SYNOPSIS

Join us for a conversation with theatre directors to discuss their approaches to working with actors on new plays and musicals. The panel will address techniques and best practices for communicating the director’s vision with playwrights and in the rehearsal room, as well as how the actor can best participate in this collaborative process.

PANELISTS

Moritz von Stuelpnagel - Director
Moritz von Stuelpnagel's current and upcoming productions include Mike Lew's Teenage Dick (MaYi Theatre/Public Theater), Theresa Rebeck's Seared (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Theresa Rebeck's Bernhardt/Hamlet starring Janet McTeer (Roundabout Theatre Company), and Larissa Fasthorse's The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons). His Broadway credits include Present Laughter with Kevin Kline (three Tony nominations including Best Revival of a Play), and Hand to God (five Tony nominations including Best New Play and Best Director). On the West End, his production of Hand to God received an Olivier nomination. Off-Broadway, he has helmed Important Hats of the Twentieth Century (Manhattan Theatre Cluc), Verité (Lincoln Center/LCT3), Trevor (Lesser America), Love Song of the Albanian Sous Chef (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Bike America (Ma-Yi), Mel & El (Ars Nova), Spacebar (Studio 42), and My Baseand Scurvy Heart (Studio 42). Regionally, his work has been seen at the Alliance, Williamstown, Huntington, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and more. Moritz is the former artistic director of Studio 42, NYC’s producer of “unproducible” plays. moritzvs.com

Colette Robert - Director
Colette Robert is a Los Angeles native currently living and working in New York. Recent directing credits include: Big Love (Sarah Lawrence College), How My Grandparents Fell in Love (EST), Hottentotted (The Tank, ANT Fest), The Mountaintop (Chester Theatre Company), Icons/Idols (Ice Factory), Flops, Failures, and Fiasco's (The Civilians), and When Last we Flew (Diversionary Theatre and FringeNYC, GLAAD Media Award). As a playwright, her play The Harriet Holland Social Club Presents the 84th Annual Star-burst Cotillion in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel was developed with Fuller Road, New Georges, and Mabou Mines. Colette is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, a co-facilitator of the New Georges Jam, and The Drama League's 2018 Beatrice Terry Director in Residence. Alumnus of the Mabou Mines Resident Artist Program, Lincoln Center Directors Lab and The Civilians R&D Group. Colette was previously an Audrey Resident at New Georges and a Van Lier Directing Fellow at The Public. Upcoming: Mary's Wedding (Chester Theatre Company) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (NYU Grad Acting). M.A., RADA and King’s College, London. B.A., Yale University. www.coletterobert.com

Margot Bordelon - Director
Margot Bordelon is a Brooklyn based director who specializes in new work. Upcoming: Eddie and Dave by Amy Staats at Atlantic Theater Company. Recent projects: Do You Feel Anger? by Mara Nelson-Greenberg at ATL’s Humana Festival, The Last Class: A Jazzercize Playby Megan Hill at ATC in Seattle, Too Heavy For Your Pocket by Jireh Breon Holder at the Roundabout Underground and the Alliance, The Pen by Julianne Wick Davis and Dan Collins for Premieres NYC (NYT’s Critic's pick), peerless by Jiehae Parkat Marin Theatre Company and Yale Rep, A Delicate Ship by Anna Ziegler for Playwrights Realm (NYT's Critic's pick), and Okay, Bye by Joshua Conkel at Steppenwolf Theater. Her work has been seen at Ars Nova, American Theater Co., Berkeley Rep, Cherry Lane, Clubbed Thumb, Dodo, Juilliard, The Lark, NYTW, P73, Perry Mansfield, Play Penn, Portland Center Stage, Primary Stages, The Public, PWC, Rattlestick, SPACE at Ryder Farm, Steppenwolf, the Wilma, and Woolly Mammoth, among others. Margot moved east after spending six years in Chicago working as a director, writer and performer. She is a founding member of Theatre Seven of Chicago, and spent four seasons working on the artistic staff of Lookingglass Theatre. BFA: Cornish College of the Arts. MFA: Yale School of Drama. www.margotbordelon.com

