Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has announced José Luis Valenzuela as the recipient of the 2024 Gordon Davidson Award.

Named in honor of the founding artistic director of Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, Gordon Davidson, the award recognizes a director or choreographer for lifetime achievement and distinguished service in a national not-for-profit theatre.

Valenzuela has served simultaneously as artistic director of Latino Theater Company and The Los Angeles Theatre Center for several years, while also working as a Distinguished Professor and Head of the MFA Directing program at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Theater, Film, and Television. Valenzuela also founded the Latino Theatre Lab at LATC and the Latino Theater Initiative at the Mark Taper Forum, and serves as a producer of the national and international Encuentro Festivals.

The Gordon Davidson Award will be presented to Valenzuela at a ceremony in the spring.

The selection committee was chaired by Neel Keller, former associate artistic director of Center Theatre Group. Keller was joined on the committee by Sheldon Epps, Michael John Garcés, Laura Penn, Lisa Peterson, and Warner Shook. Rachel Davidson, daughter of Gordon Davidson, served as an advisor.

“Gordon Davison was a mentor, friend, and a significant part of my life and career," Valenzuela said in a statement. "I had the privilege of working with him for five years at CTG. He was incredibly knowledgeable about theatre, community, and people. We had numerous discussions about our work, shared our thoughts and ideas, and reached agreements and disagreements. We had a special relationship as theatre makers who shared a passion for the art form and a commitment to its impact on society. He emphasized the importance of creating 'theatre that matters' and letting the world see it...I consider Gordon to be one of the great leaders and a pillar in the American theatre, and I am honored to receive this award. I am proud to be part of such a brilliant and incredible group of recipients before me and want to express my gratitude to the committee that supported my nomination. I am having a Sally Field moment."

“José Luis Valenzuela is a Los Angeles institution and an irrepressible force in the American theatre," Keller added. "The Gordon Davidson Committee is thrilled that this award can celebrate his artistic achievements, legacy of mentorship, and dedication to the city that he and Gordon loved so much. Like Gordon, José Luis is an artist, a mentor, a teacher, a passionate advocate, and an engaged citizen. He has directed acclaimed productions throughout our regional theatre and internationally. He has supported generations of theatre artists and students who have gone on to dazzle and challenge audiences around the globe. He has built a vibrant, important theatre company. He has championed civic investment in the arts, making a powerful statement about the theatre’s importance at the center of civic life and dialogue."