Home / Arts and Entertainment / Debut Plays Triumph: Two New Voices Win Major Playwriting Award
Debut Plays Triumph: Two New Voices Win Major Playwriting Award
26 Feb
Summary
- Two debut plays by Hannah Doran and Ro Reddick won the top award.
- Each playwright receives $25,000 and a signed Willem de Kooning print.
- Plays explored immigration, addiction, and coming-of-age themes.
The Susan Smith Blackburn prize, honoring female, transgender, and non-binary playwrights, has declared joint winners for its 48th annual award. Hannah Doran's "The Meat Kings! (Inc)" and Ro Reddick's "Cold War Choir Practice" were selected from nine finalists. Both playwrights will receive $25,000 and a signed Willem de Kooning print for their debut works.
Doran's "The Meat Kings! (Inc)" was staged at London's Park theatre in 2025 and won the Papatango new writing prize in 2024. This play, set in a New York butcher's shop, tackles themes of immigration, addiction, post-prison life, and financial insecurity.
"Cold War Choir Practice," currently running at MCC theater in New York, is a coming-of-age narrative set in a 1987 roller rink. The play draws inspiration from Reddick's experiences in a children's chorus and its themes of peace. Judges praised its originality and audacious vision.
Executive director Leslie Swackhamer noted that both playwrights are on the verge of significant careers, with their distinct plays offering theatrically thrilling perspectives on contemporary issues. Past recipients of the prize include notable playwrights like Lynn Nottage and Annie Baker.
