(New York, December 11, 2023) – Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has announced the promotion of Randy Anderson to the newly created position of Deputy Director. In this role, Anderson will manage the daily operations of the Union, helping to shape strategy and support the continued growth of SDC. He will be succeeded as Director of Contract Affairs by Kristy Cummings.
Said Executive Director Laura Penn, “In this dramatically evolving environment, improving the administrative structure of the Union prepares us to meet the needs of directors and choreographers with increased efficiency, energy, and enthusiasm. Randy Anderson is a leader and a collaborator, bringing negotiation, communication, and organizational skills to SDC. There is no doubt that both our staff and our Members will continue to benefit from his voice and expertise, his optimism (mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism) as he takes on this new leadership role.”
Anderson joined SDC in 2006 and for nearly two decades he has been an integral part of negotiations in every jurisdiction and has led multiple successful organizing campaigns, most recently securing recognition for Associate and Resident Directors and Choreographers. He represents SDC at the Coalition of Broadway and Union Guilds (COBUG), serves as an alternate Board Member with the Department of Professional Employees (AFL-CIO), and is a delegate to the New York City Central Labor Council.
As Director of Contract Affairs, Cummings will oversee the daily operations of the Contract Affairs department, including the negotiation and administration of SDC agreements and the development of organizing initiatives.
Cummings joined the Contract Affairs department after completing the SDC Hauptman Fellowship in 2010 while earning her M.F.A in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College. During her tenure as Deputy Director of Contract Affairs, she has been part of the successful efforts to secure union coverage and recognition for development work, fight choreographers, and associate directors and choreographers in multiple jurisdictions.
“Kristy Cummings brings great depth and clarity to her work,” Penn continued. “She has administered and enforced all of SDC’s multi-employer agreements, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, and LORT, and as Director of Contract Affairs she will play a significant role in the future of SDC.”