The winner will be announced April 1 at the Humana Festival of New American Plays. The prize includes the highest American playwriting cash award of $25,000 (up from previous years' $15,000). Two additional citation recipients will be given cash prizes of $7, 500 (previously $5,000) each. All prizes are funded by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.
"For three decades the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust has been a fervent supporter of the American playwright," stated trustee Jim Steinberg. "It is vital that we continue to support those writers who relate the ongoing American saga for the stage. This award brings the appropriate recognition to the important role the playwright serves in American Arts & Letters."
The American Theatre Critics Association presents the annual Steinberg honor for "outstanding new plays produced around the United States, outside of New York City" placing a focus on regional works not often included in the numerous New York based awards.
The six finalists (and the regional theatre at which they were first produced) are:
Last year's winner of the Steinberg New Play Award was Craig Lucas' The Singing Forest with the other citations going to Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House, Gina Gionfriddo's After Ashley and J.T. Rogers' Madagascar. Previous recipients of the honor include Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel (2004), Nilo Cruz's Anna in the Tropics (2003), Horton Foote's The Carpetbaggers Children (2002), Jane Martin's Anton In Show Business (2001), Regina Taylor's Oo-Bla-Dee (2000) and Lanford Wilson's Book of Days (1999).
For more information on the American Theatre Critics Association, visit www.americantheatrecritics.org.
