A Letter from ETC Board President Steve King

Last month, our very own Producing Artistic Director, D. Lynn Meyers, was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichlander Award. The Zelda Fichandler Award is given by the Society of Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) in recognition of an extraordinary director or choreographer who has made and continues to make a substantial contribution to the national arts landscape through theatre work.

Richard Garner, Blanka Zizka, Zelda Fichandler, Jonathan Moscone, Michael Halberstam, Howard Shalwitz, and D. Lynn Meyers. Photo: Michael Butcher.

With this award, SDCF recognizes the profound impact and honors the legacy of the founders of regional theatre and celebrates the creativity and artistry of theatre around the country. Named after Zelda Fichandler, a founder of the American regional theatre movement, the award celebrates significant achievement in the field, singular creativity and artistry, and a deep investment in a particular region. This award is not for lifetime achievement; the intent is to honor an artist for both accomplishment to date and promise for the future. This year’s award panel considered many exceptional nominees from throughout the country, including those from Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., among many others. Lynn was chosen as one of the four national finalists and was honored at the awards ceremony at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. on October 24th.

Although she was not the winner, she received a letter from the committee that stated the following: “The panel was truly impressed by your accomplishment, a result of singular courage, determination and leadership, but also of great artistry and imagination. Panelists spoke compellingly of the strength of your directing and your nurturing of local artists, and your very real achievement in transforming a neighborhood through enrichment of the arts landscape.”

This is a very prestigious award and an honor to be nominated and even more to be one of the four finalists. As we already know, we are lucky to have her at the theatre and in Cincinnati. Please join me in congratulating her and consider making a donation in her honor to the Artist’s Fund which enables the commission of scripts and the hiring of actors. Congratulations Lynn!

Sincerely,
Stephen M. King, ETC Board President

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