Author: ethan

Announcing the 2018/2019 Recipients of the Writers Alliance Grants

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We are thrilled to announce the second-ever recipients of the DGF Writers Alliance Grants. These Grants provide $5,000 to both a non-profit theater’s production of a new work and $5,000 to the writer or group of writers whose work is being produced. Gary Garrison, who serves on both the DGF Advisory Board and the Writers Alliance Grant selection committee, said: “The DGF’s Writers Alliance Grant is the perfect combination of support for both writer AND theater. It acknowledges that the writer has a story that should to be told while also smartly pointing to the theater that should be telling it.”

Each writer is one whose work pushes boundaries and shows tremendous promise. Each of the producing theaters demonstrated superlative ethical standards in supporting the livelihoods and careers of writers. Tina Howe, who also serves on the DGF Advisory Board and the Writers Alliance Grant selection committee, said: “You should hear our squeals of delight as we choose our ten winners from across the country. We’re both democratic in our reach, yet autocratic in our insistence on high quality.”

These grants reflect DGF’s commitment to ensuring writers’ contributions to theater are respected and to changing the national conversation about how writers are treated by the institutions that produce their work. Howe adds: “These grants function as both an example and opportunity for the entire theatrical industry.”

Writers Alliance Grants are the largest individual grants DGF has ever given to theaters, and are among the largest grants DGF gives directly to writers. Writers Alliance Grants, developed in partnership with the Dramatists Guild of America, are awarded in celebration of working relationships that align deeply with DGF core values. Susan Birkenhead, also serving on both the DGF Advisory Board and the Writers Alliance Grant selection committee, said “We take great care to ensure that the theatres we help provide good contracts that treat our writers well.”

The full list of recipients:

Writer: Stephan Wolfert, writer of The She-Wolf of France Theater: Amphibian Stage Productions, in Fort Worth, TX

“From new voices comes new perspectives. New perspectives lead to understanding and change. This is indeed the imperative of great and relevant theatre. ASP deeply values writers like Stephan Wolfert whose particular voice addresses healing from traumatic experiences. Wolfert’s writing delves below the surface and beyond the expected. His innovative and inspiring approach to developing and writing text is in simpatico with our organization’s mission. We know that in order to be an effective catalyst for change, then we must embrace stories that explore the deeper tremors of the soul.”

 – Kathleen Culebro, Artistic Director, Amphibian Stage

 

 Writer: Hansol Jung, writer of Wolf Play Theater: Artists Repertory Theatre, in Portland, OR

“We are thrilled to be commissioning and producing Hansol Jung (Wolf Play), whose sense of theatricality is exhilarating and eloquent. She has a unique perspective on theater, and we find our own enriched and expanded by working with her.“

– Luan Schooler, Director of New Play Development and Dramaturgy, Artists Repertory Theatre

 

Writers: Bill Nelson and Joseph Trefler, writers of Men with Money

Theater: Aurora Theatre, in Lawrenceville, GA

“Over the past decade, Aurora Theatre has placed an emphasis on cultivating and producing new work, especially diverse work, since our theater is located in the most diverse county in the Southeastern United States. Funding from Dramatists Guild Foundation will support the world premiere of a great new musical, Men With Money. We bill the show this way. “This romantic romp is full of dreams, schemes and lavish musical numbers set in the golden age mecca of Manhattan in the 1950’s, with a twist. Two of our leading men are looking for husbands. Oh My!” It was important to us as co-founders of a suburban theatre, that we produce shows that positively reflect all communities. That includes the LGBTQ community. This “agenda of empathy” is important in our pursuit of kindness and acceptance.”

 – Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence, Co-Founders and Artistic Directors, Aurora Theatre

 

Writers: Dael Orlandersmith and Antonio Suarez, writers of Antonio’s Song/I Was Dreaming of a Son Theater: Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, WV

“It is all about collaboration…making a new theater piece with Dael Orlandersmith and Antonio Suarez goes to the very heart of our mission: to produce and develop new American theater. I am excited to provide a creative atmosphere for Dael and Antonio to collaborate with Mark Clements, director and Alexandra Beller, movement director, and our design team to bring to give birth to this remarkable new work that explores the challenges of fatherhood, cultural identity, and male aggression in today’s turbulent world. CATF is dedicated to the American playwright. We believe in producing new work without a safety net of tradition. We believe in the power of stories. We believe that writing matters. We believe that words matter.”

