<strong>SDCF exists to foster, promote, and develop the creativity and craft of stage directors and choreographers.</strong> SDCF events and programs are designed to offer access, opportunity, and community to directors and choreographers at all levels of career, critical because the work can often feel isolating and career paths inaccessible.
December is a time of reflection, and here in my office at SDC I look back on the many of 2012’s highlights of the Foundation as well as the Union: increased demand (including a record 305 applicants to SDCF’s Observership Program), a commitment to a broader range of distinguished artists (as at recent One-on-Ones), the launch of the <em>SDC Journal</em>, and visits around the country – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C. – which allowed me to meet and hear from many artists directly. These accomplishments and more are part of the collective effort of all of us on staff as well as the Executive Board to give a greater – and stronger – voice to directors and choreographers around the country.
We shouldn’t underestimate the power of our Foundation programs in strengthening that voice. SDCF calls attention to directors and choreographers throughout the country, both SDC Members and non-members alike, building greater community and garnering increased awareness of all of those working in the field. In November alone, SDCF presented <strong>Bill Rauch</strong> with the Zelda Fichandler Award and <strong>John Tiffany</strong> and <strong>Steven Hoggett</strong> with the Callaway Awards, granted Fellowships to <strong>Rachel Alderman</strong> and <strong>Desdemona Chiang</strong>, offered Observerships to emerging artists Pilar Castro-Kiltz, Ryan Domres, and Kathryn Moroney, spent a third month with our Hauptman Fellow in arts administration, held a workshop on contracts, and had more than 10,000 programs individually downloaded from our online series.
<span style=”color: #0000ff;”><a href=”https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1000856&code=Holiday%202009AM”><span style=”color: #0000ff;”>Please support the programs of SDCF</span></a></span> that encourage artistry in the fields of stage direction and choreography and grow the current and future generations of theatre’s artistic leaders. I invite you to join me in making a financial contribution to SDCF this giving season.
Wishing you a happy and healthy new year.
My best wishes,
<a href=”http://www.sdcweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/lp-sig-2.jpg”><img class=”wp-image-2254 alignnone” title=”lp sig 2″ src=”http://www.sdcweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/lp-sig-2.jpg” alt=”” width=”94″ height=”71″ /></a>
Laura Penn
<em>Executive Director</em>