Suzan-Lori Parks—Tony winner, Pulitzer winner, and 2023 Tony nominee—is being honored May 30 by playwright development lab New Dramatists. The organization is giving the playwright its 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award at its 71st Annual Spring Luncheon Tribute.
“Suzan-Lori Parks is a generation-defining playwright,” said Emily Morse, artistic director of New Dramatists. “With depth, vibrant poetry and truth, Suzan-Lori invites us into her singular theatrical worlds and spins our notions of American history with vivid and complex perspectives. She creates human events on stage that leave an indelible mark, and it’s a privilege to those who love the theatre to witness and experience her sheer and continual brilliance.”
Parks said in a statement, “Supporting writers and amplifying new voices is more important now than ever, and I am deeply grateful to the New Dramatists for this recognition.”
READ: Suzan-Lori Parks Is Out Here Creating 'Awesome-Sauce Delivery Systems'
It's been quite the year so far for Parks. Topdog/Underdog is in the running to win this year's Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play with both of its stars, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins, also nominated. (Read about what the reward of being recognized with a 2023 Tony nomination is to Parks here.) Also, he playwright's new musical The Harder They Come made its world premiere at The Public's Newman Theater earlier this year while her work Plays for the Plague Year had an encore run at The Public's Joe's Pub with Parks reprising her performance as The Writer. Last but not least, Parks made Time Magazine's Time100 List.
Tony winner Kenny Leon, who directed Park's Broadway revival of Topdog/Underdog, co-chairs the luncheon with Tony winner George C. Wolfe, who directed the same work's debut at The Public and its original Broadway run. The luncheon is being held at the Marriott Marquis beginning at 11:15 AM.
Visit NewDramatists.org.
