Testimonials
Since its inception in 2011, Directors Lab North has welcomed over 350 participating directors. Each diverse and international cohort of directors is what makes DLN so special. We are so proud to have hosted these exceptional artists.
On the last day of each Lab, Labbies are invited to write a reflection on their time with us. A selection of these responses can be found below.
The Lab transformed my craft into a life’s work. That’s a very scary, beautiful and rare thing.
“DLN has challenged, surprised and ultimately reinvigorated my practice not just as a director but as an artist. The connections made here have already profoundly impacted my creative world. DLN is vital for both the local and global artistic ecology.”
Jessie Fraser, Toronto, 2016 Labbie
An exquisite crucible of creativity and learning. Thank you so much for this life changing opportunity.
Allegra Fulton, Toronto, 2016 Labbie
“DLN is invaluable. In the UK director development is now almost non-existent, particularly for artists over 35 years + mid-career directors. The diverse mix of ages, nationalities, cultures, genders, disabilities, enriched the work beyond expectation. The core, skill and generosity shared by all the guest artists was validating and galvanising. SLN reaches the parts other programs fail to get close to. Thank you.”
Maddy Moore, UK, ADHD 2026 Labbie
“What a gift! The ability to gather with international directors having the same conversations was so special. Directing can be a lonely pursuit and building this community is vital to future theatre making. Thank you!”
Chloe Kounadis, NYC-Based 2026 Labbie
“What a beautiful, welcoming and creative space to spend the week. The lab allowed me to show up authentically exactly as i am, and flourish in a room of directors, re-ignighting my own belief in myself and my art.”
Genevieve Wilson (she/her), Melbourne, Australia, 2026 Labbie
“The DLN creates a space for genuine cultivation of community camaraderie, joy and passion for theatre making.”
Andrew Cameron, BC, QC, ON, 2026 Labbie
“Life Changing Experience — truly. 30 international directors coming together to build and strengthen the identity of Canadian theatre. A usual very solitary and isolating field, given the unique opportunity to be collaborative in our practice and learn from our boots on the ground peers to build the Craft of Directing.”
Jack Bumbala (they/them), Vancouver, Canada, 2026 Labbie
The Lab transformed my craft into a life’s work. That’s a very scary, beautiful and rare thing.
“I have felt numb. I have felt stuck. For a couple of years I have been taking jobs that allow me to hide out in different areas of Theater and after this week I’ve experienced Joy. I’be had a breakthrough for a project I want to create and after 2.5 years of living a sober life and being confused in my own mind and body I finally feel connected to my soul again. I feel like I’m connected to my humanity. I’m ready to get back to work.”
Chris Causes, Chicago, IL, 2026 Labbie
“This was a truly life changing career building experience. Directing is incredibly lonely and we so rarely get to learn about the practice of other directors. Coming in after stumbling around for new ideas and inspiration, the opportunity for a Global Majority, Queer director to train and learn from other directors is a godsend.”
Oli, London, 2026 Labbie
“This experience came at the exact correct time for a transitional period in my career – I feel more prepared, more enthusiastic, and ready to accept whatever challenges lie ahead, and confident that these relationships will carry me forward. I couldn’t have imagined that one week could offer so much.”
Lacy Post, 2026 Labbie
“This has been the most transformative week of my career. Connecting with theatre makers from all over the world is an immense privilege, and my directing practice has benefited immensely from this experience. The environment facilitated in this lab has truly been so welcoming and supporting.”
Ophelia, Germany, 2026 Labbie
“As an extremely early career director (under 10 projects) and an Afro-American immigrant I am so deeply enriched by this cohort and amazingly dense programming. The mindful curation of speakers, projects, scale, scope and expertise was unmatched by any programming or education I have ever received. With built in networking!”
Micah JD, Ottawa, ON, 2026 Labbie
“This week is a giddy of an experience that is so rare and so essential. As an Artists from the States the opportunity to learn about Canadian Theatre and connect with other directors from around the world is truly incredible. I learned things that were new to me, made valuable connections with Canadian artists that I hope to collaborate with in the future. I’m so grateful to be able to participate and will sing the praises of this program far and wide.”