Kel Haney - Director
Recent credits include: Comfort/Haney’s The Elephant in Every Room I Enter (Next Door at New York Theater Workshop, La MaMa); Sharyn Rothstein’s A Good Farmer (American Theatre Group); Chris Cragin-Day’s Foster Mom, Deborah Brevoort’s My Lord, What a Night, and Quiara Alegria Hudes’s Water by the Spoonful (Premiere Stages); Laura Maria Censabella’s Paradise (Luna Stage, Passage Theatre); Jordan Jaffee’s Crude (starring Nico Tortorella – an Ars Nova Fling at Theater 511); Chris Cragin-Day’s A Woman and Vickie Ramirez’s Glenburn 12WP (59E59); Christopher Wall’s The Inherent Sadness of Low-Lying Areas (New World Symphony); Gardiner Comfort’s You're Not Tough (HERE, Dixon Place). Recent readings include Sharyn Rothstein’s Right To Be Forgotten (Manhattan Theatre Club, Ted Snowden 2017 Reading Series). She has directed/developed new work with Abingdon Theatre Company, The Amoralists, Ars Nova, Atlantic Theater Company, Cherry Lane, Fault Line Theatre, Keen Company, Labyrinth, The Lark, Ma-Yi, Naked Angels, New Dramatists, New Georges, Partial Comfort, Playwrights Realm, Rattlestick, Sheen Center, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, Westport Country Playhouse, and Williamstown Theatre Festival.Also: MTC Directing Fellow, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Mabou Mines Residency, Old Vic/New Voices Exchange and member of Ensemble Studio Theatre. Ms. Haney also directed the critically acclaimed short films, I am Them and Stay Close. For more information: www.kelhaney.com

Sash Bischoff - Director
Sash Bischoff is a director whose credits include James Presson's Fuck Marry Kill  (New Ohio); James Presson’s Long Division (Portland Center Stage); Stephanie Del Rosso’s Flee (NY Stage & Film, Colt Coeur); Amina Henry's The Great Novel (Ars Nova); Susan Soon-He Stanton’s Hotel (The Civilians); Nick Gandiello’s Candyland , Sofia Alvarez’ Life, and Erica Saleh’s Taboo (as an evening at Ars Nova); Michael Mitnick’s Babs the Dodo (Williamstown); Nick Gandiello’s Swept (Williamstown); Meghan Kennedy’s NAPOLI, BROOKLYN (Williamstown); Michael Mitnick’s Seven Categories (Williamstown); Mat Smart’s Cold (Williamstown); Bekah Brunstetter’s Mine (Chautauqua); Nick Gandiello’s How the Moon Would Talk (Keen Company); Amina Henry’s The White Party (Clubbed Thumb, National Black Theatre); James Presson’s Mary in the Club (Judson); Amina Henry’s The Johnsons (Judson); Claire Keichel’s Norway  (The ______ Space); Sarah DeLappe’s Trump (The Flea); and Amy Witting’s Eleven Shades of Blue (Pipeline).  She has served as an associate to John Doyle, Richard Nelson, John Rando, Jack O’Brien, Michael Greif, Jo Bonney, Christopher Ashley, Anne Kauffman, Davis McCallum, Rob Ashford, and others.  Alum of The Civilians R&D Group, The Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and the 2011 SDC Traube Fellow.  Princeton University.  Upcoming: James Presson's Fuck Marry Kill (The Duke); Amina Henry's Hunter John and Jane (Jack).  Currently serving as Associate Director for Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway and all touring productions.  www.sashbischoff.com

Lori Hammel – Moderator
Lori Hammel is a NYC-based actress and writer who has performed on Broadway, Off Broadway and in National Tours including: Mamma Mia, Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 and as Ethel Mertz in I Love Lucy Live. Film work includes the feature Puzzle (Sundance 2018) playing opposite Kelly Macdonald, the Coen brother's Burn After Reading; An Invisible Sign; She's Lost Control and playing the lead in Coney Island Queen (2014 Cannes Shorts Corner). TV includes the Golden Globe nominated series Master of None (opposite Aziz Ansari and his dad), The Following; 30 Rock; Difficult People and The Colbert Report. Lori played recurring political pundit Leslie Hillerman on the Onion News Network series, In The Know and is the creator and star of the series Margo Rose Reports. In national commercials Lori has been directed by David Steinberg, Phil Morrison and Oscar winning documentarian Errol Morris. She is currently in a national commercial with Keegan-Michael Key.In 2015, Lori received an Excellence in Acting Award at the NY International Fringe Festival. She is the recipient of a Jeff Award, two Jeff nominations, two After Dark Awards and the 2014 SAG-AFTRA Joseph C. Riley Service Award.Lori co-authored the critically acclaimed guidebook Minding the Edge – Strategies for a Fulfilling, Successful Career as an Actor and is a contributing writer for Acting for the Stage (2017 Focal Press).  www.lorihammel.com