2026 Lab
June 15–21, 2026
Directors Lab North’s 2026 Lab was held from
June 15 – 21, 2026 at The University of Toronto.
Participants & Team Members
Every instalment of DLN is a joint effort between our faculty of mentors and unique cohort of participants, resulting in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn, share, and foster global and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Lab Participants
Sara Bickweat Penner
Claire Ganem
Eliza Palter
Jack Bumbala
(Jack Bum)
Micah Jondel DeShazer
Meredith Melville
Laura Kileen
Ophelia Fellhauer
Chris Causer
Toby Vera Bercovici
Andrew (Andy) Cameron
Sebastián Eddowes-Vargas
Mary Tooley
Lacy Post
Madelaine Moore (Maddy)
Matthew Rossoff
Oli Savage
Ava Alavi
Willow Funkhouser
Amir Aram
Chloe Kounadis
Allison Plamondon
Katy Weir
Adam Francis Proulx
S.E. Grummett “Grumms”
Abi Sanie
Gislina Patterson
Genevieve Wilson
Max Kirk
Sarah Dowling
Stage Managers
Taylor Zalik-Young
Nazerah Carlisle
Actors (Lab Experiment)
Christine Horne
Jeff Yung
Hilary Wheeler
Lab Topics & Sessions
The 2026 lab included featured sessions on dramaturgy, new play development, folk storytelling, classical text, testimonial theatre and a visit by composer, lyricist, and playwright Britta Johnson, who joined the lab for a day of sessions on her award-wining musical Life After.
Mentor-Led Sessions
Land Dreamaturgy w/ Storyweaving
Jill Carter
Artistic Direction
& Directing The Tempest
Antoni Cimolino
New Play Development
Nina Lee Aquino
New Vision,
Old Work
Ray Hogg
Creating Visual Images on Stage
Soheil Parsa
Anitafrika Method
d’bi young anitafrika
Bouffon
Adam Lazarus
Director/Designer Relationship
Mitchell Cushman
& Anahita Dehbonehie
2026 Playwrights Project
Britta Johnson
Labbie-Led Sessions
First-Day Rehearsal Techniques
Glow Points
Folk Storytelling
Viewpoints: Moving Movement from Abstraction to Clarity
Intimacy Direction
Dropping into Classical Text
How to Get the Audience to Do Anything You Want
The Rehearsal Room: A Space for Exploration
Physical Dramaturgy – Directing under Constraint
Testimonial Theatre
Devising Techniques
DLN is grateful to its supporters:
A big thank you to The Canada Council for the Arts, The Toronto Arts Council, The Ontario Arts Council, The University of Toronto (for so generously donating space to hold the Lab), The Stratford Festival, and Playwrights Canada Press (for donating plays).
