Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), Northeast Ohio’s most innovative and adventurous theatre announces the second year awardee of The Director Fellows Program funded by a generous grant from Joan Yellen Horvitz, a long-time friend of CPT.

The 2012-2013 Director Fellow is Denise Astorino. Ms. Astorino will receive $3,000 and full underwriting of her learning and artistic activities during the fellowship year, culminating in a full production of an original work in May of 2013 in Cleveland Public Theatre’s Store Front Studio.

“The intent of this initiative, inaugurated last September, is to address Cleveland’s limited pool of directors by providing a program that will allow select directors with extraordinary potential to focus intensively on artistic growth over the course of a season,” said Raymond Bobgan, CPT’s Executive Artistic Director. Focused on innovation and developing new work, this year-long residency provides mentoring and opportunities for formal classwork, assistant directing, directing, play creation and assistant producing.

DENISE ASTORINO is a graduate of Cleveland State University Theatre Arts program and is completing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Directing from East 15 Acting School, University of Essex in London, UK. In addition to directing credits as part of her undergraduate and graduate studies, Ms. Astorino directed numerous shows including Internet Connection at Old Red Lion Theatre (London) and Cherchez Dave Robicheaux at Red Hen Theatre. She directed children in a show in Lagos, Nigeria and will direct the musical Rent at Aurora Community Theatre in 2013. Ms. Astorino performed in CPT’s production of Fefu and Her Friends.

JOAN YELLEN HORVITZ is an admired couture designer whose work was based in Cleveland. Joan Yellen Couture Designs can be viewed in the permanent collections of the Kent State Museum Costume collection; The Western Reserve Historical Society, The Chisolm Halle Costume Wing; Ursuline College Historical Costume Study Collection. Ms. Horvitz has designed costumes and sets for dance and theatre. At CPT Ms. Horvitz’s stunning work was seen in Fefu and her Friends, Between Life and Death, and most recently Insomnia: the Waking of Herselves. Many local arts organizations and individual artists have benefitted from Ms. Horvitz’s generosity.