Suzan-Lori Parks
Birth Place: Kentucky, USA
OffWestEnd Awards (Offies) Unveil 2026 Nominations (Feb 3, 2026)
THE HARDER THEY COME To Return To Stratford East In 2026 (Feb 3, 2026)
THE HARDER THEY COME to Return to Stratford East This February (Feb 2, 2026)
Photos
Productions
Writing
Lyricist
Movies
[ 1996 ] writer
[ 2010 ] Skye Brown - the director
[ 2021 ] writer
Awards and Nominations
Suzan-Lori Parks, Plays For The Plague Year
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, Plays for the Plague Year
Suzan-Lori Parks, The Harder They Come
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, White Noise
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II, & III
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks , Topdog / Underdog
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog
Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog
Suzan-Lori ParksIn The Blood
Suzan-Lori ParksIn the Blood
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks
winner
Suzan-Lori Parks, Venus
winner
Suzan-Lori ParksImperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom
Videos
Video: SUFFS Hosts Roll Call With Representatives from the 36 States that Ratified 19th Amendment
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-08-25 10:11:28
Video: Watch a Trailer for THE BOOK OF GRACE at Arcola Theatre
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-05-11 16:34:18
LEROY AND LUCY World Premiere, NOISES OFF & More Announced For Steppenwolf's 2024/2025 Season
by Joshua Wright - 2024-03-13 13:29:34
Video: Watch LaChanze Discuss Becoming a Broadway Producer on CBS SUNDAY MORNING
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-02-18 10:17:21
Video: Watch Rehearsal Footage of HELL'S KITCHEN at The Public Theater
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-10-07 09:16:54
Video: Suzan-Lori Parks Celebrates Tony Win for 'Best Revival of a Play'
by Richard Ridge - 2023-06-12 12:36:39
Video: Corey Hawkins Wants to 'Plant the Seeds of Possibility ' on Broadway
by Richard Ridge - 2023-06-03 18:00:20
Video: Watch Suzan-Lori Parks Talk PLAYS FOR THE PLAGUE YEAR on PBS NEWSHOUR
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-04-22 09:08:56
VIDEO: Go Inside THE HARDER THEY COME Sitzprobe at The Public Theater
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-02-17 15:28:49
Video: Go Inside Opening Night of TOPDOG/UNDERDOG on Broadway
by Opening Night - 2022-10-23 12:00:20
VIDEO: Watch the Cast of TINA Unite to Perform Daniel J. Watts' Poignant Poem, 'The Gatherers'
by Nicole Rosky - 2021-02-22 11:08:56
VIDEO: Watch the Trailer for Suzan-Lori Parks-Penned THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY on Hulu
by Nicole Rosky - 2021-01-11 15:12:10
VIDEO: Daveed Diggs Talks Returning to the Public for WHITE NOISE
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2019-02-21 08:03:11
News
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 3, 2026
The OffWestEnd Awards (Offies) have revealed their 2026 nominations, highlighting the best in independent theatre. The awards showcase a range of emerging and established talent in the Off-West End scene.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 3, 2026
THE HARDER THEY COME will return to Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2026 following its 2025 run. The reggae musical is adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Matthew Xia, with performances scheduled from May 16 through July 4.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 2, 2026
Stratford East will present the reggae musical The Harder They Come. The production is based on the cult Jamaican film produced and directed by Perry Henzell and co-written with Trevor Rhone.
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 30, 2026
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities will open to the public in Oxford with a free launch programme featuring music, theatre, dance, and digital art.
by Stephi Wild - Jan 28, 2026
The date has been set for the 70th Drama Desk Awards! The 2026 Drama Desk Awards will be held at The Town Hall on May 17, 2026. Learn more about the event here!
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 9, 2026
ArtsWest and The Hansberry Project will present Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton, running February 5 through March 1, 2026, at ArtsWest in Seattle.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 3, 2025
Kicking off the new year, Berkeley Repertory Theatre will present its 90th world premiere production, How Shakespeare Saved My Life — an autobiographical and music-filled tour de force written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent.
by Steve Murray - Nov 5, 2025
Back in 2017, Marin Theatre Company staged Thomas Bradshaw’s historical fiction Thomas and Sally to a firestorm of criticism, with critics damning the production for its hypersexualized view of Sally Hemings and downplaying her position as Thomas Jefferson’s slave.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 5, 2025
The world premiere production of Girl, Interrupted has been added to The Public’s 2025-2026 season. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok brings Girl, Interrupted to the stage for its world premiere.
