Our History

Over our 50-year history, Playwrights has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including seven Pulitzer Prizes, 13 Tony Awards, and 47 Obie Awards.

Awards

SORT BY TYPE

 

2019-2020

• 2020 Lucille Lortel Award for Lifetime Achievement to Tim Sanford
• 2020 Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement to Tim Sanford

Heroes of the Fourth Turning BY Will Arbery

• 2020 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama
• New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play
• Obie Award to Will Arbery for Playwriting 
• Obie Award Special Citation to the creative team and cast
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play
• Lucille Lortel Award to Michele Pawk for Outstanding Featured Actress
• Lucille Lortel Award to Isabella Byrd for Outstanding Lighting Design
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Director
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Sound Design

2018-2019

A STRANGE LOOP BY MICHAEL R. JACKSON

• 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama 
• New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical 
• Obie Award to Michael R. Jackson for Playwriting
• Obie Award Special Citation to the creative team and cast
• Obie Award to Arnulfo Maldonado for Sustained Excellence (Scenic Design)
• Obie Award to Jen Schriever for Sustained Excellence (Lighting Design)
• Lucille Lortel Award to Larry Owens for Outstanding Lead Actor
• Lucille Lortel Award to John-Andrew Morrison for Outstanding Featured Actor
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Musical 
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Director
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Choreographer
• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Costume Design

The Pain of My Belligerence BY halley feiffer

• 2020 Lucille Lortel Finalist for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

2017-2018

Dance Nation BY Clare barron

• Susan Smith Blackburn Award 
• 2019 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama 
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance
• Obie Award special citation to Clare Barron and Lee Sunday Evans  

2015–2016

MARJORIE PRIME BY JORDAN HARRISON

• 2015 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for Drama

THE CHRISTIANS BY LUCAS HNATH

• Obie Award to Lucas Hnath for Playwriting
• Obie Award to Emily Donahoe for Performance
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play

FAMILIAR BY DANAI GURIRA

• Obie Award to Tamara Tunie for Performance

2014–2015

BOOTYCANDY BY ROBERT O'HARA

• Obie Award Special Citation to the creative team and cast
• 2015 Lammy Award for LGBT Drama

IOWA BY TODD ALMOND & JENNY SCHWARTZ

• Obie Award to April Matthis for Sustained Excellence of Performance

2013–2014

THE (CURIOUS CASE OF THE) WATSON INTELLIGENCE BY MADELEINE GEORGE

• Outer Critic's Circle John Gassner Playwrighting Award for New American Play
• Obie Award to John Ellison Conlee for Performance

MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY BY ANNE WASHBURN

• Obie Award to Justin Townsend for Sustained Excellence (Lighting)

2012–2013

THE CALL BY TANYA BARFIELD

• Obie Award to Eisa Davis for Sustained Excellence of Performance

THE FLICK BY ANNIE BAKER

• 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• Obie Award to Annie Baker for Playwriting
• Obie Award to Matthew Maher for Sustained Excellence of Performance
• Susan Smith Blackburn Prize
• Henry Hewes Design Award to Jane Cox (Lighting Design)
• Harold & Mimi Steinberg "Mimi" Award

THE WHALE  BY SAMUEL D. HUNTER

• Obie Award to Shuler Hensley for Performance
• Lucille Lortel Award to Samuel D. Hunter for Oustanding Play
• Lucille Lortel Award to Shuler Hensley for Oustanding Lead Actor
• Lucille Lortel Award to Jessica Pabst for Oustanding Costume Design
• Drama Desk Special Award to Samuel D. Hunter:  "His empathic and indelible The Whale affirms his arrival as a distinguished dramatist who depicts the human condition."