 – Ed Herendeen, Founder and Producer, CATF

 

Writer: Gus Schulenburg, writer of Operating Systems Theater: Flux Theatre Ensemble in Forest Hills, NY

“Flux Theatre Ensemble is deeply committed to long-term collaboration with artists and building a creative home. Flux has been Gus’ creative home for over a decade, and we couldn’t be more proud and honored to be producing her latest play, Operating Systems this March!”

 – Heather Cohn, Co-Founder and Producing Director, Flux Theatre Ensemble

 

Writer: Nambi E. Kelley, writer of Jazz Theater: Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley, CA

“We are incredibly grateful to the Dramatists Guild Foundation for awarding us a Writers Alliance Grant to support Marin Theatre Company’s continued development and production of Nambi E. Kelley’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Jazz. Nambi is one of our most treasured collaborators and a unique voice in the American theater. With her adaptation of Richard Wright’s Native Son and continuing with her adaptation of Morrison’s novel, Nambi has proven to be a highly inventive deconstructor of the novel and simultaneous constructor of theatrical event maps. Nambi’s adaptations always leave incredible room for artists to create and collaborate.”

 – Jasson Minadakis Artistic Director, Marin Theater

 

Writer: Christopher Johnston, writer of Live Bodies for Sale  Theater: Playwrights Local 4181 in Cleveland Heights, OH

“Our mission as a new-play company is to produce and promote local writers, so being supportive of them is of primary importance to us. With that being the case, the Writers Alliance Grant is an extremely valuable and meaningful opportunity for our organization. We’re grateful to the Dramatists Guild Foundation for funding both playwrights and the producers that serve them.”

 – David Todd, Artistic Director, Playwrights Local

 

Writer: Morgan Gould, writer of I Wanna Fucking Tear You Apart Theater: Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, IL

“At Rivendell, we prioritize having the playwright involved in the process. The end result is a deeper dive into the storytelling, with our audiences reaping the rewards of that work.”

 – Tara Mallen, Artistic Director and Founder, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

 

Writer: Stephanie Alison Walker, writer of The Abuelas Theater: Teatro Vista in Chicago, IL

“At Teatro Vista we are passionate about supporting new work that explores the wealth and variety of the human experience from a Latinx perspective. We love working with writers in the early stages of their process so we can collaborate and add Teatro Vista’s unique voice to the piece.”

 – Sylvia Hevia, Managing and Developing Director, Teatro Vista

 

Writer: Chris Weikel, writer of Secret Identity Theater: The Other Side of Silence (TOSOS) in New York, NY

“At TOSOS we believe that writers are the lifeblood of the American theater, and strive to treat all equitably and fairly. The Writers Alliance Grant is particularly meaningful to me, since I have always viewed The Other Side of Silence (TOSOS) as my artistic home. Home can often be a fraught word for LGBTQ+ artists, but TOSOS truly is my home. It is gratifying that the DGF has recognized the company’s commitment to not only amplifying the voices of the LGBTQ+ community but to partnering with the writers who give that voice eloquence.”

 – Chris Weikel, Playwright and WAG Recipient

Intern with DGF!

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Join the DGF team for a semester as our new Arts Administration Intern!

