DirectorsLabChicago announces 2018 Lab

Artistic Director Wm Bullion is pleased to announce the 2018 DirectorsLabChicago to be held Sunday, August 19, through Friday, August 24, 2018, at Victory Gardens Theater on Chicago’s north side. The theme for this year’s Lab is All Art is Political: Empathy, Identity and Intention in the Theater.

DirectorsLabChicago offers this annual week-long Lab as its flagship program. Now in its fourteenth year, the Lab has hosted 185 U.S.-based and 43 international directors, exploring themes such as The Language of the Stage, The Power of Myth and Ritual and The Kinetics of Directing. Previous presenters have included Robert Falls (Goodman Theatre), Martha Lavey (Steppenwolf), Leon Ingulsrud (SITI Company), Anne Cattaneo (Lincoln Center Theater), Chay Yew (Victory Gardens), and many more.

The Lab gathers directors from all over the world for a week of in-depth investigation of a single topic from multiple angles. It is geared toward professional directors in early- to mid-career stages, who are selected through a rigorous application process. As in years past, the Lab will consist of workshops and panel discussions with master artists, peer-led sessions, and visits to various Chicago productions.

DirectorsLabChicago was founded in 2005 by stage directors Elizabeth Margolius and Karin Shook as a result of their experience at the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York. The artist service organization is very generously supported by the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, as well as by Victory Gardens Theater, our primary host for the 2018 Lab.

More information about this year’s theme, including details about eligibility and the application process, are available at directorslabchicago.com/this-years-lab. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, May 6, 2018.

Questions about the Lab may be directed to Bullion at billy@directorslabchicago.com. Learn more about DirectorsLabChicago at directorslabchicago.com and facebook.com/DirectorsLabChicago.

DirectorsLabChicago Announces 2017 Lab

Twelfth annual Lab explores the director–audience relationship
Artistic Director Wm Bullion is pleased to announce the 2017 DirectorsLabChicago to be held Sunday, August 20, through Friday, August 26, 2017, primarily at Victory Gardens Theater on Chicago’s north side. The theme for this year’s Lab is Director¬—Audience: Engaging and Challenging a Distracted World.

DirectorsLabChicago offers this week-long Lab each summer as its flagship program. Now in its thirteenth year, the Lab has hosted 170 U.S.-based and 38 international directors, exploring themes such as The Language of the Stage, The Power of Myth and Ritual and The Kinetics of Directing. Previous presenters have included Robert Falls (Goodman Theatre), Martha Lavey (Steppenwolf), Leon Ingulsrud (SITI Company), Anne Cattaneo (Lincoln Center Theater), Chay Yew (Victory Gardens), and many more.

The Lab gathers directors from all over the world for a week of in-depth investigation of a single topic from multiple angles. It is geared toward professional directors in early- to mid-career stages, who are selected through a rigorous application process. As in years past, the Lab will consist of workshops and panel discussions with master artists, peer-led workshops, and visits to various Chicago productions.

DirectorsLabChicago was founded in 2005 by stage directors Elizabeth Margolius and Karin Shook as a result of their experience at the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York. The artist service organization is very generously supported by the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, as well as by Victory Gardens Theater, our primary host for the 2017 Lab.

More information about this year’s theme, including details about eligibility and the application process, are available at directorslabchicago.com/this-years-lab. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, June 25, 2017.

Questions about the Lab may be directed to Bullion at billy@directorslabchicago.com. Learn more about DirectorsLabChicago at directorslabchicago.com and facebook.com/DirectorsLabChicago.

DirectorsLab Announces 2016 Lab

Eleventh annual Lab to take place in August and center around communication

Artistic Director and co-founder Elizabeth Margolius is pleased to announce the 2016 DirectorsLabChicago to be held Sunday, August 21, through Friday, August 26, primarily at the Chicago Cultural Center. The theme for this year’s Lab is un/spoken: The Language of the Stage.

Now in its twelfth year, DirectorsLabChicago offers environments in which emerging and established directors from around the world are able to consider, challenge, and engage in both the traditional and contemporary aspects of their craft. Past themes have included Investigating Adaptation and Devised Work, International Influence on American Theatre, and The Power of Myth and Ritual.

