Five Playwrights Receive Prestigious Helen Merrill Awards

Five playwrights are the 2022 recipients of The New York Community Trust's prestigious Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting.

This year's awardees-Gethsemane Herron, Zora Howard, C.A. Johnson, Michelle J. Rodriguez, and Cori Thomas-each received an unrestricted $30,000 cash award.

Together, these writers show the increasingly diverse voices that are bringing powerful stories to America's stages.

For many past awardees, the Helen Merrill Award has served as a springboard that helped propel their careers to a new level. Previous award winners have subsequently earned Obie Awards, Guggenheim Fellowships, and Pulitzer Prizes-and many have built long careers on and off Broadway.

"Thanks to the generosity of donors like Helen Merrill, and an outstanding committee of theater leaders who have their fingers on the pulse of this industry, The New York Community Trust is able to make substantial awards to talented playwrights," said Salem Tsegaye, program officer for arts and culture at The Trust. "We hope these awards provide a boost of confidence and a little freedom and flexibility for artists to continue their creative pursuits on their own terms."

The Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting is one of the nation's largest and most significant prizes for playwrights and has built a strong track record for identifying breakthrough talent.

Since 1999, 103 writers have been selected for the awards and received a total of $2.29 million. The late theatrical agent Helen Merrill established the program at The New York Community Trust to help playwrights pursue their art with less financial pressure weighing on them.

Previous recipients include Michael R. Jackson, who was preparing for the off-Broadway launch of A Strange Loop when he received his 2019 Helen Merrill Award. Jackson went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2020-becoming the first Black playwright to win the award for a musical. Earlier this year, A Strange Loop took home the Tony Award for best musical.

In 2020 and 2021, the Helen Merrill Award advisory committee expanded the number of recipients in response to the financial challenges caused by theater closures. The awards continue to provide writers with a critical financial lifeline as they pursue their work with fewer financial pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"So many people have made all of this possible," said Michelle J. Rodriguez. "When I got this award and saw who was on the panel, it made me realize that people really are watching out for me and for my career."

Rodriguez had been living with friends in Vermont for the past year traveling back and forth to New York City. With this award, Michelle was able to secure an apartment in the city so she could be closer to her collaborators.

Last year's winners included Eboni Booth, Ty Defoe, Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi, Daaimah Mubashshir, and Andrea Thome, each of whom received cash prizes of $25,000. Shortly before his death last year, William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., was awarded $40,000 in recognition of his exceptional career as a playwright and his contributions to Native American theater.

In 2020, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Kimber Lee, Donja R. Love, Mona Mansour, Diana Oh, and Sung Rno each received a $25,000 award to support their creative endeavors and help elevate their careers. Learn more about the 2021 and 2020 Helen Merrill Award recipients.

In a statement, Helen Merrill advisory committee members Lisa McNulty, Ralph Peña, Niegel Smith, Lloyd Suh, and Stephanie Ybarra said: "We're honored to gather once a year to continue the spirit and legacy of Helen Merrill by supporting playwrights whose artistry inspires us all. These storytellers are the beating heart of the theater, and we feel so grateful to be able to celebrate their work and voices through the Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting."

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