Nine The Musical Columbia University School of the Arts New York, NY US 07​/31​/2026

Nine The Musical, MFA Directing Thesis, seeks collaborators (Designers, Music Director, Intimacy Choreographer and more)

Columbia University School of the Arts
New York, NY
US

TEAM

Production Stage Manager:
Emily Griffith

Dramaturg:
Emy Herrera

Director of Production:
Corrie Beth Knott

Thesis Production Manager:
Brendan J. O'Brien

Thesis Operations Manager:
Amara Pappas

OVERVIEW

The musical NINE – which was awarded the 1982 Tony Award for Best Musical and 2003 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival – is adapted from Federico Fellini’s semi-autobiographical film 8 ½ and tells the tale of Guido Contini: a famous Italian filmmaker who, in experiencing a midlife crisis, struggles to conceive his next hit and save his marriage. When Guido and his wife, Luisa, visit a spa near Venice in the hopes of sparking artistic ideas and rekindling their relationship, Guido becomes entranced, haunted, and inspired by all of the women in his life.

Finally beginning to shoot his next film, an adaptation of the opera Casanova, Guido spirals, pushing away each of the women who raised him until he’s completely devoid of fans, supportive artistic collaborators, and a devoted wife. Alone with only the ghost of his 9-year-old self, Guido discovers that he never really grew up, whether it was because of the lessons he learned in Catholic boarding school, the influence of mid-20th Century Italian machismo-ism and misogyny, or the curse of his name (slang for “a guy who lives a hedonistic lifestyle”).

NINE is a story about men’s under recognized reliance upon women, both in personal and artistic spheres, and the consequences of living insatiably.

February 4-7, 2027 at Lenfest Center for the Arts, NINE is being produced as an MFA Directing Thesis within the Columbia University School of the Arts. The production team is seeking the following collaborators …

SEEKING

Costume, Hair & Makeup Designer

Dialect Coach

Fight Choreographer

Intimacy Choreographer

Music Director & Rehearsal Pianist

Associate Music Director & Orchestrator

Scenic & Props Designer

A2 (Audio)

Projection/Video Designer

KEY DATES

Pre-Production: please see the document linked below
First Rehearsal:
Tuesday, January 5, 2027
Designer Run:
Wednesday, January 27, 2027
Tech:
Friday, January 29 - Wednesday, February 3, 2027
Invited Dress & Archival Photos:
Wednesday, February 3, 2027
Performances:
Thursday, February 4 - Sunday, February 7, 2027

Stipend of $100-500 (depending on the position)