The Arts Administration Intern provides services essential to the mission of the organization and to its day-to-day-operations. This individual provides support to both Programs and Marketing, maintaining good relations with partners, colleagues, and other organizational contacts made in the normal course of conducting DGF work. The ideal candidate has a deep interest in how a nonprofit organization operates and in gaining hands-on experience in multiple areas of arts administration.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assists in day-to-day administrative affairs of the office.
2. Provides the Program Manager, Marketing Manager, and Executive Assistant with background information and/or supporting documents in preparation for scheduled appointments, meetings, speaking engagements, conferences, interviews, etc.
3. Completes exhaustive research assignments with exceptional detail and writing ability, including program data, travel arrangements, and career histories of prolific writers.
4. Reviews prepared documents to ensure accuracy and completeness, as well as consistency with organizational policy. Reviews other prepared documents, such as marketing materials and donor mailings as needed.
5. Generates documents and materials in format and style in keeping with DGF’s brand.
6. Creates and maintains organizational systems for office operations, files, and archives.
7. Processes incoming applications, event RSVPs, and content for service to Program Manager.
8. Responds to and handles confidential and sensitive information with poise, tact, and diplomacy.
9. Purchases Program, Marketing, and office supplies.
10. Assists in event planning, as needed.
11. Performs other duties as assigned and directed.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with internal and external constituents.
• Demonstrated interest in arts administration in long-term career planning preferred.
• High level of organization with history of developing organizational systems for personal, academic, or professional management.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and use good judgment in making independent decisions with a high degree of tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, with extreme attention to detail.
• Evening and weekend availability for special events as needed – typically once/month.
• Proficiency in use of Google Drive required.
• Proficiency in use of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Keynote and Adobe Creative Cloud a plus.
• Basic knowledge of Marketing materials and assets.
• Ability to coordinate a high volume of diverse assignments, effectively handle competing priorities, and maintain attention to detail.
• Students seeking academic credit, undergraduate or graduate, are preferred.
• Passion for DGF’s mission, goals, and programming.

Interns working 18+ hours per week will be provided an MTA Unlimited Metro Card for the length of their internship.

How To Apply:

To apply, email info@dgf.org with the subject line LAST NAME – Arts Administration Intern. We ask that you provide a resume, a cover letter expressing your interest in the position, and a brief professional writing sample of no more than two paragraphs.

How do children learn that their voices matter?

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How do we give children the tools to share their stories? How can the arts help them connect their personal experiences to what they learn in the classroom? The answer is New Voices, DGF’s in-school playwriting initiative that is helping children discover the power of their own voices.

Thanks to the support of friends like you, DGF launched New Voices in March of 2018. We spend a month in classrooms, teaching students about story structure, dialogue, and introducing them to playwriting as a method of creative expression. In its first season, 225 children at Brooklyn’s P.S. 1 The Bergen School worked with four professional dramatists—each a former DGF Fellow—to create seven original plays, which were then professionally directed and performed for the students and their families at the school.

Students wrote plays on the topic of immigration as part of their social studies curriculum. One of the teachers at PS-1, Diana Alvarado, explains—

“Our school is in a neighborhood that has become the new home to many immigrants looking to start a new life. Most of my students are first-generation Americans. As the children of immigrants, they come from homes where parents don’t speak English and have difficulty helping their children with school work. Despite their many obstacles, these children come to school each day happy and excited to learn within a classroom that provides the integration of English as a New Language instruction.”

It was empowering for the children to share their experiences. Constructing characters, developing plot, infusing humor—laughing at the jokes they’d created—the kids not only thoroughly enjoyed the experience, they came away realizing they could have an impact on the world. In Diana Alvarado’s words—

“DGF not only made this experience safe, it gave these absolutely wonderful and gifted children a voice and platform to express themselves through playwriting.”

Helping tomorrow’s citizens find their voices today ensures the theater will thrive for years to come. It is crucial that young writers have the opportunity to create and share their stories. Your support of Dramatists Guild Foundation makes it possible. We are so grateful for your support. Through the DGF New Voices, Fellows, Traveling Masters, Emergency Grants, Music Hall, Writers Alliance Grants, and Legacy Project programs: together we’re protecting the future of the American theater by nurturing the writers who create it. Thank you.

If you would like to support the New Voices program, please visit dgf.org/donate

 

Emergency Grants Help Writers Get Back on Track

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Thanksgiving has come and gone, but the spirit of the season has only just begun! The holidays are inspiring us to give thanks, show support, and celebrate our community. And we find that one of the best ways to share this feeling is through storytelling:

Below you’ll find a letter from Joseph Varisco, the program director for QUEER, ILL + OKAY, and recipient of a DGF Emergency Grant.

Our emergency grants provide funds for writers facing tragic circumstances. Writers like Joseph have used DGF Emergency Grants to: pay for cancer treatments, recover from natural disasters, escape domestic violence, prevent eviction, & overcome other unforeseen emergency situations.

We hope Joseph’s story inspires you this giving season and beyond. Thank you for being a member of our community. Turkey and pies or not, we’re giving thanks for you every day of the year:

When I was diagnosed HIV+ in 2012, I had no money, no health insurance, no job, and no idea what my future held.