DETROIT BY LISA D'AMOUR

• Obie Award, Best New American Play

2011–2012

THE BIG MEAL BY DAN LEFRANC

• Lucille Lortel Award to Sam Gold for Outstanding Direction of a Play

MILK LIKE SUGAR BY KIRSTEN GREENIDGE

• Lucille Lortel Award to Tonya Pinkins for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role
• Obie Award to Cherise Boothe for Performance
• Obie Award to Kirsten Greenidge for Playwriting

2010–2011

• Playwrights Horizons is awarded the National Theatre Conference’s Outstanding Theatre Award.

GO BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE BY DAVID GREENSPAN

• Obie Award to Leigh Silverman for Direction

2009–2010

CLYBOURNE PARK  BY BRUCE NORRIS

• 2012 Tony Award for Best Play
• 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• 2011 Olivier Award for Best Play (London)
• Evening Standard Award, Best Play (London)
• Obie Award to Pam MacKinnon for Directing

CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION BY ANNIE BAKER

• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance
• New York Drama Critics Circle Emerging Artist Special Citation to Annie Baker
• Obie Award to Annie Baker for Best New American Play
• Obie Award to Sam Gold for Directing
• Obie Award to the ensemble for Performance 

2008–2009

• Playwrights Horizons receives a Drama Desk Citation honoring its "ongoing support to generations of theater artists and undiminished commitment to producing new work." 

2007–2008

THE DRUNKEN CITY BY ADAM BOCK

• Theater World Award to Cassie Beck

100 SAINTS YOU SHOULD KNOW BY KATE FODOR

• Clarence Derwent Award to Zoe Kazan

2006–2007

CRAZY MARY BY A.R. GURNEY

• Clarence Derwent Award to Michael Esper

FRANK'S HOME BY RICHARD NELSON

• Obie Award to Harris Yulin for Performance

2005–2006

PEN BY DAVID MARSHALL GRANT

• Obie Award to Reed Birney for Sustained Excellence of Performance

GREY GARDENS BY DOUG WRIGHT, SCOTT FRANKEL AND MICHAEL KORIE

• Tony® Award to Christine Ebersole for Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical
• Tony® Award to Mary Louise Wilson for Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Musical
• Tony® Award to William Ivey Long for Best Costume Design of a Musical
• Drama League Distinguished Performance Award to Christine Ebersole
• New York Drama Critics Circle Special Citation to Christine Ebersole
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical to Christine Ebersole
• Obie Award to Christine Ebersole for Performance
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical to Christine Ebersole

2004–2005

RODNEY'S WIFE BY RICHARD NELSON

• Lucille Lortel Award to David Weiner for Outstanding Lighting Design

SPATTER PATTERN, OR HOW I GOT AWAY WITH IT BY NEAL BELL

• Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Mystery Play
• Obie Award to Deirdre O'Connell for Sustained Excellence of Performance

2003–2004

FABULATION, OR, THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE BY LYNN NOTTAGE

• Obie Award for Playwriting

SMALL TRAGEDY BY CRAIG LUCAS

• Included in Burns Mantle's The Best Plays Theater Yearbook 2003–2004
• Obie Award to Craig Lucas for Best American Play
• Obie Award to the acting company for Performance

2002–2003

I AM MY OWN WIFE BY DOUG WRIGHT

• Tony® Award to Doug Wright for Best Play
• Tony® Award to Jefferson Mays for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
• 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play
• Drama Desk Award to Jefferson Mays for Outstanding Solo Performance
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Play
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Jefferson Mays for Outstanding Solo Performance
• Obie Award to Jefferson Mays for Performance
• Obie Award to Moises Kaufman for Direction
• Obie Award to Derek McLane for Design
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show
• Lucille Lortel Award to Derek McLane for Outstanding Scenic Design
• Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play
• Theater World Award to Jefferson Mays

SHE STOOPS TO COMEDY BY DAVID GREENSPAN

• Obie Award to David Greenspan, Special Citation

MY LIFE WITH ALBERTINE BY RICHARD NELSON AND RICKY IAN GORDON

• AT&T: OnStage Award
• Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation Musical Theater Award

