Zelda + Thomas Fichandler during the construction of the Kreeger Theatre in 1970 c/o Arena Stage
Established in 2009, the Zelda Fichandler Award is SDCF’s first award devoted to the regional theatre. With this award, SDCF acknowledges the profound impact the founders of regional theatre have had on the field, honoring their legacy through the recognition of the extraordinary directors and choreographers who are transforming the national arts landscape with their unique, creative work and deep investment in a community.
The Fichandler Award is given regionally on a rotating basis. In 2025, it will be given to a director or choreographer who has made, and who continues to make, a significant contribution to their community through extraordinary work in theatre in the Central region of the United States, defined by SDCF as Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Eligible nominees will be invited to apply in October. The winner and finalist(s) will be recognized during the SDCF Awards in 2026.
The Fichandler Award recipient will receive an unrestricted award of $5,000 from SDCF.
Status
Nominations are now closed for the 2026 Zelda Fichandler Award.
2025 SDCF Zelda Fichandler Award Recipient: Joanie Schultz
The 2025 Zelda Fichandler Award will be presented to Joanie Schultz along with an unrestricted award of $5,000 from SDCF. Schultz will be recognized in a celebration at Steppenwolf Theatre Company on April 6, 2026, along with three selected finalists for the Zelda Fichandler Award, Dr. Brian Cheslik, Maija García, and Addie Gorlan-Han.
Photo by Joe Mazza.
Joanie Schultz is a teacher, arts leader, and director of theatre and opera. Joanie currently serves as Associate Artistic Director of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
Joanie’s work includes directing for The Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, The Cleveland Play House, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, the Jungle Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Studio Theatre, and at least 30 other theatre and opera companies throughout Chicago and the US. Select notable work has included directing the smash hit and long-extended immersive production of Hand to God (Studio Theatre & WaterTower Theatre); her Queer adaptation of Chekhov’s Seagull (Quantum Theatre); her own new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (WaterTower Theatre & Everyman Theatre); the visually stunning world premiere of Frida…A Self Portrait (KC Rep, Portland Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, GEVA, Indiana Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Writer’s Theatre); the critically lauded The Whale and Rest by Samuel D. Hunter (Victory Gardens Theater); the Jeff Award winning productions of In Arabia We’d All be Kings and The Brief History of Helen of Troy (Steep Theatre); site-specific performances of the operas Acis and Galatea (Chicago Cultural Center) and Bluebeard’s Castle (New Millennium Orchestra); and co-creating and directing a 6-hour theatrical adaptation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle (The Building Stage).
From 2016-18, Joanie served as Artistic Director of WaterTower Theatre in Dallas-Fort Worth, where she oversaw two years of diverse, exciting, and award-winning work. In 2014-16, Joanie served as Associate Artistic Producer at Victory Gardens Theater, as part of the Leadership U One-on-One Fellowship funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by TCG.
Joanie holds an MFA in directing from Northwestern University and a BA in directing from Columbia College Chicago. She was a Drama League Fellow; The Goodman Theatre’s Michael Maggio Directing Fellow; the SDCF Denham Fellow; a Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab participant; and was 2013 Co-Artistic Curator for Theater on the Lake. Joanie was co-Artistic Director of Estrogen Fest; Associate Artistic Director of The Building Stage; and co-Founder/Artistic Director of Flush Puppy Productions. She is an ensemble member at Steep Theatre and an artistic cabinet member at Studio Theatre in DC. She has been on faculty at Columbia College Chicago, University of Chicago, Roosevelt University, and Northwestern University, and has taught for the School at Steppenwolf, Steep Theatre, the Audition Studio, and Italian Operatic Experience. She is a member of SDC, AGMA, and the Dramatists Guild.
Learn more about the finalists below.
Photo by Tate Tullier
Dr. Brian A. Cheslik has been involved in theatre for the past 25+ years and has performed every function in the theatrical hierarchy. Brian is the artistic director of Deaf Austin Theatre. In addition to theatre, Dr. Cheslik is a professor of ASL & Interpretation at the University of Texas RGV, where he is the program coordinator for the ASLI Program, and he is also the Midwest Director of Gallaudet University Regional Center. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Gallaudet University, a master’s and doctorate in Deaf studies & Deaf education from Lamar University, and is a member of the Stage Directors & Choreographers (SDC) society. He is a Certified Deaf Interpreter, works as a Director of Artistic Sign Language (DASL), and has a book being published about Deaf theatre to be released in 2026.