I had followed the rules, gotten a degree, volunteered, applied my time learning and giving back, and used protection. I started reaching out for help through healthcare resources and care programs. I had learned to navigate systems for others interning as a social work student, but I had no direct experience with those systems of my own. I took a stab in the dark and applied to anything I could find.

The Dramatists Guild Foundation was the first to respond with an Emergency Grant to help cover medical expenses. Knowing that an entire community came to support me brought light into a very dark chapter of my life.

I’m writing to say thank you. Not only did your care and generosity rescue me financially, the sense of security it provided served as a wellspring for an artistic, educational, and compassion-based project, QUEER, ILL + OKAY.

This is a performance series that mixes theater, art, spoken word, and video to tell the stories of people living with HIV, disabilities, and chronic illnesses. Since its beginning in 2013, QUEER, ILL + OKAY has become an international arts and education program series exploring, supporting, and building relationships, while destigmatizing stereotypes of people living with those conditions.

When I was diagnosed, I defied the fears I faced and publicly shared my status to resist and confront the stereotypes and misinformation that still impact the lives of those living with HIV, disabilities, and chronic illnesses. I then developed QUEER, ILL + OKAY. To build community.

As a DGF Emergency Grant recipient, I know, firsthand, the difference it makes to be part of a larger community of support. As part of the DGF community, you’ve made an impact in my life—and you’ve inspired my work to impact others’ lives.

Thank you for giving me the confidence and faith in what this work has the capacity to accomplish.

Warmest regards,

Joseph Varisco, Program Director QUEER, ILL + OKAY

The History of MAC Cosmetics and Broadway

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Before curtain call, before curtain up, and before casting, theater starts with a writer and the blank page. And as the saying goes, from there, it takes a village. It’s easy to name the main players that help bring theater to life– playwrights, actors, directors, stage managers– but the work that goes into a show (and the storytelling) extends far beyond the boundaries of a rehearsal room.

The look of every show for example: from set to costumes and makeup to poster design, every aesthetic choice has a critical impact on the way we experience the story.

Take the work of 2018 DGF Gala honoree John Demsey: John Demsey is Estée Lauder Companies’ Executive Group President. He also serves as M·A·C Cosmetics Brand President and as Chairman of the M·A·C AIDS Fund, fostering relationships between the M·A·C Cosmetics artist relations team and the Broadway community.

He has partnered with a variety of productions, integrating MAC Cosmetics into such favorites as Angels in America, Follies, Into the Woods, Jekyll & Hyde, Anastasia, SpongeBob SquarePants. And, oh yeah…Wicked!

That’s right, Elphaba’s signature green is none other than MAC PRO Chromacake Landscape Green. And yes, there is a MAC template online for how to get your own green Elphia glow.

MAC is the official makeup sponsor for Wicked (and many other productions), so ponder just for a moment the reach MAC has had since Wicked opened in 2003. 15 years, two national tours, at least a dozen Elphabas, productions in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and more! Talk about brand awareness!

And that’s where the business of show really takes the spotlight. Creativity and artistry come in many forms. Said Demsey of his own career to the Wall Street Journal, “I’m perceived as a suit to creatives and a creative to suits.” But that’s where the beauty of his business resides. Of his industry, Demsey shared, “The beauty business is the ultimate mash-up of science, dream-making, storytelling, and creativity.” What’s more, MAC Cosmetics brands itself as makeup for all races. All ages. All genders. That sounds an awful lot like the theater community to us! It’s no wonder that MAC has helped designers create some of the most recognized characters in theater history.  

MAC is celebrated for being one of the few brands that markets to male-identifying consumers and thus has solidified its place of honor in a multitude of LGBTQ+ -inclusive productions and communities.

Elphaba’s green aside, think of Hedwig’s iconic blue eye shadow in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. MAC. Les Cagelles in La Cage aux Folles? MAC. The devastating reality and fantasy elements of Angels in America? That’s right, MAC. How about a makeup that can satisfy the multitude of needs for a diverse cast like Kinky Boots? You guessed it!

The practice of inclusion is likely what has given MAC its longevity and loyalty from the Broadway community. That’s without mentioning, of course, the dedicated efforts of the MAC AIDS Fund.