2001–2002

FRANNY'S WAY BY RICHARD NELSON

• Lucille Lortel Award to Kathleen Widdoes for Outstanding Featured Actress
• Lucille Lortel Award to Scott Lehrer for Outstanding Sound Design

2000–2001

BREATH, BOOM BY KIA CORTHRON

• Obie Award to Yvette Ganier for Performance

LOBBY HERO BY KENNETH LONERGAN

• AT&T: OnStage Award

1999–2000

THE BUBBLY BLACK GIRL SHEDS HER CHAMELEON SKIN BY KIRSTEN CHILDS

• AUDELCO Award to Kirsten Childs for Outstanding Musical Creator
• AUDELCO Award to Fred Carl for Outstanding Musical Director
• Obie Award to Kirsten Childs (Special Citation for Music & Lyrics)
• Obie Award to David Gallo for Sustained Achievement in Set Design

JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD, BY RICHARD NELSON AND SHAUN DAVEY

• Tony® Award to Richard Nelson for Best Book of a Musical
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical
• New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Stephen Spinella for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
• Drama Desk Award to Stephen Spinella for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
• Artios Award to James Calleri, C.S.A. for Musical Theater Casting

1998–1999

• Playwrights Horizons receives a New York State Governor's Arts Award, in recognition of the organization's continuing commitment to the arts and their importance in our society.

GOODNIGHT CHILDREN EVERYWHERE, BY RICHARD NELSON

• 1999 Olivier Award for Best Play (London)

BETTY'S SUMMER VACATION, BY CHRISTOPHER DURANG

• Obie Award to Christopher Durang for Playwriting
• Obie Award to Nicholas Martin for Directing
• Obie Award to Kristine Nielsen for Performance
• Obie Award to Thomas Lynch for Sustained Excellence in Set Design

1997–1998

FROM ABOVE, BY TOM DONAGHY

• Obie Award to Mary Testa for Performance

MUD, RIVER, STONE BY LYNN NOTTAGE

• Obie Award to Brian Murray for Sustained Excellence of Performance

LILLIAN, WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY DAVID CALE

• 1998/1999 Obie Award Special Citation for David Cale

1996–1997

VIOLET, BY JEANINE TESORI AND BRIAN CRAWLEY

• NY Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical
• Obie Award Special Citation to Jeanine Tesori for Music
• Obie Award to Derek McLane for Sustained Excellence of Set Design
• Obie Award to Catherine Zuber for Sustained Excellence of Costume Design
• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical
• Encore Magazine "Taking Off" Award
• AT&T: OnStage Award

FLOYD COLLINS, BY TINA LANDAU AND ADAM GUETTEL

• Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical
• Obie Award to Bruce Coughlin (Orchestrator) and Adam Guettel (Composer) for Music
• Drama Desk Award to Dan Moses Schreier for Sound Design

1995–1996

THE MONOGAMIST, BY CHRISTOPHER KYLE

• Lucille Lortel Award to Scott Elliot for Outstanding Director
• Theater World Award to Timothy Olyphant

1994–1995

A CHEEVER EVENING, BY A. R. GURNEY

• Obie Award to Don Scardino for Directing
• Obie Award to Mary Beth Peil for Performance
• Obie Award to Jennifer Von Mayrhauser for Sustained Excellence in Costume Design

1993-94

MOE'S LUCKY SEVEN BY MARLANE MEYER

• Susan Smith Blackburn Prize

1991–1992

FALSETTOS, THE COMBINATION OF "MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS" AND "FALSETTOLAND" BY WILLIAM FINN AND JAMES LAPINE

• Tony® Award for Best Musical Score
• Tony® Award for Best Book of a Musical

THE END OF THE DAY, BY JON ROBIN BAITZ

• Obie Award to Roger Rees for Performance

MARVIN'S ROOM, BY SCOTT MCPHERSON

• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play
• Drama Desk Award to Laura Esterman for Best Actress in a Play
• Obie Award to Laura Esterman for Performance
• Outer Critics Circle: John Gassner Playwriting Award to Scott McPherson
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Laura Esterman for Outstanding Actress in a Play
• Theater World Award to Mark Rosenthal

