Playwright Sarah Ruhl Chosen for MacArthur Genius Grant

The New York Times reports that The Clean House playwright Sarah Ruhl has been selected to receive one of 25 MacArthur Foundation genius grants.

The genius grant is a "no-strings-attached" $500,000 fellowship awarded to individuals working in the arts and sciences.

'You don't go into theater expecting to have this kind of money.  I was just kind of flabbergasted at the goodness of the universe. It's amazing," said Ruhl, who said the grant will allow her more freedom to pick projects she cares about. 

Her acclaimed The Clean House, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama last year and which has received numerous regional productions, will begin previews at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre on October 5th.  It stars Jill Clayburgh, Blair Brown, and John Dossett, among others.

Other plays by Ruhl include the multi-part Passion Play, Eurydice, Orlando, Late: A Cowboy Song and Demeter in the City.

There have been 732 "genius grant" fellows since 1981.  The recipients are selected by an anonymous 12-member selection committee and the MacArthur Foundation's board of directors.

Visit www.macfound.org for more information.