Final thoughts ...

Hi everyone,
It’s hard to write a “wrap-up” blog entry since I still feel very much in the midst of my Drama League activities. My main assisting assignment on The Addams Family is about to enter phase II. Our out-of-town tryout in Chicago closed successfully after record-breaking ticket sales and overall positive reviews. The producers have made some highly publicized changes, including bringing on renowned director Jerry Zaks as Creative Consultant. I am continuing on the show (as is Associate Director and DP alumna Heidi Marshall). We will begin Broadway rehearsals in early February, with previews set for March 8 and an April 8 opening night.
In the meantime, I have been the “Drama League Artistic Fellow” at Primary Stages, working with Artistic Director (and DP advisory board member) Andrew Leynse and Associate Artistic Director Michelle Bossy on various season planning and programming activities. I have also been a sort of “part-time” assistant director on the Primary Stages production of Lucinda Coxon’s Happy Now?, directed by Liz Diamond, which will run January 26 – March 6 at 59E59 (tickets here.)
I am also busy with two other projects – my first opera, at Metropolis Opera Project, a new translation of Cesar Cui’s Feast in Time of Plague, which will run next weekend (Jan 29-31 at 8pm). Tickets are only $10 and available here. I am thoroughly enjoying working with these unbelievable singers and musicians and excited to be taking on a new form. Not only is this my first opera project, it is a direct result of my Drama League fellowship – I met Metropolis Opera Project’s founding director Zachary James because he is playing Lurch in The Addams Family!
I am also directing a new play by Matthew-Lee Erlbach called Sex of the Baby, which will be presented by NYU Tisch as part of the 3rd-year MFA students’ “Free Play” series. Performances will be in the first week of March – details soon. Fellow fellow Mike Donahue also is directing a “Free Play” so we will once again be directing alongside each other.
(Interestingly, both the opera project and the NYU project were already cast before I came on board. Very unusual to be working with actors that someone else chose. Fortunately, in both cases that someone else had great taste so I’m not complaining. But it’s another reminder that flexibility is the key to a happy freelance career.)

Although I can choose to deny it a little longer (and keep “Drama League fellow” in my email signature) I suppose I will have to accept that I am now an alumnus of the program. The applications for next year are due in a few weeks, and the whole cycle will begin again. I’ve already gotten a few emails from future applicants asking how the program has impacted my life… Well, I hope the best is yet to come in terms of career impact, but the personal impact was significant. It was a great boost after a few years in New York – the “seal of approval” from a major career development program with a terrific national reputation. Plus, the fellowship components themselves – the Retreat, the Wonder Week, and of course, DirectorFest, were all both creatively stimulating and a lot of fun.

Also, I promise I will post some of the gorgeous production photos of Bekah Brunstetter’s Roberta Laughs (my contribution to DirectorFest) as soon as I can.

Best to all,
David