9/15/11 - Helen Merrill Playwriting Awards Announced

CONTACT

Ani Hurwitz, VP, Communications
T: 212.686.0010 x 224; C: 347.276.3918
afh@nyct-cfi.org / Twitter: @nycommtrust

WHAT

Helen Merrill Playwriting Award Ceremony

WHEN 

Monday, September 26, 2011, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Awards given at 6:15pm)

WHERE  

Algonquin Hotel, 59 West 44th Street

WHY 

$100,000 will be awarded to 5 playwrights from the Helen Merrill Fund in The New York Community Trust. This is the 11th year of the award, which was established by the late Helen Merrill, a theatrical agent, to continue her lifelong encouragement of playwrights. Read more about Helen Merrill>>

WHO

2011 Emerging Playwright Award winners: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Dorothy Fortenberry, Dan LeFranc, and Radha Blank

2011 Distinguished Playwright Award winner: Lisa Kron

Selection Committee:

• Christopher Durang, Obie Award-winning playwright, professor, and actor; co-chair with Marsha Norman of the Playwriting Program at the Juilliard School
• Susan Hilferty, Tony Award-winning costume designer for theater, opera, and film
• Morgan Jenness, Creative Services/Literary Division, Abrams Artists Agency; former associate producer for the Public Theater
• Emily Morse, director of artistic development at New Dramatists
• Richard Nelson, Olivier Award-winning playwright, former chairman of the playwriting department at Yale University

Past winners include:
David Adjmi, Zakiyyah Alexander, David Auburn, Tanya Barfield, Neal Bell, Brooke Berman, Constance Congdon, Kara Lee Corthron, Nilo Cruz, Angela Eisa Davis, Bathsheba Doran, Margaret Edson, Will Eno, Marcus Gardley, Gina Gionfriddo, Jessica Goldberg, Michael Golamco, Noah Haidle, Robert Handel, Amy Herzog, Albert Innaurato, Len Jenkin, Robert Kerr, Oni Faida Lampley, Deborah Laufer, Tina Howe, Victor Lodato, Deborah Margolin, Dael Orlandersmith, David Rabe, Adam Rapp, Keith Reddin, Sarah Ruhl, Wallace Shawn, Justin Sherin, Theodora Skipitares, Victoria Stewart, Gary Sunshine, Michael Weller, Samuel Brett Williams, and Lanford Wilson.

Read more about Helen Merrill>>