Playwriting Prize Finalists Announced!

March 29, 2019
The #KyWomenWriters 2019 season officially opens on Monday, April 1, when online registration will begin for the September 19–22 conference. Have a look at some of the incredible talent we’re bringing to Lexington: workshops will be led by Chantel Acevedo, Ifa Bayeza, DaMaris Hill, Barbara Hurd, Dorianne Laux, Lydia Millet, and Darcey Steinke. Their bios and workshop descriptions are now available on our website. Each workshop has a limit of 15 registrants, so don’t delay in securing your spot. At the same time, we’ll have robust offerings in the non-workshop sessions, including a craft talk by a virtuoso of the short story form and frequent New Yorker contributor, Antonya Nelson.
After months of script reading, our judges have announced 3 finalists in the 5th biennial Prize for Women Playwrights (you can read our press release here). Congratulations to:
·       Bite the Apple, by Linda Manning of Bronx NY
·       La Fee Verte, by Bridgette Portman of Fremont CA
·       Sapphire Heights, by Anna Wright of St. Leonard's On Sea, Hastings, England
We’re also thrilled to announce that Ifa Bayeza will be our guest judge, choosing one winner who will receive a world premiere production for a paying audience in November 2019, with royalties, plus a cash prize of $500, independently produced and directed by Eric Seale. Many thanks to the local and regional theater artists who served as judges and gave such careful consideration to the more than 380 scripts received: Hilary Brown, Sarah Burroway, Darius Fatemi, Patti Heying, Fannie Lemasters, Patrick Mitchell, Suraya Shalash, Alberta Labrillazo, Eric Seale, Allison Spenser, Ellie Todd, and Caitlyn Waltermire. It was truly a labor of love for all of them. Their evaluations were done on a blind basis, and they are learning finalists’ names at the same time as the rest of the world.
Finally, in case there is any March Madness among our subscribers, I will close with a wish for victory tonight: Go Big Blue!