Acting: Rocky Horror Picture Show (Brad Majors) ASL Rocky NYC, The Laramie Project (Various Roles) Deaf Austin Theatre, Tribes (Billy) Le Petit Theatre, Shakespeare’s R & J (Student #2) Act Out Productions, Zombie Prom (Miss Strict) TILT Performance Group, Corpus Christi (James), Act Out Productions, Drop Dead (Chas Looney) Emerald City Players, Lost in Yonkers (Jay) Emerald City Players (and many more)
Directing: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella– Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma & ZACH Theatre (both in collaboration with Deaf Austin Theatre, Tiny Beautiful Things– Deaf Austin Theatre, Chronicles of a Black Deaf Blind Girl– Deaf Austin Theatre, Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses– UTRGV Theatre, The Last Five Years– Ground Floor Theatre in Collaboration with Deaf Austin Theatre, Picasso at the Lapin Agile– UTRGV Theatre, Next To Normal– Ground Floor Theatre in Collaboration with Deaf Austin Theatre (and many more).
IG: @brianandrewcheslik, TT: @Deaftattedcollegeprof, www.drbriancheslik.com
Photo by Bethanie Hines
Maija García is a visionary artist recognized for her dynamic work across theater, film & television, music, dance, and live installations. Her multidisciplinary storytelling and collaborative spirit have shaped dozens of new works on Broadway, in regional theaters, and international festivals.
After fifteen years rooted in Harlem, NYC, García relocated to Minneapolis in 2018 to serve as Director of Education and Professional Training at the Guthrie Theater, where she curated advanced actor training programs and developed digital theater curriculum for educators.
As a director, García has led an expansive range of productions—from original musicals and bilingual classics to operas and concerts. Recent highlights include the critically acclaimed I Am Betty at the History Theatre, and VALOR, Ana Caro’s Spanish Golden Age play at the Guthrie Theater. She will direct Water Riot, a cyber-punk rock opera by Derek McPhatter and Mike Pryzgoda, produced by New York Live Arts and National Black Theatre at The Apollo.
In film and television, García’s choreography is featured in Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning BlacKkKlansman, Amazon’s Chi-Raq, and Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It. On Broadway, she co-choreographed FELA! – alongside Bill T. Jones. As Creative Director, she staged ten iterations of the Tony Award winning musical across the U.S., Europe, Australia and Africa.
In 2006, García founded Organic Magnetics (OM) — a production company generating ‘urban folklore for the future’ and advancing sustainability through the arts. She wrote, directed, and produced Ghosts of Manhattan: 1512–2012, an immersive experience in Fort Tryon Park, and I Am NY: Juan Rodriguez, a musical about New York’s first immigrant at El Museo del Barrio.
Recently commissioned by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, García conceived, directed, and choreographed Jazz Island—an adaptation of a Caribbean folktale by Geoffrey Holder, featuring an original score by Etienne Charles. The world premiere of Jazz Island will take place at City Center in December 2025. She also reunites with Joseph Haj this fall to direct Somewhere by Matthew López at the Guthrie, premiering the same month.
An artist, community activist, and world-builder, García studied International Relations at San Francisco State University and earned a B.A. in Sustainable Development from the California Institute of Integral Studies. A member of the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers (SDC) since 2009, she served on the Tony Nominating Committee (2018–2022), advises the Melrose Center for Principled Leadership at the University of St. Thomas, and serves on the Mayor’s Downtown Action Council for the City of Minneapolis.
In 2025, García was appointed Director of the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, ushering in a bold new era for the venue’s 100-year legacy. Her vision centers on empowering artistic innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact through sustainable programs, partnerships, and new works development—positioning The Capri as a vital hub for creative practice, professional development and community convening.