Since MAC founders Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan created the fund in 1994, it has raised more than $480 million. The MAC website proudly declares that 100% of the purchase price of VIVA Glam lipstick goes towards the MAC AIDS Fund and the fight against HIV/AIDS. They have become the largest corporate, non-pharmaceutical giver to the cause.

Unsurprisingly, there’s an even more expanded relationship between these makeup artists and theater artists through the joint efforts of the MAC AIDS Fund and Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. MAC AIDS Fund sponsors the now legendary Broadway Bares burlesque fundraiser for BC/EFA.

This support, community-building, and commitment to artistry of all kinds is what makes the relationship between MAC and Broadway so powerful. It’s collaboration, inspiration, and celebration. And it’s just one piece of the puzzle. It certainly does “take a village,” and we believe that enough of these towns can change the world.

Join us on November 12th for the 2018 DGF Gala honoring John Demsey, Faith Hope Consolo, and Sheldon Harnick. For tickets and more information, click here.

DGF is giving you a First Look

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We always encourage putting pen to paper, but this time, we have a very specific reason: it’s time to mark your calendars! The DGF Gala, our most glamorous night of the year is approaching fast—an evening dedicated to celebrating the work of legendary writers and significant contributors to American theater. There are several ways to support DGF and the gala this season, and we’re giving you the First Look here, so you may step into your greatest role as a member of this community yet…

FIRST things first…

Simply put, the Gala is the most critical fundraising event for the Dramatists Guild Foundation each year. We work to create a special evening for guests, honorees, and our supporters near and far.

This year’s theme is First Look!  At the gala, we’re offering early glimpses of performances from recently- and soon-to-be-opened shows. You can expect appearances from Jagged Little Pill, Be More Chill, The Lifespan of a Fact and The Prom! Follow us @dgfound for announcements of our additional Gala performers, participants, and host.

LOOK who’s here!

Above all, the Gala is our way of saying thank you for the continued support of emerging writers and creators: the future of American theater. And we are thrilled to announce this year’s honorees:

Beloved writer, lyricist and composer Sheldon Harnick (She Loves Me, Fiddler on the Roof) and esteemed patrons of the arts John Demsey (Estée Lauder Companies’ Executive Group President) and Faith Hope Consolo (Chairman of Douglas Elliman’s Retail Group).

These three honorees are leaders in their industries and also leaders in giving back. They are generous, inspiring, and committed to the growth and support of artists.

Our DGF president Andrew Lippa shared what many of us are feeling: “It is a privilege to honor them all at our Gala in November. These three honorees have left their mark on theater and the arts in myriad ways. Personally speaking, as both a writer and President of DGF, Sheldon’s impact on my life has been immense.”

Sheldon’s career has had an impact on the work and lives of countless artists, and audiences. This got us thinking about the actions and contributions of theater patrons that have had a ripple effect far beyond the context of their work. Consider honoree John Demsey: John Demsey also serves as M·A·C Cosmetics Brand President and as Chairman of the M·A·C AIDS Fund, fostering relationships between the M·A·C Cosmetics artist relations team and the Broadway community. He has partnered with a variety of productions, integrating M·A·C Cosmetics’ into such favorites as Wicked (where else would Elphaba get her signature green?), The Wedding Singer, Grease, Follies, Into the Woods, Jekyll & Hyde, On the Town, The Wild Party, Sweet Charity, Torch Song, Anastasia, Beautiful, Summer, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Each show’s signature look has a critical impact on the way we experience the stories.

What’s more, we honor the support of theater-lovers, the actions of whom can have an unparalleled impact on the future of theater. Honoree Faith Hope Consolo shared this with us: “In my life and career, I have had the chance to be a part of many thrilling stories. I support DGF because they are helping talented writers across the country expand our sense of what’s possible in the world.”

There’s no upper limit on how many stories can be told, how many people can be affected by the power of a story, and what theater can do to inspire the world. That’s what our annual Gala is all about.

FIRST come FIRST served

So how can you get involved? In addition to our table tickets, we are selling a limited number of tickets to the Gala Show! This is an incredible opportunity to see the performers who have impacted you in a celebratory setting, sharing the work that inspires them.

LOOKing forward

As you know, we’re committed to nurturing the work of writers at all levels of their career. In supporting the creators of today, we can protect the stories of tomorrow.

