Yale University has awarded playwrights Aleshea Harris (What to Send Up When it Goes Down, Is God Is) and Julia Cho (Aubergine, Office Hour) the Windham-Campbell Prizes for drama. They are each recipients of $165,000.

The Windham-Campbell Prizes were established in 2013 by novelist Donald Windham in memory of his partner, Sandy M. Campbell. The mission of the the prize is to call attention to literary achievement and provide writers working in English with the opportunity to focus on their work. Eight writers are awarded the prize annually in the categories of drama, nonfiction, fiction, and poetry.

The other 2020 winners: in fiction, Yiyun Li, from the U.S., and Namwali Serpell from the U.S. and Zambia; in poetry, Jonah Mixon-Webster from the U.S, and Bhanu Kapil from the U.S. and the U.K.; and in nonfiction, Anne Boyer from the U.S., and Maria Tumarkin from Australia.

Prize recipients are nominated confidentially and judged anonymously.

In 2019, the prize in drama was awarded to Young Jean Lee, and in 2018, to playwrights Suzan-Lori Parks (In the Blood, Fucking A) and Lucas Hnath (A Doll’s House, Part 2; The Christians).

For more information on the award, visit WindhamCampbell.org.