Valerie Brea Ross Named Executive Director Of The Horton Foote Prize

Horton Foote Prize founder Mari Marchbanks announced today she will step down as Executive Director of the Horton Foote Prize. Valerie Brea Ross, Administrative Director of the Horton Foote Prize, will take over the role of Executive Director starting in January 2024. Ms. Marchbanks will continue her role as chair of the Prize board. 

 

“We are incredibly lucky to have someone so experienced and well versed in running a prize,” said Ms. Marchbanks. “Valerie has worked closely with us since the 2020 prize cycle and her dedication to the American playwright and their work is second to none.”

 

In addition to running The Horton Foote Prize Ms. Ross will continue her work for The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the oldest and largest playwriting prize honoring women+ writing for the English-speaking theatre, continuing over a decade long career of working with the team to discover and champion new plays. Prior to her work with playwriting prizes Ms. Ross had been a theatre photographer for many off-Broadway theatres in New York.

 

“I am honored to be stepping into this new role as Executive Director where I can continue to channel my passion for new work and to celebrate the art of playwriting,” said Ms. Ross. “It is a pleasure to work with nominating theatres throughout the country to receive outstanding play submissions. Throughout the year I am lucky to work with theatre professionals including artistic directors, literary managers, actors, directors, and designers and to immerse myself in the discovery of new work. I look forward to continuing the important work of the Prize and honoring the legacy of Horton Foote.”

 

The 2024 Horton Foote Prize recipient will be announced this September.

 

THE Horton Foote PRIZE

Named for the legendary, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, the Horton Foote Prize was founded by Ms. Marchbanks in 2010 to award excellence in American Theatre.  Horton Foote selected the first four judges André Bishop, James Houghton, Andrew Leynse, and Michael Wilson, and the winning playwrights in the inaugural year were Lynn Nottage for Ruined and Will Eno for Middletown. The prize now awards $50,000 to one playwright and last year honored Christina Anderson for her play the ripple, the wave that carried me home. In 2022 a new component was added, The Gratitude Gift, a $10,000 award to a 501c3 non-profit organization that endeavors to have a positive impact through the work and art of theatre. The inaugural gratitude gift recipient chosen by Honorary Chair Sharon Washington was Theatre Gap Initiative, a nonprofit college-prep program that provides extra help and mentorship for high school graduates planning to apply for Bachelor of Fine Arts and conservatory programs.

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