Photo by Joshua Cummins
Addie Gorlin-Han is a director, producer and educator invested in the regional theater movement, new musical development, and theater for all ages. She is based at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis where she works as Associate Producer. Upcoming directing includes Wolf Play (April 2026, Jungle Theater) and Princess Kay of the Milky Way, an original musical currently in development with Children’s Theatre Company. Recent directing includes Fun Home (Theater Latté Da); A Christmas Carol (2023–2025, Guthrie Theater); The Root Beer Lady (2023 and 2025, History Theatre, Theatre L’Homme Dieu); Into the Woods (featuring Hillary Clinton, Arkansas Repertory Theatre); And Then They Came for Me… (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); The Song of Summer, Charm and According to Coyote (Mixed Blood Theatre); Strange Heart Beating (Cloudgate); The Laramie Project (Children’s Theatre Company); I and You (Phoenix Theatre & Children’s Hospital); and Five Tries (Cutting Ball Theater). Addie has developed work at Magic Theatre, Actor’s Express, The Playwrights Center, The Lark, Mixed Blood Theatre, Hudson Stage Company, Riverside Theater, Ivoryton Playhouse, Goodspeed Musicals and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. She has served as Anne Bogart’s assistant director and worked at numerous regional theaters as associate and assistant including The Guthrie, The Public Theater, Trinity Rep, and A.R.T., among others. Fellowships include the National Directors Fellowship (NNPN/SDC/O’Neill), two time NNPN Producer-in-Residence, and a fellowship at Cutting Ball Theater. She holds a K–12 teaching credential, received a B.A. from Dartmouth College, studied at the National Theater Institute, and received an M.F.A. from Brown University/Trinity Rep in Directing. Addie was named in American Theatre’s Role Call: People to Watch, 2024. Learn more at addiegorlin.com.
Award Eligibility
The nominee must have made and be continuing to make a unique and exceptional contribution to theatre with singular creativity and artistry and deep investment in the selected region. Artistic staff and freelance directors/choreographers are eligible.
The nominee must live in the year’s selected region and work primarily in the year’s selected region.
The nominee must be an SDC Member or SDC Associate Member in good standing by the nomination deadline.
The nominator does not have to be an SDC Member
Note that this is not an award for lifetime achievement; this award heralds both accomplishment to date and promise for the future.
Past Recipients
Western Region
Jonathan Moscone of California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, California (2009)
Bill Rauch of Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon (2012)
Tim Dang of East West Players in Los Angeles, CA (2015)
Loretta Greco of Magic Theater in San Francisco (2018)
Mark Valdez of Los Angeles, California (2021)
Leslie Ishii of Los Angeles, California (2024)
Central Region
Michael Halberstam of Writer’s Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois (2010)
Charles Newell of Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois (2013)
Lisa Portes of Chicago, Illinois (2016)
Marcela Lorca of Ten Thousand Things in St. Paul, Minnesota (2019)
Ron OJ Parson of Chicago, Illinois (2022)
Eastern Region
Blanka Zizka of The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2011)
Joseph Haj of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC (2014)
Vivienne Benesch of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC (2017)
Kamilah Forbes of The Apollo Theatre in New York City (2020)
Raymond O. Caldwell of DC’s Theater Alliance (2023)
About Zelda
Zelda Fichandler (1924 -2016) dedicated her early career to the establishment of America’s regional theatre movement. In 1950 she founded Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage and in 1968 she produced The Great White Hope, which became the first production to transfer from a regional theatre to Broadway, winning the Tony and the Pulitzer Prize, and launching the careers of James Earl Jones and Jane Alexander. Her production of Inherit the Wind toured Soviet St. Petersburg and Moscow and Arena Stage was the first American theatre company sponsored by the State Department to do so. Like many other regional theatres afterward, Arena Stage cultivated an evolving but resident company over the decades that included some of America’s best actors: Robert Prosky, Frances Sternhagen, George Grizzard, Philip Bosco, Ned Beatty, Roy Scheider, Robert Foxworth, Jane Alexander, James Earl Jones, Melinda Dillon, Dianne Wiest, Max Wright, Marilyn Caskey, Harriet Harris, and Tom Hewitt. In 1975 it was the first regional theatre to be recognized by the American Theatre Wing and the Broadway League with the Regional Theatre Tony Award for outstanding achievement. When Ms. Fichandler retired as Producing Artistic Director of Arena Stage in 1990, she had achieved the longest tenure of any non-commercial producer in the annals of the American theatre. Before her death in July of 2016, Ms. Fichandler was Chair Emeritus of New York University’s acclaimed Graduate Acting Program where she personally taught, guided, and inspired more than 500 acting students, including Marcia Gay Harden, Rainn Wilson, Billy Crudup, Debra Messing, Peter Krause, and Michael C. Hall. Her honors include the SDC Foundation’s “Mr. Abbott” Award, The Acting Company’s John Houseman Award, the Margo Jones Award, and the National Medal of Arts, and in 1999 she became the first artistic leader outside of New York to be inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame.