Playwright Steve Carter Passes Away at 90

The New York Times has reported that Steve Carter, the renowned playwright who emerged from the Black Arts movement and the Negro Ensemble Company, writing about the Black and Caribbean-American experiences, has passed away at age 90.

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Carter's professional career as a playwright began in 1965 at the American Community Theater with the production of the short play Terraced Apartment, which evolved years later into an expanded version entitled Terraces.

In 1967, Carter's play One Last Look premiered off-off-Broadway at the Old Reliable Theatre Tavern under the direction of Arthur French. One Last Look is a dark comedy set during the funeral of a family patriarch. The play features the character of Eustace Baylor, a character who would later be found in his play, Eden, the first of a trilogy of plays featuring Caribbean families in New York City.

In 1968, Carter joined the staff of the Negro Ensemble Company where he would become director of the NEC Playwrights Workshop.

Carter's best known work includes his Caribbean trilogy, featuring the plays: Eden, Nevis Mountain Dew and Dame Lorraine.

Carter had been awarded the 1977 Outer Critics Circle Award (Most Promising New Playwright) for Eden; 1979 Selection, Burns Mantle, The Best Plays of 1978-1979 for Nevis Mountain Dew; 1979 Drama Desk Award (Outstanding New Play) nomination for Nevis Mountain Dew; 1980 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award (Playwriting) for Eden; 1990 Jeff Award (Best New Work) for Pecong; 2001 National Black Theatre Festival - Living Legend Award and more.