Dramatists Guild Announces 2018 Lanford Wilson Award Recipients

The Dramatists Guild of America is pleased to announce the co-recipients of the 2018 Lanford Wilson Award are Isaac Gomez and R. Eric Thomas. Their awards will be presented at the Guild's award ceremony, during their national conference, on Saturday, July 28, 2018, at the Hilton Midtown in New York.

The Lanford Wilson Award is named after the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony-nominated playwright-and longtime Dramatists Guild Council member-who passed away in 2011. The award was established by a generous contribution from Wilson's estate, and a matching contribution from the Guild; it is presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to a dramatist based primarily on their work as an early career playwright. Previous recipients are Francine Volpe, Michael Lew, Chisa Hutchinson, Lauren Gunderson, Christopher Chen, and Martyna Majok.

Isaac Gomez is a Chicago-based playwright originally from El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. His play La Ruta will be receiving its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theater Company this fall. Current commissions: South Coast Repertory, Goodman Theatre, Steep Theatre, StepUp ChicagoPlaywrights. For more information on awards, plays, and affiliations, visit isaacgomez.org.

R. Eric Thomas' productions include: Mrs. Harrison (Azuka), Miriam1234 (City Theater) and Time Is On Our Side (About Face & Simpatico). In addition to winning two Barrymores, Time... was a finalist for the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award. Forthcoming: TYA development at Act II Theatre, Safe Space (Cohesion Theater Company), Nightbird (NNPN commission/InterAct).

Individual tickets for the awards night may be purchased at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-dramatists-guild-awards-tickets-46948167232. The recipients of the Guild's other awards, also to be presented July 28, include Jocelyn Bioh, Charles Busch, Kirsten Childs, and James Anthony Tyler. The Dramatists Legal Defense Fund will announce their Defender Award in the coming days. For more information, contact Tari Stratton at the Dramatists Guild of America at (212) 398-9366 x20, or tstratton@dramatistsguild.com.