Testimonials
Since the inception of Directors Lab North in 2011, over 300 directors from around the globe have participated in the Lab. We are so proud to have hosted these exceptional artists. We always end each year with a session asking the Labbies to share a reflection of their time spent with us. Here are some of their thoughts over the years.
“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. The DLN is vital for both the local and global artistic ecology.“
Jessie Fraser, Toronto, 2016 Labbie
The Lab transformed my craft into a life’s work. That’s a very scary, beautiful and rare thing.
Samuel Wilson, Brooklyn, 2016 Labbie
An exquisite crucible of creativity and learning. Thank you so much for this life changing opportunity.
Allegra Fulton, Toronto, 2016 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
“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
“I’ve rarely felt myself grow artistically like I did in Directors Lab North.”
Eric Taylor, New York
2018 Labbie
“Amazing explosion and exchange of ideas, practices and culture that will inform the questions I ask of my craft for the next 10 years or more.”
Brendan Howlett McMurty, Toronto
2013 Labbie
“Eight days of raising the level of one’s practice in a gathering of diverse and generous colleagues from all over the world.”
Isabella Stefanescu, Waterloo
2018 Labbie
“A fantastic opportunity for directors to network and exchange ideas and nurture their own creativity. Incredibly worthwhile! I absolutely support what is being developed within the theatre community by these folks – an act of generosity and love.”
Sonia Norris, Toronto
2013 Labbie
“The organizers were masterful in their design of the event. Every workshop informed the other. This is an invaluable and vital resource for the development of theatre artistry in this nation and for global development through collaborations.”
Jill Carter, Toronto
2013 Labbie
“These four days have been truly inspirational . They have relit my desire to keep learning. Really an invaluable journey for any director.”
Alan Kinsella, Ireland
2013 Labbie
“DLN will remind, inspire, frustrate, grow, challenge, motivate and expand your practice as an artist and a citizen.”
Ann Kreitman, Chicago
2016 Labbie
“This week has been such an incredible opportunity to learn about myself and about a theatre culture that was, until now, completely unknown to me. I’m definitely going to take these lessons home with me, and I am deeply grateful to my collaborators. This will, hopefully, serve as my introduction to a lifelong relationship with Canadian theatre.”
Oskar Westbridge, Chicago
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
“This has been an incredible and inspiring week. As directors we can get so isolated personally and artistically in a box, and this reminds us to stay open and playful and inquisitive. There is nothing quite as valuable for directors who are actively practicing as connection.”
Kendra Jones, Winnipeg
2018 Labbie
“I was so impressed with the leadership, the schedule, the amount and variety of workshops. DLN are an amazing organizational team. I don’t think I’ve been to such a well thought out and engaging conference or workshop.”
Christine Brubaker, Toronto
2013 Labbie
“A way to grow, to get wonderful and interesting contacts. Something I’ll bring and keep with myself for a very long time.”
Gianna Formiacione, Italy
2013 Labbie
“Without a doubt, this is exactly what I needed at this point in my career: to be with other directors, to work and learn together intensively and support one another collaboratively has been fanstastic. Hope to stay connected with these good folks for a long time.”
Laureen Smith, Washington, DC
2013 Labbie
“This Lab was incredibly well planned and conceived and balanced. Great sense of community and amazing group of directors! I am so looking forward to working with some of the artists I met here – very wonderful –thank you so much!”
Alisa Matlovsky, New York
2013 & 2014 Labbie
“Through the work this week I have decided it is much more important to create the art I truly believe in. It really revitalized my “want” to create and contribute to this art form.”
Kristy Chambrelli, Connecticut
2014 Labbie
“As an emerging and new in craft director, this experience of meeting diverse directors of different generations and regions has been so useful in giving me perspective and resources as I move forward in my career. The combo of peer-led conversations, workshops facilitated by guest artists, and field trips to local shows has been an enriching experience that I’ll carry with me forever. I wish this was longer!”
Rinchen Dolma, Toronto
2024 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!”
Kay Battan, London, England
2024 Labbie
“The depth of process work and the sharing of fresh, contemporary ideas in the theatrical direction are fully realized at DLN.”
Lois Hunter, Boston
2013 National Artist Teacher Fellow
Centre for Arts Education (Boston Arts Academy)
2013 Labbie
“The expansive toolkit of possibilities- the exercises, the systems for creaton and the dynamic community of peers created in this Lab cannot be overestimated. I feel much richer and more enlivened, connected, focused in my curiosity and supported than before.”
Sarah Kitz, Toronto
2014 Labbie
“Participating in DLN has given me the confidence to continue my practice as a theatre maker and opened up my understanding of how other artists and countries approach the craft. From a spiritual standpoint, I will now include land acknowledgement when practicing my work.”
Antonio Minino, New York
2018 Labbie
“I never would have had the opportunity to travel to Toronto, a new city in an unknown country, without Directors Lab North. What I’ve learned in a totally new environment, surrounded by a supportive yet questioning group of diverse peers will stay with me as I develop my practice back in the UK. In this way, the theatre sector- Ontario- will help grow and influence the cultural sector in the UK, leading to a lasting legacy and greater connection between me, Directors Lab North, Canada and the UK.”
Catherine Paskell, Wales, UK
2018 Labbie