Lucas Hnath's THE CHRISTIANS Wins This Year's Kesselring Prize

The Kesselring Prize for playwriting -- given by the National Arts Club in New York since 1980 -- returns this year following a six-year hiatus with the announcement that Lucas Hnath is the recipient of the 2015 Kesselring Prize.

Hnath was submitted by The Actors Theatre of Louisville for his new play The Christians, which debuted there at the Humana Festival and is currently playing off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. The play is directed by Les Waters.

The Kesselring Prize comes with a cash award of $10,000; the honorable mention winner receives $2,000.

The jury for the 2015 Kesselring Prize consisted of playwright John Guare (THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES), Anne Cattaneo (dramaturg Lincoln Center Theater) and Lynn Nottage (RUINED, SWEAT, recipient of a 2003 Kesselring Award). Michael Parva, Artistic Director of the Directors Company in NYC, serves as Artistic Advisor of the Kesselring Prize.

The jury awarded James Ijames an Honorable Mention for his play THE MOST SPECTACULARLY LAMENTABLE TRIAL OF MIZ MARTHA WASHINGTON, submitted by the Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia.

Prior to the award for Hnath, the most recent Kesselring Award was given in 2009.

Begun in 1980 by the National Arts Club, the Kesselring Prize -- established by Charlotte Kesselring in memory of her husband and long-time NAC member Joseph Kesselring, author of the comedy classic ARSENIC AND OLD LACE -- honors a not-yet nationally-recognized playwright with an honorarium to support development of future work. Each year, up to 18 theatres are invited by the NAC to nominate a play and playwright whose work they have produced. In addition to the Actors Theatre and Wilma, other theatres who nominated writers this year included South Coast Repertory, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Long Wharf, Steppenwolf, Vineyard, La Jolla, The Culture Project, Abingdon, Magic Theatre and Alliance Theater. According to Mr. Parva, the list of nominating theaters changes year to year.

Previous recipients of the Kesselring include: Tony Kushner, Anna Deavere Smith, Nicky Silver, David Auburn, Melissa James Gibson and Rajiv Joseph.

Playwrights Hnath and Ijames will be honored at The Kesselring Prize Reception and Dinner on November 22 at the National Arts Club.

Lucas Hnath's previous plays include A PUBLIC READING OF AN UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY ABOUT THE DEATH OF WALT DISNEY and DEATH TAX.

Pictured: Linda Powell, Andrew Garman, Larry Powell and Philip Kerr in Lucas Hnath's THE CHRISTIANS at Playwrights Horizons. Photo by Joan Marcus.