Are you as excited as we are yet?! For tickets to the Gala (or the show!), please visit: https://dgf.org/events/gala/, email: dgf@total-management.com, or call: 212-878-6646.

The Vital Role of the Missoula Colony

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This post originally appeared in Sam French’s Breaking Character Magazine

This past June, two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and DGF Traveling Master Jon Robin Baitz (Other Desert Cities, The Film Society) visited Montana Repertory Theatre’s Missoula Colony to share a keynote address and a new play with local artists. Known regionally and nationally as a dynamic, professional touring company, Montana Rep’s vision of theater is utterly holistic and inclusive. Their mission includes the wish “to celebrate the human spirit in an ever-expanding community.” The DGF Traveling Masters program brings luminaries of the modern stage to regional theaters for masterclasses on writing. To ensure the continued relevance of theater throughout the United States, programs like Montana Rep’s Missoula Colony and the DGF Traveling Masters are important tools in strengthening and amplifying the voices of artists outside of New York City and other urban centers.

The Missoula Colony, was founded in 1996 by Michael Murphy, Marsha Norman, and Montana Rep Artistic Director Greg Johnson. Convening annually at the University of Montana, where five gorgeous Rocky Mountain valleys and three stunning rivers converge, the Colony’s ongoing mission is to bring the Missoula theater community a week of discussion, artistic exchange, and new play readings and workshops. Every summer, Missoulians and visitors alike congregate on the beautiful campus to share their ideas about the American theater and celebrate the craft of writing. And according to the Colony, this grand communal experiment reflects a fluid spirit and purpose, operating as “both a place, and an idea.”

Playwrights swear by the Missoula Colony’s effects and scope. Anita Vatshell, a Louisiana-based playwright, has attended the program eight years in a row. “Exposure to new and established theater artists and emerging writers is a core component of the Colony,” she writes. “The Missoula setting and Colony structure creates an intimate learning and networking atmosphere with other writers, actors and theater lovers.” Carson Grace Becker, a Montana-based playwright, notes that the program’s emphasis on community-building makes it unique among similar, institutional workshop settings. “In my experience, it is both important and joyful for playwrights to gather together — to talk, share, write, experiment, observe, innovate, etc., — because they are unique within the theater family.”

Yet the week in the mountains has a more specific purpose. In the Colony’s aim to unite local and traveling artists for a week of cross-pollination and exchange, the program engages in some truly radical work. Becker, who also runs an arts and humanities non-profit dedicated in part to addressing the state’s high teen suicide rate, insists that one of the Colony’s main attributes is how it helps provide a much-needed artistic oasis in a community that can sometimes feel isolating. “The efficacy of arts and culture programming in battling depression, violence, despondency, etc., has been well documented — and theater and writing provide a particular, special community/collaborative involvement and orientation. More urban and populated states provide more ready access to such programming, [but] here in a state almost 4 times the size of NY, with a population of only a million, the importance of arts access and programming is vital to both private and public health,” she writes. “Colony is thus critical, in my opinion, to the homeostasis of this western place.”

Montana Repertory Theatre is serving a crucial purpose in its region. According to Vatshell, “without the work of Montana Rep’s National Tour and Education Outreach program, many residents of Montana would have limited or no access to live theater.” Like Montana Rep and the community in Missoula, there are thousands of administrators, practitioners, and enthusiasts deeply committed to the continued thriving of theater in their areas. Theatrical organizations based in New York and other urban centers do ourselves and our beloved craft a disservice by not continually amplifying their work

To learn more about Montana Rep, or the Missoula Colony, visit http://montanarep.org/. To bring a Traveling Masters to your community, email tessa@dgf.org.

Meet the Fellows: Len Schiff

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Meet the Fellows: Len Schiff

    What was your first experience with Theater?

When I was 3 or 4 and my grandparents still lived in Brooklyn, my favorite thing to do was to explore the shiny purple folio that housed their Gilbert and Sullivan record collection. I didn’t understand the stories or W. S. Gilbert’s highflown diction, but the intricate words and playful melodies (I skipped the slow songs) totally captured my imagination anyway. I have since inherited those records, and though I don’t own a turntable right now, I think they’re always playing somewhere in the back of my mind.

When did you recognize you were a writer? Or when did you start writing?