Sarah Bickweat-Penner, Rochester, NY, 2026 Labbie
"This was a transformative week. As a young female director, my time at the lab sky-rocketed my self esteem and has left me inspired to create bolder, edgier, more creative work. Connecting with such brilliant artists from around the globe has instilled in me a dream of traveling to collaborate and work on more universal works.”
“This program is exactly what I needed and craved at this point in my career. I not only learned so many new skills but I left feeling inspired and supported by an international community of directors. This program opened so many new ideas and I’m excited to bring that I learned to my city.”
Claire, San Francisco, 2026 Labbie
“I am certain that the other participants in this room are career altering peers, collaborators, and colleagues and that the shared knowledge and inspiration I have acquired will not only blossom my own artistic practices, but by extension the artistic practices of my own home community.”
Sarah Dowling, Edmonton, 2026 Labbie
“There is nothing like this in world. To say it’s life changing, artistry changing is an understatement.
As someone who is not Canadian, This was such an amazing introduction to Canadian Theatre.”
Meredith Melwille, Corpus Christi, TX, 2026 Labbie
“The Directors Lab North workshop is like nothing else that I’ve experienced in my training and development as a director. The facilitation and conversation surrounding the work is life-changing and will shift the course of my directing career. To be surrounded by international artists collaborating and celebrating the inclusive ways we all create art is exceptional.”
Matthew Rossoff, Toronto, ON, 2026 Labbie
“An essential training tool as well as a life-affirming experience.”
Alison P. (she/her), Toronto, 2026 Labbie
“Everything was awesome. The learning process, the way the Lab approaches Labbies. Everything was awesome.”
Amir Aram, Iran/Toronto, 2026 Labbie
“Incredible encounter. Learnt so much, loved Canadian theater, opened new doors and had deep discussions about the future of the field.
Sebastián Eddowes-Vargos, (he/they) Yale University, Perú, 2026 Labbie
“The Directors Lab is an extremely valuable meeting of international artists. While there is a focus on directing, the connections formed in the lab reach across the industry in artistic and political dimensions.”
Gislina Patterson, Winnipeg, MB, 2025 Labbie
“I loved the diversity of participants, and experiences during the week. I feel so inspired to move forward and create new, exciting, Canadian work that the whole world can see.”
Adam Francis Proulx, Sault Ste Marie, 2SLGBTQIA Johanna Metcalfe Protege ’25, 2026 Labbie
“This Lab is wildly nurturing and fecund ground for fostering the future of other global arts.”
Allegra Fulton
“This program has been transformational. Not only do I leave with a toolkit of useful processes and methodologies to further explore and play with in my own creative practice, but I leave with a group of future collaborators to share and create art together. This has been heart-opening, inspirational, and life-changing. A gift for my creative practice and soul.”
Mary Tooley (she/her), Toronto, 2026 Labbie
“An incredible way to connect with directors from around the world. A fantastic showcase and immersion of Canadian theatre and theatremakers . A hive of creative activity, development and inspiration.”
Lauren Killeen, 2025 Labbie
The value of the past week for me as an early career director cannot be overstated. I feel unmoored, overwhelmed, and completely inspired – it was a revolutionary experience for me.”
Eliza Palter, Dallas, TX / Brooklyn, NY, 2026 Labbie
“This Lab creates a space for community among people who are often in the most solitary leadership roles in theatre! It has given us each other, the greatest gift.”
Abi Sanie, Montreal, 2026, Labbie
“A hugely imaginative and invaluable experience of what it means to be a director and artist encountering the world today.”
Max Kirk, UK/NZ/IRE, 2026 Labbie
“For an Iranian artist, having a chance to experience artistic collaboration on an international level, is usually quite difficult. But DLN provides an incredible space for artists from all around the world, like myself, to explore, learn, and collaborate. This lab is a space for artists and by artists to not only lessen the gaps of misunderstandings in the theatre world, but also create a more universal theatre family. Thank you for everything!”
Ava, 2026 Labbie
“I’ve rarely felt myself grow artistically like I did in Directors Lab North.”
Eric Taylor, New York
2018 Labbie
“Life-changing - challenging, nourishing, growth-inducing, a once in a lifetime opportunity - I loved it!"
