Steinberg Playwright Awards go to Bruce Norris, Tarell Alvin McCraney and David Adjmi

Playwrights Bruce Norris, Tarell Alvin McCraney and David Adjmi are the first recipients of the �Steinberg Playwright Awards,� it was officially announced by playwright Tony Kushner at a press conference on 17 Sep 2009 in New York City.

The awards were established in 2008 by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust to recognize up-and-coming playwrights at various stages of their early careers whose professional works show great promise. They will be presented at a ceremony on 26 Oct 2009, at Lincoln Center�s Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Last year, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust presented Tony Kushner with the very first �Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award,� which carried a cash prize of $200,000, making it the largest award ever created to encourage artistic achievement in the American theater.

As previously announced, the �Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award� (for established playwrights) and the �Steinberg Playwright Awards� (for playwrights in earlier stages of their careers), both known as �The Mimi,� will be presented in alternating years. This year�s Steinberg Playwright Awards carry cash prizes totaling $100,000.

The Steinberg Playwright Awards were established to honor the accomplishments of some of the most gifted up-and-coming American playwrights, and recognize the promise they hold for the future of American theater.

In their selection process this year, the Advisory Committee voted to award playwrights at various stages of their early careers, none of whom have yet achieved the national recognition and success of a mid-career playwright.

The Advisory Committee and the Steinberg Trust has decided to honor Norris for his body of work and outstanding potential (for which he will receive a $50,000 cash award), and Adjmi and McCraney for being promising new voices in the theater (for which they will each receive a cash award of $25,000). The playwrights will also be presented with �The Mimi,� a statue designed by Tony Award-nominated scenic designer and architect David Rockwell.

On behalf of The Steinberg Trust, Board member James D. Steinberg, said, �The Trust is pleased and proud to be able to honor and encourage these three important playwrights. Their unique voices and exceptional talent hold limitless potential. We welcome, celebrate and look forward with great anticipation to their artistic contributions to the American theater for decades to come.�

The recipients were selected by the Advisory Committee of prominent theater professionals that determined the criteria for the award, nominated the playwrights and selected the recipients. The current members of this Committee are: Andr� Bishop, Artistic Director, Lincoln Center Theater; Polly K. Carl, Director of Artistic Development, Steppenwolf Theatre Company (formerly Producing Artistic Director, The Playwrights� Center); David Emmes, Producing Artistic Director, South Coast Repertory; Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, The Public Theater; Martha Lavey, Artistic Director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company; playwright Eduardo Machado, Artistic Director, INTAR Theatre; and Marc Masterson, Artistic Director, Actors Theatre of Louisville.

On behalf of the Advisory Committee, Oskar Eustis said, �The committee felt strongly we should not limit this award only to writers at the very start of their careers, but should honor writers of real power and integrity who are in their first decade of professional playwriting. These three writers are each unique, extraordinary voices who we are confident will make a real mark on the American theater.�

With the recent creation of these two theater awards for American playwrights in different stages of their careers, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust is continuing its tradition of honoring artistic excellence in the American theater by supporting the growth and development of outstanding playwrights. The goal in establishing these awards is to recognize these theater professionals and encourage them to remain in their chosen field.

The members of the Board of Directors of The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust are Carole A. Krumland, James D. Steinberg, Michael A. Steinberg, Seth M. Weingarten and William D. Zabel.

Bruce Norris' plays include 'The Infidel' (2000), 'Purple Heart' (2002), 'We All Went Down to Amsterdam' (2003), 'The Pain and the Itch' (2004), and 'The Unmentionables' (2006), all of which had their premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago. His play 'Clybourne Park' will have its world premiere this season at Playwrights Horizons, NY, and his newest play, titled 'A Parallelogram' will premiere at Steppenwolf in July 2010.

Tarell Alvin McCraney�s plays include 'Wig Out!' and the trilogy entitled 'The Brother/Sister Plays,' including: 'The Brothers Size,' 'In the Red and Brown Water' and 'Marcus, or the 'Secret of Sweet.' The trilogy opens at the Public Theater later this year. McCraney�s other plays include: 'Without/Sin' and 'Run, Mourner, Run,' ' Choir Boy,' 'Again and Again,' 'A meditation on Antigone and 'The Breach.'

David Adjmi's plays include 'Stunning,' 'The Evildoers,' 'Elective Affinities,' 'Marie Antoinette,' 'Caligula,' 'Strange Attractors' and 'Woody Allen's Fall Project.'