Judge Saul Streit, Presiding Justice of the New York Supreme Court (seated), signs the incorporation documents witnessed by original Members (left to right) Hanya Holm, Ezra Stone, Shepard Traube, Agnes de Mille + legal counsel Erwin Feldman.
Judge Saul Streit, Presiding Justice of the New York Supreme Court (seated), signs the incorporation documents witnessed by original Members (left to right) Hanya Holm, Ezra Stone, Shepard Traube, Agnes de Mille + legal counsel Erwin Feldman.

WE PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF DIRECTORS & CHOREOGRAPHERS

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early sixty-five years ago, under the helm of director Shepard Traube, the founding Members of SDC united to create a theatrical labor union devoted to empowering the stage director and choreographer. When Bob Fosse withheld his services on a production of Little Me, Broadway producers were forced to recognize the Union, and in the case against producer Jay Julien, SDC won the important distinction of employee for its Membership. In addition to tackling the complex issue of intellectual property rights with such cases as Gerald Gutierrez‘s Most Happy Fella, Joe Mantello‘s Love! Valour! Compassion!, and John Rando‘s and John Carrafa‘s Urinetown, SDC has repeatedly achieved equitable fees and contracts for its Members. Today the Union is stronger than ever, working diligently to raise the profiles of directors and choreographers and their work and to unite, empower, and protect a nationwide Membership of professional directors and choreographers.

 

 

 

 


HISTORY OF EXECUTIVE BOARD PRESIDENTS & EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
2008 – Present Executive Director Laura Penn
2019 – Present President Evan Yionoulis
2016 – 2019 President Pam MacKinnon
2013 – 2016 President Susan H. Schulman
2007 – 2013 President Karen Azenberg
2001 – 2007 President Pamela Berlin
1998 – 2001 President Ted Pappas
1995 – 2008 Executive Director Barbara Hauptman
1992 – 1998 President Julianne Boyd
1987 – 1994 Executive Director David Rosenak
1986 – 1992 President Gene Saks
1984 – 1987 Executive Secretary Harrison Cromer
1983 – 1986 President Marshall W. Mason
1980 – 1983 President James Hammerstein
1970 – 1980 President Lloyd Richards
1968 – 1984 Executive Secretary Mildred Traube
1967 – 1970 President Danny Daniels
1965 – 1967 President Agnes de Mille
1962 – 1965 President Joseph Anthony
1959 – 1962 President Shepard Traube
FOUNDERS OF SDC

Robert Allan Ackerman Rod Alexander David Alexander Richard Altman
Joseph Anthony William Ball Richard Barr Herbert Berghof
Valerie Bettis Peter Birch Ruthanna Boris Charles Bowden
Harold Bromley Peter Brook Perry Bruskin Abe Burrows
Philip Burton John Butler Henry Butler Bill Butler
Robert Cahlman Carmen Capalbo Ted Cappy Madolin Cervantes
Ira Cirker Marcella Cisney Harold Clurman Jack Cole
Fielder Cook Frank A. Corsaro Paul Crabtree Hume Cronyn
Howard Da Silva Tad Danielewski Danny Daniels Marc Daniels
Jules Dassin Agnes de Mille Harry Delmar Reginald Denham
Vincent Donehue Robert Downing Lyle Dye Jr. Lee A. Emmerich
John Fearnley Cy Feuer Ernest O. Flatt Charles Forsythe
Bob Fosse Robert Foster Aaron Frankel Gene Frankel
Roy Franklin Burry Fredrick Charles Freeman Jack Garfein
Peter Gennaro Ella Gerber John Gerstad Sir John Gielgud
Gino Giglio Peter Glenville Robert H. Gordon William Hammerstein
John Hancock Cedric Hardwicke Moss Hart Joseph Hayes
Robert Herget Ray Hinkley Hanya Holm Harry Horner
Jed Horner Norris Houghton John Houseman Michael Howard
Robert Joffrey Garson Kanin Mesrop Kasdikian Elia Kazan
Gene Kelly John Kennedy Michael Kidd Jerome Kilty
Joseph Kramm Danya Krupska-Thurston Jack Landau Joe Layton
Robert Lewis Windsor Lewis Monica Lind Albert Lipton
Joshua Logan Sidney Lumet Alfred Lunt Herbert Machiz
Joseph Mankiewicz Delbert Mann Daniel Mann Albert E. Marre
Marshall W. Mason Billy Matthews Matt Mattox Nick Mayo
Guthrie McClintic Neil McKenzie Gian Carlo Menotti Burgess Meredith
Frank Merlin David Metcalf Worthington Miner Loy Nilson
James Nygren John O’Shaughnessy Sir Laurence Olivier Charles Olsen
Ruth Page Arthur Penn Daniel Petrie Stephen W. Porter
Henry C. Potter Stanley Prager Otto Preminger David Pressman
Jose Quintero Jack Ragotzy Elmer Rice Lloyd Richards
Cyril Ritchard Martin Ritt Jerome Robbins Hubert W. Rolling
Bill Ross Herbert Ross Mark Rydell Donald Saddler
George Schaefer Dore Schary Alan Schneider Mark Schoenberg
Alex Segal Joshua Shelley Ed Sherin Bert Shevelove
Herman Shumlin Elliot Silverstein Anna Sokolow Zachary Solov
Edith Stephen John Stix Ezra Stone Irving Strouse
Roger Sullivan Helen Tamiris Shepard Traube Anthony Tudor
Frank Day Tuttle Eugene Van Grona Allen Waine Margaret Webster
Onna White Arthur R. Williams John C. Wilson Bretaigne Windus