Barbara Seyda News

The 2023 Yale Drama Series Prize has chosen Jeremy O. Harris, the Yale alum and Tony-nominated author of Slave Play, as the presiding playwright for its landmark 15th anniversary year. As his first order of business, Harris is assembling an international group of readers to help evaluate submissions as part of a larger effort to infuse the process with a more global point-of-view.

This year the Yale Drama Series Prize once again saw a robust and talented group of applicants dedicated to writing for the theater, receiving over 2050 submissions from 60 countries.

Earlier this week was the 13th Annual Yale Drama Series Prize ceremony, which honored playwright Liliana Padilla for her play How To Defend Yourself, and was selected by playwright-judge Ayad Akhtar. This was held at the Claire Tow Theater at Lincoln Center, and culminated in a reading of the play directed by Rachel Chavkin. Also in attendance were previous Yale Drama Series Prize judges including John Guare and Marsha Norman; previous YDS Prize recipients including Barbara Seyda and Neil Wechsler; and Francine Horn, President of the David Charles Horn Foundation.

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, was given to Leah Nanako Winkler for her play God Said This. The 2018 award recipient was chosen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar. The winning play received a private staged reading at Lincoln Center Theater's Claire Tow Theater on October 30, 2018.

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, will be given to Leah Nanako Winkler for her play God Said This. The 2018 award recipient was chosen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar. The winning play will receive a private staged reading at Lincoln Center Theater's Claire Tow Theater onOctober 30, 2018.

The Theatre Company at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) has announced playwrights, dates and details for the 2018 Colorado New Play Summit.

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, will be given to Jacqueline Goldfinger for her play Bottle Fly. The 2017 award recipient was chosen by playwright Nicholas Wright. This year's ceremony will be held in London, with the play receiving a staged reading in November at the National Theatre Studio.

Just yesterday, Emily Schwend was honored with the 10th Annual Yale Drama Series Award Ceremony at a celebration at the Claire Tow Theater.

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, will be given to Emily Schwend for her play Utility.  The 2016 award recipient was chosen by playwright Nicholas Wright, who has served as judge for the 2015 and 2016 competitions.

Now in its ninth year, the Yale Drama Series Prize is given out annually for a play by an emerging playwright, selected by a judging panel of one - a preeminent playwright of our time.  The winner receives the David Charles Horn Prize of $10,000, as well as publication of the winning play by Yale University Press and a staged reading at Lincoln Center Theater's Claire Tow Theater.  The Yale Drama Series is an annual international open submission competition for emerging playwrights who are invited to submit original, unpublished, full-length, English language plays for consideration.  Seyda's play was selected from 1,478 entries from 47 countries.

One of the theater world's most prestigious playwriting prizes, the Yale Drama Series Prize, will be given to Barbara Seyda for her play Celia, A Slave: 26 Characters Testify. The 2015 award recipient was chosen by playwright Nicholas Wright, who serves as judge for the 2015 and 2016 competitions.