The Weissberger Award

About the Weissberger Award

Beginning in 2026, Playwrights Horizons will administer The Weissberger/Harris Award. Each year, one winner will receive $15,000 and two finalists each will receive $2500. In addition, Playwrights Horizons staff including Artistic Director Adam Greenfield will engage in dramaturgical conversations with the winning playwright and produce a workshop in PH's New Works Lab.

In the past, the Weissberger Award has recognized the following new plays and emerging playwrights:

2025 - Cephianne's Reflection by Mallory Raven-Ellen Backstrom

2024 – Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia by Beth Hyland

2023 – Chapters of a Floating Life by Clarence Coo

2022 – Tiny Father by Mike Lew

2021 – Wet Brain by John J. Caswell, Jr.

2020 – English by Sanaz Toossi (winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Drama)

2019 – Cinched/Strapped by Selina Fillinger

2018 – Selling Kabul by Sylvia Khoury (finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama)

2017 – Noura by Heather Raffo

2016* – Hannah and the Dread Gazebo by Jiehae Par

2014 – Kill Floor by Abe Koogler

2013 – Five Mile Lake by Rachel Bonds

2012 – Paradise Blue by Dominique Morisseau

2011 – The Body of an American by Dan O’Brien

2010 – Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney

2009 – The Substance of Bliss by Tony Glazer

2008 – Sense of an Ending by Ken Urban

2007 – The Good Negro by Tracey Scott Wilson

2006 – Truth and Reconciliation by Etan Frankel

2005 – Said Said by Kenneth Lin

2004 – BFE by Julia Cho

2003 – Arrangements by Ken Weitzman

2002 – Motherhouse by Victor Lodato

2001 – The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock by Catherine Trieschmann

2000 – Jump Slash Cut by Neena Beber

1999 – Into the Fire by Deborah Brevoort

1998 – Infrared by Mac Wellman