I don’t remember ever not being a writer! One of my earliest memories is of recording epic radio dramas (I played all the parts) on an old Califone cassette recorder that my dad brought home from school. Thankfully, these recordings have been lost to the ages.

My real start as a lyricist was at USDAN, a wonderful arts camp on Long Island, where I was in the musical theater program. In vocal class, while kids worked on their audition pieces, I used to write parodies of their songs. One day, one of the instructors pulled me aside and suggested that I should pursue lyric-writing more seriously. It was good advice: I never mastered the time step, but I found what I love doing most.

Where does your inspiration come from? Or who do you look to for inspiration?

Books and literature, comics, mythology and religion — those are my main sources for ideas. I’m drawn to stories that don’t sit squarely in one genre or another, but have a shimmer of the strange or fantastical about them. An author friend once told me to write the shows that won’t get made if I don’t make them — I’ve tried to follow that advice.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

I generally identify as a lyricist — even on projects I’ve initiated, I’ve made to have both a composer and a book-writer on board. In the Fellows program, however, my only partner is composer David Mallamud; I’m looking forward to a taking a deep dive into bookwriting, learning to shape a show that really represents our shared vision.

What do you find most rewarding about the writing process?

For me, writing is at its most rewarding when you’re in rehearsals, writing in the hall while the actors work in the studio. That’s when I’m most likely to experience a state of flow: the song tells you what it needs, the rhymes just come and every choice you make is right. Too relaxed an environment lets self-doubt creep in, but a burst of adrenaline can be wonderfully clarifying.

Len’s musical SIGNS OF LIFE (music by Joel Derfner, book by Peter Ullian) opened off-Broadway in 2010 at the Marjorie S. Deane Theater and went on to a run at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater. THE GOLEM OF HAVANA (2015 Independent Reviewers of New England Nomination, Best New Play; music by Salomon Lerner, book by Michel Hausmann) premiered at Barrington Stage’s New Musicals Lab, later enjoying a record-breaking run in Miami; it will next play the Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis. Other works include the musicals ÆTHERNITY (music: Chris Sidorfsky) ZACH IN PROGRESS (music: Georgia Stitt) and the one act opera USHER FALLING (music: Randall Eng).Current projects include a rock biography of Daniel Ellsberg with composer David Mallamud, an adaptation of the Ellen Kushner novel SWORDSPOINT with Joel Derfner and Peter Ullian, and an adaptation of G.K. Chesterton’s THE MAN WHO WAS THURSDAYwith Chris Sidorfsky and Austin Grossman. Len holds an MFA in Musical Theater Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theater Advanced Workshop. He lives in Little Neck, NY with his wife, their son, and entirely too many board games.

Meet the Fellows: Nicole Pandolfo

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Meet the Fellows: Nicole Pandolfo

                                                What was your first experience with Theater?

My first experience with theatre was going to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City with my mom on a bus trip from South Jersey which exploded my world when I found out New York City was a place that existed, where lots of things I wanted to be around were happening, and that I could go to if I could get myself onto a bus. That experience both solidified my love of the theatre and my love of New York City.

When did you start writing?

I started writing poetry and short stories in the beginning of high school and my English teacher, Mrs. Howard, told me that I was good at it. I was horrible at sports and as a dancer was always half a step behind (or ahead) of everyone so it might have been the first time someone acknowledged that I had a specific talent. I wrote some embarrassing poems about ex-boyfriends and some short stories here and there and then in college at NYU I took a creative writing class as an elective and again, the instructor pointed out to me that I was good at it and it was then I had to acknowledge a true desire to explore the path of being a writer. I didn’t make my way to playwriting until a year after graduating when my close friend and comic artist genius Kevin Maguire suggested on a whim we take a class together at HB Studio (which he never did sign up for).

Who do you look to for inspiration?

I’m very inspired by the blue-collar hard-working people from where I grew up in South Jersey. Paulsboro is a refinery-town that’s had a rough shake due to the post-industrial blight that plagues parts of our country. What truly inspires me about the people who I grew up around is that despite many odds staked against us, as a community we have a lot of pride and are good, generous people. I find that where I grew up in Jersey, with Philadelphia just across the river and New York City within arms reach, but economic opportunities few and far between, there is a lot to keep you in one place, but also a lot to reveal the possibility of something more. Tina Howe tells me that my gift is how I write about people who are longing and I think that very much has to do with where I grew up geographically.

