Ife Olujobi, Warren Leight & 2023 WGA Strike Captains Receive Dramatists Guild Advocacy Award

The Dramatists Guild of America revealed the recipients of the inaugural Dramatists Guild Advocacy Award, which will be presented at the Guild’s annual Awards Night held on Monday May 6, 2024, at Sony Hall.

 The Dramatists Guild Advocacy Award is a testament to the tireless efforts and remarkable contributions of theater writers, including playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists, who have emerged as leading advocates within the theatrical community. This accolade highlights individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to promoting the professional and economic interests of theater writers, ensuring their voices are heard and their contributions are recognized.

 Recipients of the Dramatists Guild Advocacy Award have distinguished themselves through passionate advocacy for the rights of playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists. Their unwavering commitment has not only elevated the status and recognition of theater writers but has also paved the way for future generations to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of the performing arts. Their leadership, resilience, and dedication serve as an inspiration to all who believe in the transformative power of storytelling and the importance of advocating for the rights of artists.

 As we honor the recipients of the Dramatists Guild Advocacy Award, we celebrate their profound impact on the theater industry and express our gratitude for their relentless pursuit of justice and equity.

 The recipients of the Advocacy Award in its inaugural year include:

Ife Olujobi (Jordans), for her work advocating for wage increases for playwrights at The Public Theater, which marked the first increase in playwright pay at the theater in 12 years. Her efforts also resulted in playwrights receiving compensation for preproduction and reimbursement for health insurance, along with annual reviews of playwright compensation to ensure that playwrights continue to be fairly compensated for their work.

Pulitzer Prize finalist Warren Leight (“Law & Order: SVU”) and the Captains of the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, who led the charge for new contracts for film and television writers on the ground during ongoing negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Their tireless efforts, galvanized by the solidarity of the Screen Actors Guild and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees,, united the members of WGA East and West to demonstrate and leverage their power for 148 days. The new contract offered members increased pay minimums, increased health insurance and pension contributions, protections from artificial intelligence, improved terms for streaming residuals and increased the minimum number of writers who could be employed for a film or television series. While not all theater writers exclusively make their living in film and television, many do. The impact of the strike and resulting contract helps to safeguard a much-needed lifeline for those writing in the theater, recognizing their reliance on opportunities in other mediums. The 365 strike captains will be represented at the awards by Micharne Cloughley (“Law & Order: SVU”), Patrick Coker (“East New York”), Karen DiConcetto (“SKAM Austin”), David Handelman (“The Newsroom”), Sheri Holman (“Palm Royale”), Starlee Kine (“Search Party”), Sarah Montana (Rescuing Christmas) Victoria Pollack (“Law & Order: Organized Crime”), Iturri Sosa (“Narcos: Mexico”) and Adam Wiesen (“East New York”).

 The evening will begin with a cocktail hour from 6:30-8pm, with the awards ceremony to follow. Awards Night is presented by Final Draft. Limited tickets are available now by visiting www.dramatistsguild.com/product/dg-awards-night-2024.

 The Awards Night cocktail hour will feature a performance from the musical trio Bandits on the Run. Previously announced awards recipients include Christopher Durang, Emily Mann, George C. Wolfe, Jocelyn Bioh, Adam Guettel, Austin Pendleton, Seayoung Yim, Minna Lee, Eboni Booth and Shayan Lotfi. Presenters for the evening will include Arts Workers United, David Adjmi, Dave Harris, Mara Isaacs, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rajiv Joseph, Roger Q. Mason, Robert O’Hara, Suzan-Lori Parks and Matthew Sklar.

 Final Draft joins the Dramatists Guild as a presenting sponsor for the 2024 Awards Night celebration. Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, has published Final Draft® software – the number-one selling screenwriting application in the world – for over 30 years. Final Draft is the only screenwriting software that allows writers to fully customize their writing environment, streamlines their process, maximizes productivity, and automatically paginates and formats scripts to industry standards. With Final Draft, writers can focus on what they do best: writing. Used by such industry giants as J.J. Abrams, Bong Joon Ho, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo Del Toro, Issa Rae, and Aaron Sorkin, Final Draft software is the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard. In addition to its flagship software product, Final Draft offers the annual Big Break® Contest – a screenwriting competition that launches careers and awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes. Final Draft also offers Final Draft Go for iPhone and iPad, making creativity truly portable. To learn more about Final Draft and its products and services, visit www.finaldraft.com.

Awards Night will take place at Sony Hall, a multi-genre live venue located in the heart of New York City. The space opened in 1938 as the Diamond Horseshoe and quickly became one of the most iconic venues of the vaudeville era. In March 2018, Sony Hall officially opened its doors with much of its original history and dynamic design and décor elements still kept intact.

Since its inception in 1919, the Dramatists Guild of America has been the professional association for playwrights, librettists, lyricists, and composers writing for the American stage. With over 10,000 members around the world, the Guild is guided by a governing council of writers who each give their time, interest and support to advance the rights of dramatists everywhere, including the right for dramatists to own and control their own copyrighted work. The Guild’s advocacy, programs, events, publications, and other services provide dramatists with the resources, the community, and the support they require to protect their property, their livelihoods, and their unique voices in the American theatre.