Stage Directing Fellowships
A Partnership with Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights’ Center, Keen Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, New York Stage and Film, and Red Bull Theater
Applications Open Fall 2025
The Drama League Stage Directing Fellowships provide a wide range of opportunities for emerging and rising directors, creating multiple avenues for future success in the theater industry. Providing significant financial support and health insurance reimbursement, creative retreats, network development, and residencies at multiple theater companies, The Drama League Stage Directing Fellowships also offer opportunities to direct readings and productions throughout the two-year experience. The Drama League Stage Directing Fellowships are for stage directors in the early- and mid-career stages of their professional career.
NOTE: All programs of The Drama League Directors Project have eligibility requirements. Please read our F.A.Q. page for full details before applying.
Details
Program Duration
24 Months
Program Frequency
Offered every other year. Next open cycle will be in Autumn 2025. Two recipients.
Scholarship Prize
$100,000 ($50,000 per year)
Health Insurance Reimbursement
Up to $10,000 ($5,000 per year)
Travel Coverage
- Professionals Week: One round-trip economy airfare, train, or bus (depending on distance) to/from New York City is provided by The Drama League from a U.S. Continental city, if the Recipient lives more than 25 miles from New York City. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation are not provided.
- Red Bull Experience: Travel is not provided for this experience.
- New York Stage and Film Experience: One round-trip train ticket from New York City to Poughkeepsie is provided by The Drama League. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation are not provided.
- Berkeley Rep Experience: One round-trip economy airfare, train, or bus (depending on distance to airports in the Berkeley area is provided by The Drama League from a U.S. Continental city, if the Recipient lives more than 25 miles from Berkeley. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation is not provided.
- Directing Intensive: One round-trip economy airfare, train, or bus (depending on distance) to New York City from city in the continental United States and/or ground travel to/from workshop location will be provided by The Drama League for Recipients living more than 25 miles outside of the area. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation are not provided.
- Manhattan Theatre Club and Playwright’s Center Experiences: One round-trip economy airfare, train, or bus (depending on distance) to/from New York City is provided by The Drama League from a U.S. Continental city to the theater’s city, if the Recipient lives more than 25 miles from them. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation are not provided.
- Directing Project: One round-trip economy airfare, train, or bus (depending on distance) to/from the city of project is provided by The Drama League from a U.S. Continental city, if the Recipient lives more than 25 miles from the city of project. Baggage fees, airport transfers, and in-city transportation are not provided.
Housing Coverage
- Professionals Week: Housing in New York City is provided by The Drama League for Recipients living more than 25 miles outside of the area.
- Red Bull Experience: Housing is NOT provided for these experiences, and is the responsibility of the Recipient.
- New York Stage and Film Experience: Housing is provided by New York Stage and Film for this experience.
- Berkeley Rep Experience: Housing is provided by Berkeley Rep for this experience.
- Directing Intensive: Housing is provided by The Drama League for this experience for Recipients living more than 25 miles from the location of the Intensive.
- Manhattan Theatre Club and Playwright’s Center Experiences: Housing is NOT provided for these experiences, and is the responsibility of the Recipient.
- Final Directing Project: Housing is NOT provided for any part of this experience, and is the responsibility of the Recipient.
Liability and Insurances
Recipient will not be an employee of TDL or its partners, instead a recipient of an educational program and will be considered as such under insurance policies.
Other Benefits
VIP Pass to all publicly offered Drama League and Partner programming during the Fellowship period; access to alumni-focused programs and events; and a lifetime Drama League Membership.
About The Stage Directing Fellowships
The Stage Directing Fellowships are the oldest initiatives of The Drama League Directors Project, launched in 1982. Sometimes called the Fall or New York Fellowships (before its expansion to multiple years and cities), the "SDF," as it is referred to by staff, is a foundational immersion into the field and the notions of artistic work, creative careers, and industry advancement. Alumni of the program include Tony Award winners Christopher Ashley, Pam MacKinnon, John Rando, Rebecca Taichman, Alex Timbers, and nominees Mark Brokaw, Anne Kauffman, Lila Neugebauer and Mortiz von Stuelpnagel.
Mid-May (approximately 1 week, full-time, in person)
DRAMA LEAGUE PROFESSIONALS WEEK*
The Drama League Fellowships begin with an intensive accelerator program in New York City, featuring workshops, learning opportunities, special events, and private meetings with prominent artistic leaders, producers, directors and other professionals.