What are you most looking forward to as a fellow?

I’m so looking forward to getting to know the other fellows and their work and to learn from Diana, Laurence, Michael, and Sheri. Of course it’s also exciting to think about learning from the amazing guests that will be joining us in our sessions as well. I hope to make some really great progress on my plays in the fellowship and to be brave in my writing, generous to the other fellows, and open to learning new things about myself and the craft.

What do you find most rewarding about being a dramatist? Or what do you find most rewarding about the writing process?

For me the most rewarding part about writing is reaching someone else through my work. When someone expresses to me that they recognized something in their own lives or understood something differently about themselves or questioned ideas they have that they thought were fixed because of something I’ve written that makes me feel really good. So much of the process of creating art is wanting to be heard and wanting to be loved and wanting to love and those connections remind me that there is true value in what we as writers are doing.

Nicole Pandolfo recently graduated with her MFA from Hunter College where she studied with Tina Howe, Arthur Kopit, and Mark Bly. She was most recently selected for a 2017 commission with the NJPAC Stage Exchange with Premiere Stages at Kean University. Her work has been developed through the Jerome Foundation, The Actors Studio, the Lark, and NJ Rep among others and she was a finalist for the Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship and the Leah Ryan Fund for Emerging Women Writers. She is a member of The Actors Studio in the Playwright/Director Unit directed by Lyle Kessler. She has had plays published and produced throughout New York City and the United States as well as in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Singapore, Toronto, and more. Thank you to everyone at the Dramatist Guild Fund.

Meet the Fellows: Ione Lloyd

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Meet The Fellows: Ione Lloyd

What was your first experience with Theater?

When I was a kid I lived in Middle America where theater wasn’t for poor people and people of color. My elementary school bussed us in to the city to see “The Nut Cracker” and I thought to myself I know this, I can do this. I am always striving to make sure that when I look out into the audience of one of my pieces I see different ages and races.

My plays are written to be shared. Like at a restaurant where you have to sit at that big long table with anyone who walks in — can I laugh, that would make me feel angry too, I ordered first why do they have their food and I don’t and why are they crying and should I be? That is what theater is for, to understand the humanity of people that have different backgrounds and lifestyles than you may have. We all need to take a seat at that big long table and not get up until we have laughed and cried together.

When did you start writing?

I was always writing but it wasn’t something I realized I could be — at first. My Mom worked briefly at a factory and my Dad was a porter in a restaurant. I used writing as a way to figure out the world or at least a place to hold things I couldn’t understand — like how my Dad could work so hard but we still didn’t have any money, and why I had to stay home from school and watch soaps with my White mother when the Klan marched at the capitol. It’s saddens me to say but my inspiration for writing hasn’t changed sense 3rd grade.

What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I’m using my fellowship year to develop my musical “Household Magic” an exploration of race, class, gender and girlhood in an all-female musical set in a time when slavery was legal and witches were burned at the stake.

What do you find most rewarding about the writing process?

We spend a lot of time walking around not allowing ourselves to feel anything and I find it most rewarding when I can create a piece that gives people permission to have emotions — even if it’s just for 90 minutes.

PATRICIA IONE LLOYD is a 2017 Playwrights Realm fellow and a 2016 Sundance fellow for her play Eve’s Song, She is a 2017 New Georges fellow and a 2017 Dramatist Guild fellow for her musical Household Magic. Lloyd is a 2016 fellow — New York Theater Workshop. 2015 fellow — Emerging Writers Group at the Public Theater. She was a resident playwright at the University of Mumbai, Brown University (through the Africana Studies Department/Rites and Reasons Theatre) and the International Theatre and Literacy Project in Tanzania. Her work has been developed by The Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Sundance, Labrinth Theater, Red Bull Theatre, Dixon Place, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Luna Stage, Downtown Urban Theatre Festival, New York LGBTQ Center, Freedom Train Productions, Fire This Time Festival, Bleecker Street Theatre, and Rising Circle Theatre. Lloyd is the recipient of New Professional Theatre’s Emerging Playwright Award for her play Black Tale, and the best play award from DUTF for her play This Train is Bound for Glory. She was a writer on the AMC television show Hap and Leonard.