1990–1991

THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE, BY JON ROBIN BAITZ

• Drama Desk Award to Ron Rifkin for Best Actor in a Play
• Obie Award to Ron Rifkin for Performance

FALSETTOLAND, BY WILLIAN FINN AND JAMES LAPINE

• Drama Desk Award to William Finn for Best Music
• Drama Desk Award to William Finn for Best Lyrics
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical

1989–1990

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BY LYNN AHRENS AND STEPHEN FLAHERTY

• 1995 Olivier Award for Best Musical (London)
• The AT&T: OnStage Award
• Theater World Award to LaChanze

WHEN SHE DANCED, BY MARTIN SHERMAN

• Obie Award to Marcia Jean Kurtz for Performance

1988–1989

THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, BY WENDY WASSERSTEIN

• 1989 Tony Award for Best Play
• 1989 Tony Award for Boyd Gaines for Best Featured Actor
• 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• NY Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Production of a Play
• Susan Smith Blackburn Prize

GUS AND AL, BY ALBERT INNAURATO

• Obie Award to Mark Blum for Performance

1986–1987

DRIVING MISS DAISY, BY ALFRED UHRY

• 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• Obie Award to Dana Ivey for Performance
• Obie Award to Morgan Freeman for Performance
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Ron Lagomarsino for Direction
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Dana Ivey for Outstanding Performance by an Actress
• 1989 Academy Award for Best Picture

1985–1986

ANTEROOM, BY HARRY KONDOLEON

• Obie Award to Elizabeth Wilson for Performance

THE PERFECT PARTY, BY A.R. GURNEY

• Outer Critics Circle Award to John Tillinger for Directing (along with Loot and Corpse!)

1984–1985

ROMANCE LANGUAGE BY PETER PARNELL

• Obie Award to Loren Sherman for Set Design (not show-specific)

1983–1984

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, BY JAMES LAPINE AND STEPHEN SONDHEIM

• 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• NY Drama Critics Circle Award to Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine for Best Musical
• Tony® Award to Tony Straiges for Set Design
• Tony® Award to Richard Nelson for Lighting Design
• Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
• Drama Desk Award to James Lapine for Outstanding Director of a Musical
• Drama Desk Award to James Lapine for Outstanding Book of a Musical
• Drama Desk Award to Michael Starobin for Orchestration
• Drama Desk Award to Tony Straiges for Set Design
• Drama Desk Award to Stephen Sondheim for Lyrics
• Drama Desk Award to Richard Nelson for Lighting Design
• Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical
• Outer Critics Circle Award to Tony Straiges for Set Design

TERRA NOVA, BY TED TALLY

• Obie Award to Ted Tally for Playwriting

1982–1983

CHRISTMAS ON MARS BY HARRY KONDOLEON

• Obie Award to Harry Kondoleon for Most Promising Young Playwright

1981–1982

SISTER MARY IGNATIUS EXPLAINS IT ALL FOR YOU, BY CHRISTOPHER DURANG

• Obie Award to Christopher Durang for Playwriting

GENIUSES BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS

• Clarence Derwent Award to Joanne Camp
• Theater World Award to Joanne Camp

1980–1981

MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS, BY WILLIAM FINN AND JAMES LAPINE

• New York Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical

TABLE SETTINGS, BY JAMES LAPINE

• George Oppenheimer-Newsday Award for Best New Play

1978–1979

VIENNA NOTES, BY RICHARD NELSON

• Obie Award to Richard Nelson for Playwriting
• Obie Award to Marcell Rosenblatt for Performance

1976–1977

GEMINI, BY ALBERT INNAURATO

• Obie Award to Albert Innaurato