June (approximately five days, full-time, in person)
DIRECTING INTENSIVE
The Fellows will participate in a process-first directing workshop in a remote location, directing scenes indoors and outdoors with professional actors and deepening their own directorial practice, supported by a mentor director, representatives of The Drama League and Keen Company.
June (mix of virtual/ approximately 1-2 days in person)
DIRECTING ENGAGEMENT: RED BULL THEATER (NYC)
One of the two Fellows joins the artistic team of Red Bull Theater to assist in the execution of, and direct half of the plays in the Red Bull Short Play Festival of new works, exploring directorial practice in the context of this award-winning company. The Fellow will join the artistic team virtually for pre-production, casting, and then in person for 1-3 days in New York City for rehearsals and performances.
NOTE: The Fellow not directing this year’s Short Play Festival will direct SPF in Year Two of the Fellowship, alternating years. (See Year Two below.)
Late June to early August (time commitment varies, in person)
NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT ENGAGEMENT:
NEW YORK STAGE AND FILM (Poughkeepsie, NY) and
BERKELEY REP GROUND FLOOR (Berkeley, CA)
One of the Fellows travels to assist on developmental projects as a Directing Fellow at New York Stage And Film’s Summer Season, while the other Fellow travels to assist on developmental projects as a Directing Fellow for the Ground Floor Festival at Berkeley Rep. (In Year Two, the Fellows will travel to work at the other institution during this time. See Year Two below.)
August-December (continuous, part-time, mix of virtual/in person, approximately 3-4 months)
DIRECTOR-IN-RESIDENCE EXPERIENCE:
MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB or PLAYWRIGHT’S CENTER
During this time, the two Fellows will follow separate tracks to join the artistic staff of either Manhattan Theatre Club or Playwrights’ Center. (One Fellow will be assigned to each theater.) During their time in residence, the Fellow observes and participates in the processes of season curation, new work development, production execution, community engagement, and more. The Fellow will return to this theater at the end of their Fellowship experience (See Year Two Below).
Mid-May (approximately five days, full-time, in person)
DRAMA LEAGUE PROFESSIONALS WEEK
For their second Professionals Week, Fellows have a curatorial role in designing experiences that can accelerate their own creative and professional growth.
June (mix of virtual/approximately 1-2 days in person)
DIRECTING ENGAGEMENT: RED BULL THEATER (NYC)
One of the two Fellows joins the artistic team of Red Bull Theater to assist in the execution of, and direct half of the plays in the Red Bull Short Play Festival of new works, exploring directorial practice in the context of this award-winning company. The Fellow will join the artistic team virtually for pre-production, casting, and then in person for 1-3 days in New York City for rehearsals and performances.
NOTE: The Fellow who did not direct the Short Play Festival in Year One will do so this year. (See Year One above.)
Late June to early August (time commitment varies, in person)
NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT ENGAGEMENT:
BERKELEY REP GROUND FLOOR (Berkeley, CA) and
NEW YORK STAGE AND FILM (Poughkeepsie, NY)
One of the Fellows travels to assist on developmental projects as a Directing Fellow for the Ground Floor Festival at Berkeley Rep, while the other Fellow travels to assist on developmental projects as a Directing Fellow at New York Stage And Film’s Summer Season. (The Fellows will have the alternate experience during this time that they had during Year One.)
To Be Scheduled Post-February With Fellow (time TBD)
DIRECTING OPPORTUNITY:
MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB (New York, NY) or
PLAYWRIGHT’S CENTER (Minneapolis, MN)
Fellows will direct a presentation with their Year One Residency company in consultation with the companies and The Drama League. The opportunity will be public but developmental in nature, and not a Mainstage production of either company.
DIRECTING PROJECT
Fellow may choose to have The Drama League substantially enhance a production at another theater company, or present a large-scale workshop or reading in New York City. The project is developed over the two-year period of the Fellowship, and leans organically into the connections and relationships developed in the Fellowship timeline.