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 4, 2025
Marin Theatre in Mill Valley will present the West Coast Premiere of Sally & Tom by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, running October 30–November 23, 2025. See photos of the production.
by Team BWW - Oct 31, 2025
San Francisco / Bay Area is never lacking outstanding theatre, whether epic Broadway shows, engrossing dramas or bold fringe offerings. BroadwayWorld is rounding up our top recommended theatre every month. Selections for November 2025 include Into the Woods and more.
by Jim Munson - Oct 31, 2025
BroadwayWorld chats with Lance Gardner about directing Suzan-Lori Parks' 'Sally & Tom' at Marin Theatre, where he serves as Executive Artistic Director. It runs through Sunday, November 23rd in Mill Valley, CA.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 29, 2025
Vanguard Theater has begun rehearsals for Topdog/Underdog by Pulitzer Prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by marcus d harvey. The production will open Vanguard's landmark 10th Anniversary Season, themed Claiming Our Stories.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 24, 2025
Stratford East has announced an extension for the critically acclaimed new production of THE HARDER THEY COME, the newly adapted reggae musical based on the cult Jamaican film of the same name.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 23, 2025
Marin Theatre will present the West Coast Premiere of Sally & Tom. Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 16, 2025
The 32nd annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize has been awarded to actress, director, dramaturg, and theater founder Rosalba Rolón. Learn more about Rolón here!
by Emmy Rice - Sep 13, 2025
Topdog/Underdog, the Pulitzer Prize–winning play by Suzan-Lori Parks, opens September 19, 2025, at Spotlighters Theatre and runs through October 12, 2025.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 29, 2025
The Old Globe has revealed its 2026 Season, a special lineup of theatre filled with original and classic plays, North American and San Diego premieres, and more. See the full lineup here!
by Stephi Wild - Aug 27, 2025
Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) announces that Dominic Moore-Dunson, an award-winning choreographer and arts leader, has been selected as the 2025-2026 Lloyd Richards New Futures Resident Artist.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 21, 2025
The Roots and Wings Project will present the world premiere of Luminous Streets in Highland Park, Los Angeles, September 12–28, 2025. This site-specific theatrical tour will feature new plays by Roger Q. Mason, Jesse Bliss, and others, performed in venues along York Boulevard.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Suzan-Lori Parks has written 9 shows including Unchain My Heart (Bookwriter), The America Play (Playwright), Urban Zulu Mambo (Playwright), Topdog / Underdog (Playwright), F-ing A (Composer), The Book Of Grace (Playwright), The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World (Playwright), The Red Letter Plays: In the Blood (Author), White Noise (Playwright).
Outstanding Play (The Lortels) for Plays For The Plague Year, Outstanding Music in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Plays for the Plague Year, Outstanding Book of a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for The Harder They Come, Playwriting Award (Obie Awards) for White Noise, Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee (The Lortels) for , Playwriting (Obie Awards) for Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II, & III, Outstanding Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Topdog/Underdog, John Gassner Playwriting Award (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Topdog / Underdog , The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for Topdog/Underdog, Best Play (Tony Awards) for Topdog/Underdog, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for In The Blood, The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for In the Blood , Guest Judges (Obie Awards), Playwriting (Obie Awards) for Venus and Best New American Play (Obie Awards) for Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom.
Suzan-Lori Parks has won several prestigious awards throughout her career. She received the Outstanding Music in a Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for Plays for the Plague Year. She earned the Playwriting Award from the Obie Awards for White Noise and was inducted into the Playwrights' Sidewalk at The Lortels. Parks also won the Playwriting award from the Obie Awards for Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts I, II, & III. Her play Topdog/Underdog earned her the Outstanding Play award from the Drama Desk Awards, the John Gassner Playwriting Award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Additionally, she has served as a Guest Judge for the Obie Awards. Parks received the Playwriting award from the Obie Awards for Venus and Best New American Play for Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom.
Videos