The participants must be bona fide students during the qualifying year of the regional festival. For example, for Festival 57 in 2025, the participants must have been bona fide students during 2024. The participating director must submit the Questionnaire for SDC Directing Initiative 2025 which may determine their eligibility to participate.

Preliminary and Final presentation of a rehearsed, nationally selected scene, consisting of student actors. On the first day of the regional festival the nominee will turn in a prepared prompt book and director’s statement that reflects their analysis of the scene. Directors are required to observe all scenes and participate in responses as scheduled. The number of participating student directors will be limited to a maximum of 16 at the preliminary round, and a
maximum of 6 at the Interview/Final rounds.

Respondents: The number of respondents is determined by Regional leadership. The respondents are skilled directors who have a strong track record of responding to directing and are out-of-region colleagues or local professionals who are not affiliated with regional institutions. They will respond to the rounds of presentations, will participate in the interview round, and will decide which student director will attend the events in Washington DC. At least one member of the respondent team must be an SDC member.

All regional student directing candidates must present a scene at Festival from the following list:

SDC Scene Selections 2024 and 2025 [click on Play Title to access the scene.]

If more than one director participates from the same institution, the directors are discouraged from sharing actors for their projects and the directors are prohibited from acting in each other’s scenes.

Preliminary round is a closed round. All of the candidates (directors only) are required to attend all of the first round presentations. Teachers/mentors who are the nominators-of-record for the student director are encouraged but not required to attend. Other than for the scene in which they are performing, actors are not allowed in the room. After the presentation the respondent(s) will react to the work in front of the closed gathering of directors and teachers/mentors.

Presentation of scene in a round open to the public. A final round of presentations will consist of up to six (6) selected scenes. The final round will occur at least two days following the preliminary round to allow the director and actors to work on the scene based on feedback from the preliminary round. Limited rehearsal space may be provided. Teachers/mentors may advise the student directors during these rehearsals. A response session will follow the final round, and will include the scene directors, and may include teacher/mentors, actors and audience.

● Directors will be evaluated through the preliminary scene presentation, interview process, written materials, and final presentation. Written materials consist of a prepared director’s prompt book for the scene.
● The director’s prompt book will be handed to the Directing Coordinator for the region prior to the preliminary round and will be returned to the student director at the final round.

The Prompt Book Should Include:
○ Contact Information (This page will be seen by the coordinator only)
○ Nominee’s Name, School, Current Email Address, Cell Phone Number
○ Faculty Advisor’s Name, Email Address
○ Name of Play/Scene Being Presented
○ Actors Names
○ Director’s Statement (a written statement that reflects analysis of the scene – see next section)
○ Visual Materials (ground plan, blocking diagrams, etc.)
○ Critical Materials (dramaturgical research, text, language, character analysis, etc.)
○ Working Script (for the text with notes, breakdown, analysis, edits, etc.)

The director’s written statement provides the personal, analytical, and intuitive framework for the scene. It is a combination of script analysis, research, creativity, and personal connection to the text. The statement should address the themes, images and specific lines of text that guide the director’s work, including the context of the scene, where/how the scene fits into the play. Directors are encouraged to consider non-traditional casting for any of the scenes selected as can be supported by your concept.

Questions to consider when writing the Director’s Statement:
● What are your directing philosophy and goals as a director?
● Why did you choose this particular scene/play?
● What are you trying to achieve with your directing approach to this scene?
● How would you present a fully produced version of your play?
● What are your strengths and challenges as a director, and in regards to this particular project?
● Current Résumé (Required) A current résumé focused on directing and theatre-related activities