Pravin Wilkins Announced as the Winner of the 2020 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award

Today, Theatre503 announced US playwright and activist Pravin Wilkins as the winner of the 2020 Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. Pravin accepted the Award from his home in Pittsburgh at an online event attended Theatre503's community of writers, industry and friends, hosted by the theatre's Chair Erica Whyman and Artistic Director Lisa Spirling.

Erica Whyman: "I am thrilled to be able to present Pravin with the fourth biennial Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. Selecting a winner out of five exceptional early career playwrights is always a challenge, and this year was no exception given the quality of all our finalists. However, there was something about Pravin's play that spoke especially vividly and courageously to the panel of the times we are all navigating. It also holds true to 503 looking for stories we haven't heard before told in a way we are yet to see on our stage.

It is such a pleasure to be able to host this event - a moment of celebration, positivity, and connection in such a strange year. Theatre503 has performed miracles in weathering the storm to ensure that new voices are heard and nurtured. At a time when so many may be facing more risk-averse futures, it has never been more important to keep finding and giving unknown playwrights a chance in our industry - to write the plays, films and television of tomorrow, and make sure all of society's stories are told. Theatre503 is truly at the forefront of doing this and I am very proud of all that the team has achieved this year."

Vivien Goodwin, Senior Vice President, Europe, of Concord Theatricals, said: "We are delighted to celebrate Pravin Wilkins' fantastic play and look forward to publishing and licensing it under our Samuel French imprint. The Theatre503 International Playwriting Award allows us an important moment to recognise and support diverse voices through this challenging time. Our partnership allows us, in this period of real hardship for the creative industries, to hear and support writers and freelancers internationally. This award helps to shore up the future for early career writers, such as Pravin, reminding us of the talent that we need to be returning to when we can gather once again under one roof."

Pravin Wilkins is a playwright, poet, and fiction writer based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose works typically deal with race and class struggle - and the many intersections between. He receives a £6,000 prize and a guaranteed production of his play Moreno, which will be published by Samuel French Ltd., a Concord Theatricals company.

Moreno is set in the world of American football, shaken by Colin Kaepernick's monumental decision to take a knee to protest police brutality against Black people. As he struggles to overcome an injury and prove he still has what it takes, star player Luis Moreno must decide whether to take a risk and make a stand. Through his story, the play questions if the Black Lives Matter movement even has room for him and the issues he wants to bring to the table.

Moreno was chosen from a shortlist of five plays, from over 1,719 scripts submitted from 45 countries. It was selected by an industry panel chaired by Erica Whyman (Chair of Theatre503 and Deputy Artistic Director, RSC) with producer Caro Newling, actor/director Daniel Evans, arts journalist and reviewer Sam Marlowe, playwrights Roy Williams and Vinay Patel, and Theatre503 Artistic Director Lisa Spirling.

The other shortlisted plays were: Terp by Ayad Andrews (UK); Book of Esther by Gina Stevensen (US); Til Death Do Us Part by Safaa Benson-Effiom (UK); and for unknown reasons by Zoe Ashford Cooper (Australia).

Samuel French, a Concord Theatricals company, is the new publishing partner for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award. Concord Theatricals will support the 2020, 2022 and 2024 Award, including a commitment to publishing and licensing the winning scripts under Concord Theatricals' Samuel French imprint.