As in years past, the Lab will consist of workshops and panel discussions with master artists, peer-led workshops, and visits to various Chicago productions.

Margolius founded DirectorsLabChicago along with Artistic Director Emeritus Karin Shook as a result of their experience with the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York City. In its first eleven years the Chicago Lab has hosted 188 attendees (32 from outside the United States), 128 presenters and panelists, and 13 college interns.

DirectorsLabChicago is very generously supported by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

More information about this year’s theme and access to the online application portal are available at www.directorslabchicago.com/this-years-lab. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, May 22.

Questions about the Lab may be directed to Margolius at elizabeth@directorslabchicago.com, or Director of Programming Wm. Bullion at billy@directorslabchicago.com.

Chicago Directors Town Hall

Moderated discussion around the topic of selecting season content the first of a new series presented by the recently expanded DLC

DirectorsLabChicago is pleased to announce a Directors Town Hall, co-hosted in conjunction with Victory Gardens Theater, on Monday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. The moderated conversation will focus on the topic “Choosing Seasons: How do current events influence play selection?”

Relevant to current and aspiring directors and artistic directors, the discussion will explore topics such as:
• How do current events attract you to certain projects?
• How do you plan years in advance yet stay current?
• How can a topical play be given enough time and space to develop, yet stay current?

The event is free, but advance registration is required at directorslabchicago.com/choosing-seasons. There will be a cash bar. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for informal gathering, and the town hall discussion begins at 7:30.

Victory Gardens Biograph Theater is located at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago.

For questions or more information about the event, email Director of Programming Wm. Bullion at billy@directorslabchicago.com.

Choosing Seasons is the first of a new series of events to be hosted by the recently expanded DLC. After celebrating its tenth anniversary season, the DLC replaced its 2015 Lab with a vision retreat for Chicago theatre luminaries to explore the Lab’s direction for the next 10 years and beyond.

Shortly after the retreat, DLC welcomed back committee member Wm. Bullion into a new role as Director of Programming, and introduced new member Tobi Mattingly as Director of Marketing & Communications. A larger announcement of the 2016 Lab and additional future events is forthcoming.

DirectorsLabChicago 2014 Application Now Available Online

Now in its tenth year, DirectorsLabChicago offers environments in which emerging and established stage directors from all over the world are able to consider, challenge, and engage in both the traditional and contemporary aspects of their craft. This year's theme is: Investigating Adaptation and Devised Work. The Lab will take place from September 14 through September 19, 2014 at the Chicago Cultural Center and several off-site locations.

Applications must be emailed no later than Monday, May 12, 2014. 

To learn more about DirectorsLabChicago or to download an application, visit our website at www.directorslabchicago.com.

Applications for the DirectorsLabChicago 2013 Lab are now available

Now in its ninth year, DirectorsLabChicago offers experiences for professional and emerging stage directors ranging from a week-long intensive Lab to Director/Dramatist Exchanges and Master Classes. The theme of this year's Lab is:The Director and the Designer. The Lab will take place from August 25th through August 30th, 2013, at the Chicago Cultural Center in downtown Chicago and several off-site locations.

Applications must be emailed no later than Monday, April 15th, 2013.

To learn more about DirectorsLabChicago, the theme of this year's Lab, or to download an application, please visit our new website at: www.directorslabchicago.com.

DirectorsLabChicago 2012 Application Now Available

Now in its eighth year, DirectorsLabChicago offers environments in which emerging and established stage directors from all over the world are able to consider, challenge, and engage in both the traditional and contemporary aspects of their craft. This year's theme is: Left Brain Right Brain. The Lab will take place from August 5th through August 10th, 2012 at the Chicago Cultural Center and several off-site locations.

DirectorsLabChicago is very generously supported by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab in New York, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Applications must be emailed no later than Sunday, April 22nd, 2012.

To learn more about DirectorsLabChicago, the theme of this year's Lab, or to download an application, please visit www.directorslabchicago.com.

Please note: Applications for our intern program are now available as well. Please visit the website for further details!