Tanya Barfield - "Pulitzer Prize nominee" - ?? No.

[followspot]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 6:30pm

I've read multiple publicity pieces and reviews of the just opened Women's Project Theater production of Tanya Barfield's Bright Half Life that refer to Barfield as a "Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright" — a claim also made on the WPT website, in addition to the websites of other institutions with which Barfield is associated, including Primary Stages and Juilliard. (Barfield's Wikipedia page claims "Her play Blue Door [2007] was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.")

Barfield has never been named a winner or finalist for the Pulitzer, and therefore has never been a Pulitzer Prize "nominee."  Each year there are jury-chosen finalists (nominees) for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama — culled from eligible entries submitted by playwrights and agents — from which a winner may (or may not) be named. Barfield has never been named a Pulitzer finalist ("nominee") for any of her works, Blue Door included.

From the official Pulitzer Prize website:"The Pulitzer Prize Board generally selects the Pulitzer Prize Winners from three nominated finalists in each category. The names of nominated finalists have been announced since 1980. Work that has been submitted for Prize consideration but not chosen as either a nominated finalist or a winner is termed an entry or submission. Since 1980, when we began to announce nominated finalists, we have used the term 'nominee' for entrants who became finalists. We discourage someone saying he or she was 'nominated' for a Pulitzer simply because an entry was sent to us."

Blue Door may have been submitted to the Pulitzer selection jury for consideration, but it wasn't nominated by the Pulitzer selection jury as a finalist.  Barfield calling herself a "Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright" is a very misleading leap in truth.

Several journalists have been called out for making the same leap (see link). Apparently now it's theater's turn.

"Also Not A Pulitzer Prize Nominee" Updated On: 7/7/15 at 06:30 PM

[followspot]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 11:52pm

Pulitzer Prize for Drama - Winners and Finalists

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/28/15 at 12:39am

So she's lying?

Also, it's so cool seeing that list. I never really put it into perspective, but it's cool to see that such amazing playwrights overlapped. Like seeing August Wilson, Lor-Parks, and Albee in the same year.

[mikem]

Posted: 2/28/15 at 10:55am

I've seen some similar sketchy use of the term "Grammy eligible" or saying a recording is a "Grammy entry." Recordings are put on a list from which the 5 nominees in each category are chosen. As far as I know, there is no screening for merit to be on the list. Some categories have hundreds of recordings that are eligible.

It's like calling every Broadway production a "Tony entry."

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/28/15 at 4:18pm

I have a friend who's used "attended Harvard" for years. She took one course.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 2/28/15 at 5:38pm

The playwright of THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN, I forget his name right now, was also guilty of doing this. In anticipation of that year's Pulitzer announcement he had been saying at a talkback that he was "nominated for the Pulitzer" to which I thought to myself, "wow, that's neat. Literally anyone in the world could theoretically be *nominated* which means nothing so stop saying that." Thought he was bragging, but he was only diminishing his stature with that assertion.

[followspot]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 10:52am

Update: All false information has been dropped from Barfield's Wikipedia page, but remains on her associate sites.

Updated On: 3/5/15 at 10:52 AM