Program Partner: Manhattan Theatre Club
MTC’s mission, created in 1972 and implemented over five decades of award-winning theatrical productions, is to develop and present new work in a dynamic, supportive environment; to identify and collaborate with the most promising and seasoned artists; and to produce a diverse repertoire of innovative, entertaining, and thought-provoking plays and musicals. Since 1989, MTC Education, which uses the power of live theatre to awaken minds, ignite imaginations, open hearts, and change lives, has also been an important corollary to MTC’s work, reaching thousands each season. MTC has grown from a small off-off-Broadway theatre into one of the country’s most prestigious and award-winning producing companies, creating over 600 world, American, New York and Broadway premieres. MTC productions have earned 7 Pulitzer Prizes, 28 Tony Awards, 50 Drama Desk Awards and 49 Obie Awards. manhattantheatreclub.com
Program Partner: Playwrights' Center
Founded in 1971, the Playwrights’ Center today serves more playwrights in more ways than any other organization in the country. One of the nation’s most-respected theater organizations, the Playwrights’ Center focuses on supporting playwrights and promoting new plays at theaters across the country. The Center has helped launch the careers of nationally recognized artists, notably Daniel Alexander Jones, Lee Blessing, Carlyle Brown, Sheila Callaghan, Karl Gadjusek, Marcus Gardley, Idris Goodwin, Sarah Gubbins, Jordan Harrison, Jeffrey Hatcher, Craig Lucas, Martyna Majok, Melanie Marnich, Qui Nguyen, Kira Obolensky, and August Wilson. Work developed through Center programs has been seen on such stages as The Guthrie, Lincoln Center Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf, The Public, Woolly Mammoth, and many others. pwcenter.org
Program Partner: Keen Company
Keen Company is a Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Off-Broadway company creating theater that connects. In intimate productions of plays and musicals, we celebrate the complexities of hope and the joys of the human condition, provoking identification, reflection, and emotional connection. In intimate productions of plays and musicals, the company tells stories about the decisive moments that change us. Through our educational arm, Keen Teens, we raise the quality of plays written for the high school stage and provide a free professional training program for teens. On-stage Keen champions the impact of integrity, and we uphold that same mission backstage. It is important to our company, and our work, that everyone feels safe, valued, and inspired to do their best. www.keencompany.org
Program Partner: Berkeley Rep
Berkeley Repertory Theatre has grown from a storefront stage in 1968 to an international leader in innovative theatre. Over 5.5 million people have enjoyed nearly 500 shows at Berkeley Rep, which have won six Tony Awards, seven Obie Awards, nine Drama Desk Awards, one Grammy Award, one Pulitzer Prize, and many other honors. Berkeley Rep received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1997. To formalize, enhance, and expand the processes by which Berkeley Rep makes theatre, The Ground Floor was launched in 2012. The Berkeley Rep School of Theatre engages and educates 20,000 people a year. Berkeley Rep’s facilities — which include the 400-seat Peet’s Theatre, the 600-seat Roda Theatre, and a campus in West Berkeley — are helping revitalize a renowned city. berkeleyrep.org
Program Partner: New York Stage and Film
New York Stage and Film is a not-for-profit company dedicated to both emerging and established artists in the development and production of theater and film by creating community, supporting process, and uplifting original artistic voices. The New York Times calls the company a “formidable breeding ground for new work,” and dozens of notable works trace their developmental roots to NYSAF, including Tony Award winners HAMILTON, HADESTOWN, SIDE MAN and THE HUMANS; Broadway productions such as THE NOTEBOOK, AMERICAN IDIOT, JUNK, and BRIGHT STAR; and Pulitzer winners and finalists such as DOUBT, THE WOLVES and Taylor Mac’s A 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC. newyorkstageandfilm.org
Program Partner: Red Bull Theater
Red Bull Theater brings rarely seen classic plays to dynamic new life for contemporary audiences, uniting a respect for tradition with a modern sensibility. Named for the rowdy Jacobean playhouse that illegally performed plays in England during the years of Puritan rule, this bold spirit is central to Red Bull’s identity. Founded in 2003 with a production of Shakespeare’s Pericles, Red Bull Theater has been acclaimed by Time Out New York as “the most exciting classical theater in New York.” Red Bull Theater has produced 25 Off-Broadway productions and over 200 Revelation Readings of rarely seen classics. The company’s unique programming has been recognized with Lortel, Drama Desk, Drama League, Calloway, Off Broadway Alliance, and Obie nominations and awards. redbulltheater.com
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About the Drama League
The Drama League is the preeminent creative development home for directors, offering access and opportunity to them, their collaborators, and the audiences they inspire across the world in theater, film, television, online content, and anywhere live performance is found. Launched in 1916, The Drama League is one of the longest continuously-operating arts service organizations in the United States. To be a part of supporting future generations of artists, please visit dramaleague.org/membership.