Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Inc.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is the largest and oldest international playwriting prize awarded to women. This literary prize is given annually to recognize women who have written works of outstanding quality for the English-speaking theatre, no matter where they reside. Our permanent list of Finalists and their plays (numbering well over 450) has become an important international resource for theatres interested in new work. As a direct result of being Finalists, many playwrights have received productions, other grants and public recognition. The Prize has motivated women to write for the theatre, and has also fostered the interchange of plays between the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other English-speaking countries. Many Finalist plays have gone on to receive other top honors, including Olivier, Lilly, Evening Standard and Tony Awards for Best Play. Ten Susan Smith Blackburn Finalist plays have subsequently won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.