3,750
Additional information: This Fellow opportunity is ideal specifically for a director interested in new plays and learning more about creating a new play work production at the regional theater level. This would also be a good opportunity for someone who has an interest in political dramas. All are welcome to apply but local directors will be prioritized for this opportunity.
Learn more about Tyne Rafaeli here and the production of Data here.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated on the following three categories
Clarity: The applicant’s ability to articulate interest, with specificity, in the theatrical art form and in their own work as a director and/or choreographer. Their response has clarity of thought, understanding, and focus.
Timing: The applicant speaks to why this is the specific right moment in their career to participate in the given opportunity.
Access & Impact: The applicant articulates why this production opportunity would give them access to knowledge and/or a type of educational theatrical experience they do not currently have.