McCraney is an ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company. His writing credits also include Wig Out!, American Trade, Head of Passes and a 90-minute adaptation of Hamlet that is performed for elementary and secondary school students.

The fellowship, which comes with a stipend of $625,000 paid in quarterly installments over five years, awards unrestricted fellowships to individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits as well as a capacity for self-direction.

There are three criteria for selection of Fellows: exceptional creativity, promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishment and potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work.

Recipients also include dancer-choreographer Kyle Abraham, author Donald Antrim, pianist Jeremy Denk, jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and choreographer Alexei Ratmansky.

A complete lists of Fellows and more information can be found by visiting macfound.org.