In each of the past four semesters, there havebeen no more than three applications for the twomainstage slots allotted per semester to the HRDC.

"We wanted to revive the mainstage and havemore people want to work on it," Stewart said. "Wethought that the VDP would be a perfect vehicle todo that."

The HRDC formed a Search Committee toinvestigate the project consisting of Stewart,Rouse, Matthews, Maria L. Gambale '95, Alexis L.Susman '95, Susanna P. Witt '95, and Colin S.Stokes '96. The Committee made the final decisionto go ahead with the VDP in April 1994.

"Any conflict that was there at the beginningdissipated once it became clear what an experiencethis could be and what an important tradition itcould set for the huge problems the HRDC faces inthe long term," Rouse said.

However, the project's momentum ground to anear stand-still when school ended, leavingCommittee members scattered across the country.Rouse, who stayed in Cambridge with theHarvard-Radcliffe Summer Theater, decided topursue the project on his own.

"The Search Committee left for the summer, andnothing was happening. So I just started writingletters." Rouse said. "I found the money, foundthe housing, structured the project, figured outhow it would work, and set it in motion."

"[Rouse] did 90 percent of the work over thesummer," said Stewart.

When classes resumed, the Boardofficially named Rouse VDP Coordinator, making hima sitting member of the HRDC Board.

According to Rouse, the efforts to solicitapplications for the residency led to positiveresponses from 70 to 80 potential directors and 30complete applications. Dillon was one of the firstpeople to respond, and, said Rouse, one of themost qualified. "All along, [Dillon] surfaced as aclear choice," he added.

Members of the Search Committee conducted phoneand personal interviews with potential directors,announcing Dillon's selection in late September.

Dillon's enthusiasm for working with studentsappealed to the Board. "One of the reasons wehired him was that he was very much willing andinterested to meet with students outside the show.He wanted to be a resource to the wholecommunity," Stewart said.

Through the audition and rehearsal process, thecollaboration between Dillon and students workingon the VDP has been nothing short of ideal, saidthose working with Dillon.

"It's an exciting thing to be acting with afull cast of really good actors, to be in a showwhere there's a steady hand. I can really focus onwhat I'm doing as an actor in the cast," saidRouse, himself an active campus actor who recentlyreceived national recognition for his direction ofThe Baltimore Waltz.

"He has had so much experience that he knowsexactly how to get an actor to understand what hewants," said McSweeney. "He gives actors thefreedom to explore but also guides them towardshis goals for the production. Student directorsdon't have enough experience to do that as well ashe does."

Dillon, too, is complementary of his studentcrew. "They are very eager to try new things," hesaid, "very eager to learn, willing to risk makingmistakes and explore new territory, and verybright."