“This is an incredible opportunity as an emerging director to meet queer theatre artists and directors from all across Turtle Island and around the world – I’m leaving feeling incredibly inspired and a lot less isolated. It is also a brave space that asks us to have difficult conversations that not only makes the work better but also our rooms and our communities.”
SE Grummett (they/them), Treaty 6 / Saskatoon, 2025 Labbie
“I wish there were more opportunities like Director’s Lab North out there for artists. This is truly a very special experience, led with dedication, passion, and care by all the facilitators. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this intensive, and cannot wait to carry the skills I acquired and the relationships I've made, into the next stage of my creative process. PS- I would be interested in bringing this workshop to London, UK- we need it!”
“The best training a director could ask for – like nothing else out there. Directors Lab North builds genuine intercultural dialogue. It builds the future of Canadian theater and puts it in context on the world stage.”
Kari Barclay, Cleveland, OH, 2025 Labbie
“There is no other program like Director’s Lab North in Canada. This is an essential organization for the development and cross-pollination of Canadian Theatre.”
Mike Reinhart,, 2024 Labbie
“Directors Lab North was an incredibly well-coordinated, thought-provoking week-long intensive program. My approach to theatre-making was challenged in new ways and I cannot wait to apply what I learned to my upcoming projects and overall vision as an artist. It’s been a life-changing week. Thank you. Each session was thoughtfully curated and contributed to the overall experience.”
Emilia White, Toronto, 2024 Labbie
“Directors Lab North is where we track the pulse of emerging theatre practice in Canada and abroad. It is an innovative think tank, a crucible for forging new visions and new voices that will shape the future of our theatrical culture.”
Chris Jackman, Toronto, 2014 Labbie
“My week with Directors Lab North was stimulating, challenging and transformative. What a rare opportunity to engage in discussion, debate and discourse with other directors. I came to this lab with my own ideas on the practice of directing and those ideas have been challenged , blown up and turned upside down- in the absolute best way possible. I’m leaving here inspired to get to work.”
Charlie Johnson, New York, 2018 Labbie
“The Lab has expanded my vision of what it means to be a director in the theatre of today – the pure joy, constraint, wonder and questioning that is required of me. I leave the lab dreaming of the artist I will grow to be, one that embraces what I already know and asks “What else?”
Katrina Darychuk, Toronto, 2016 Labbie
“DLN connected me with an International network of peers and equipped me with new approaches and tools for my craft. Every director should participate at least once.”
Peter Pasyk, Toronto, 2018 Labbie
“The most meaningful thing I will take away from the lab is the relationships wth other directors around the world doing amazing work. The environment of the Lab was wonderful and the culture was immediately open and non-ego driven.”
Jenny Montgomery, Quebec City, 2014 Labbie
“This week has been an extraordinary opportunity for professional development and connection. I feel creatively fulfilled and inspired in a way I have not in a long time. I leave with many new friends and connections, and a desire to start a similar program in my own city. I am so grateful for the work of DLN and wish every director had this opportunity.”
Olivia Munk, London, UK, 2025 Labbie
“What a gift to share time and space with other directors from around the world. This week pushed me to think in many ways I’d never considered. Thank you to DLN & its wonderful founding and steering artists for bringing us all together, for your deep care, and for the diverse and inspiring programming. I will take so much of this experience with me into all of my artistic work moving forward.”
Sarah O’Brecht, Toronto, 2024 Labbie
“Directors Lab North is a brilliant, inclusive, comprehensive incubator of community! DLN is incredibly unique, gathering diverse directors from around North America and beyond to celebrate the craft of directing and to experience the talents and resources of Canadian Theatre is SO VALUABLE! Thank you and may this program continue for years to come!”
Grace Bertucelli-Booth, New Orleans, 2024 Labbie
“The DLN was an incredible experience for me artistically and personally, this week was jam-packed with so many inspiring sessions and meetings that I am still reeling as I try to process it all. I have formed so many new creative connections and developed so many new tools for my theatrical utility belt that I feel super charged to tackle my next theatrical project. Thank you.”
Michael Scholar Jr, Toronto, 2024 Labbie