Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Schwartz & More to Receive Dramatists Guild of America Awards

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced the recipients of their annual awards, which will be presented at their annual meeting on Monday, February 22, 2016, at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby in New York.

This year's awards go to Stephen Adly Guirgis, recipient of the Hull-Warriner Award for his play Between Riverside and Crazy; Lin-Manuel Miranda, recipient of the Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition for his score to Hamilton; Dael Orlandersmith, recipient of the Flora Roberts Award; Lauren Gunderson, recipient of the Lanford Wilson Award; and Stephen Schwartz and Marsha Norman, co-recipients of the Dramatists Guild Career Achievement Award.

The Dramatists Legal Defense Fund will also present their third DLDF Defender Award to Edward J. Davis Esq. of Davis Wright Tremaine, an attorney who recently successfully defended playwright David Adjmi in his fair use case regarding his play 3C.

The Frederick Loewe Award, given by the Frederick Loewe Foundation and presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to a composer recognizes achievement in a theatrical score presented in New York during the previous theatrical season. Past winners include Jeanine Tesori, Amanda Green & Trey Anastasio, Alan Menken, Michael John LaChiusa, Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, John Kander, Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Scott Frankel.

The Flora Roberts Award, administered by the Dramatists Guild Fund, is presented to a dramatist in recognition of distinguished work in the theater and to encourage the continuation of that work. Previous recipients include Charles Fuller, Arthur Kopit, Philip Kan Gotanda, Christopher Durang, Michael Weller, Polly Pen, Craig Lucas, Ed Bullins, Adrienne Kennedy and Tina Howe.

The Lanford Wilson Award was established by the estate of Lanford Wilson and is presented by the Dramatists Guild Council to a dramatist based primarily on their work as an early career playwright. Past recipients are Francine Volpe, Michael Lew and Chisa Hutchinson.

The Hull-Warriner Award is the only award given by dramatists to dramatists; it is presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to an author or team of authors in recognition of their play dealing with controversial subjects involving the fields of political, religious, or social mores of the times. Previous winners include Annie Baker, Christopher Durang, Stephen Karam, Lynn Nottage, David Ives, Tracy Letts, Steven Sater & Duncan Sheik, Marsha Norman and Dael Orlandersmith.

The Career Achievement Award is a new award, presented by the Dramatists Guild Council, in recognition of distinguished achievement in a sustained career of theatrical writing, to a writer who has made a significant contribution to the American theater.

Photos by Walter McBride