Wasserstein to Posthumously Receive Monte Cristo Award

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award posthumously to Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein in recognition of her distinguished accomplishments and contributions to the American theater exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's standard of excellence.  The Award ceremony will take place during a gala dinner at the Puck Building, 295 Lafayette Street, NY on Monday, April 30th at 6:00 p.m.

Wendy Wasserstein was a friend and supporter of the O'Neill and its programs, which develop new writers for the American stage.  Her involvement with the O'Neill began in 1977 when she worked on Uncommon Women and Others.  She was an assistant to the O'Neill's then Artistic Director, Lloyd Richards, and was renowned for writing notes to rejected writers, pretending to be Lloyd, encouraging them to "keep writing."  In addition to receiving the Monte Cristo Award, Ms. Wasserstein will also be honored by the establishment of a named endowment to support the O'Neill's open submissions program in perpetuity.

The Honorary Committee for the event includes Edward Albee, Constance Congdon, Pat Daily and Tom Viertel, Brian Dennehy, Christopher Durang, Heidi Ettinger, William Finn, Lynn Fusco Hughes, Barbara & Arthur Gelb, Joe Grifasi, A.R. Gurney, Dina Merrill Hartley, Ruth & Steve Hendel, Swoosie Kurtz, James Lapine, Terrence McNally, Roz & Jerry Meyer, Peter Parnell, Dyanne & John Rafal, Steve Robman, Daniel Sullivan, Ted Tally, Pamela Wasserstein and Betsy & George White.

Michael Barakiva, Ms. Wasserstein's artistic associate the last few years of her life, will directing the evening's program, which will include readings from her plays and essays to represent the arc of her career and the breadth of her talent.  Performers who will appear as part of the evening's program include Joan Allen, Amy Aquino, Christopher Durang, Swoosie Kurtz, Caroline Aaron, Alma Cuervo, Christine Eastabrook , Peter Friedman, Mimi Lieber, Lizbeth Mackay and others.

The Monte Cristo Award is given in recognition of distinguished careers exemplifying Eugene O'Neill's standard of excellence and pioneering spirit.  Past recipients of the Award include Jason Robards, Jr., Edward Albee, August Wilson, Zoe Caldwell, Brian Dennehy and Karl Malden.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, founded in 1964 in honor of Eugene O'Neill, America's only Nobel Prize-winning playwright and four-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, is the pre-eminent laboratory for the development of new works and new voices for the American theater.  It has been home to more than 1,000 new works for that stage and 2,500 emerging artists.  Scores of projects developed at the O'Neill have gone on to full productions at other theaters around the world, including Broadway, off-Broadway and major regional theaters.  The O'Neill is itself the winner of a special Tony Award, the National Opera Award, the Jujamcyn Award for Theater Excellence and the Arts and Business Council Encore Award.

For table and ticket reservations of more information about the O'Neill's Monte Cristo Award dinner, please contact Suzanne Hendrix at the O'Neill: 860-443-5378 ext 217 or shendrix@theoneill.org