# Susan Smith Blackburn Prize

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize established in 1978, is the largest and oldest playwriting prize for women+ writing for English-speaking theatre. Named for Susan Smith Blackburn (1935–1977), alumna of Smith College, who died of breast cancer.

## Winners

* 1978–79 Mary O'Malley
* 1979–80 Barbara Schneider, for Details Without a Map
* 1980–81 Wendy Kesselman
* 1981–82 Nell Dunn
* 1982–83 Marsha Norman
* 1983–84 Caryl Churchill
* 1984–86 Shirley Gee
* 1986–86 Anne Devlin
* 1986–87 Mary Gallagher
* 1986–87 Ellen McLaughlin
* 1987–88 Caryl Churchill
* 1988–89 Wendy Wasserstein
* 1989–90 Lucy Gannon
* 1990–91 Rona Munro; Cheryl West
* 1991–92 Timberlake Wertenbaker
* 1992–93 Marlane Meyer
* 1993–94 Jane Coles
* 1994–95 Susan Miller; Kristine Thatcher; Naomi Wallace
* 1995–96 Naomi Wallace
* 1996–97 Marina Carr
* 1997–98 Moira Buffini
* 1997–98 Paula Vogel
* 1998–99 Jessica Goldberg
* 1999–00 Bridget Carpenter
* 2000–01 Charlotte Jones
* 2001–02 Gina Gionfriddo
* 2001–02 Susan Miller
* 2002–03 Dael Orlandersmith
* 2003–04 Sarah Ruhl
* 2004–05 Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti
* 2005–06 Amelia Bullmore for Mammals, Elizabeth Kuti for The Sugar Wife
* 2006–07 Lucy Caldwell for Leaves, Sheila Callaghan for Dead City, Stella Feehily for O Go My Man, Abbie Spallen for Pumpgirl
* 2007–08 Judith Thompson for Palace of the End
* 2008–09 Chloë Moss for This Wide Night
* 2009–2010 Julia Cho for The Language Archive
* 2010–11 Katori Hall for Hurt Village
* 2011–12 Jennifer Haley for The Nether
* 2012–13 Annie Baker for The Flick
* 2013–14 Lucy Kirkwood for Chimerica
* 2014–15 Tena Stivicic for Three Winters
* 2015–16 Lynn Nottage for Sweat
* 2016–17 Clare Barron for Dance Nation
* 2017–18 Alice Birch for Anatomy of a Suicide
* 2018–19 Jackie Sibblies Drury for Fairview≤
* 2019–20 Lucy Prebble for A Very Expensive Poison
* 2020-21 Erika Dickerson-Despenza for cullud wattah
* 2021-22 Benedict Lombe for Lava
* 2022-23 Sarah Mantell for In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot
* 2023-24 Ava Pickett for 1536
* 2024-25 ak payne for "Furlough's Paradise"

## Special Commendation

* Judith Adams 1998–99†
* Leslie Ayvazian 1995–96†
* Lesley Bruce 1993–94†
* Caryl Churchill 1982–83†
* Migdalia Cruz 1990–91†
* Joanna McClelland Glass 1980–81 †
* Zinnie Harris 2000–01†
* Justice Hehir 2023-24
* Beth Henley 1979–80†
* Julie Hebert 1998–99†
* Beth Henley 1979–80†
* Naomi Iizuka 2000–01†
* Julia Jordan 2001–02†
* Elizabeth Kuti 1999-00†
* Joanna Laurens 2000–01†
* Bryony Lavery 2002–03†
* Kimber Lee 2020-21
* Lisa Loomer 1993–94†
* Sharman MacDonald 1984–85†
* Chloe Moss 2004–05†
* Phyllis Nagy 1995–96†
* Ife Olujobi 2020-21
* Dael Orlandersmith 1999-00†
* Winsome Pinnock 1989–90†
* Jenny Schwartz 2007–08†
* Lynn Siefert 1983–84†, 1991–92†
* Timberlake Wertenbaker 1988–89†

## Finalists

* Judith Adams 1997–98, 1998–99†, 2000–01
* Kay Adshead 1987–88, 2001–02, 2005–06
* Rukhsana Ahmad 2001–02
* Claudia Allen 2002–03
* Hanan al-Shaykh 1996–97
* Jane Anderson 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93†
* Chiara Atik 2021-22
* Leslie Ayvazian 1995–96†, 2004–05
* Nicola Baldwin 1993–94, 1999–00
* Clare Barron 2014–15
* Lynda Barry 1991–92
* Neena Beber 2003–04
* Hilary Bell 1998–99
* Hilary Bettis 2018-19
* Jean Betts 2003–04
* Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti 2004–05*
* Alice Birch 2014–15
* Caroline Bird 2013–14
* Alecky Blythe 2014–15
* Clara Brennan 2014–15
* Linda Brogan 2007–08
* Tina Brown 1978–79
* Lesley Bruce 1993–94†
* Moira Buffini 1992–93, 1997–98*
* Katherine Burger 1996–97
* Mary Elizabeth Burke-Kennedy 1984–85
* Sarah Burgess 2015-16
* Kathleen Cahill 1984–85
* Lucy Caldwell 2006–07
* Sheila Callaghan 2006–07
* Jo Carson 1989–90
* Katherine Chandler 2014–15
* Anupama Chandrasekhar 2008–09, 2022–23
* Glace Chase 2020-21
* Julia Cho 2001–02, 2006–07
* Caryl Churchill 1979–80, 1982–83†, 1983–84*, 1987–88*
* Paula Cizmar 1981–82†, 1982–83
* Kathleen Clark 1987–88
* Pearl Cleage 1983–84, 1993–94, 1995–96
* Sara Clifford 1998–99
* Lin Coghlan 2003–04
* Kathleen Collins 1982–83, 1986–87
* Sherry Coman 1990–91
* Anne Commire 1988–89
* Constance Congdon 1985–86, 1995–96
* Trista Conger 1988–89
* Roxy Cook 2023-24
* Elinor Cook 2017-18
* Helen Cooper 1984–85, 1986–87, 2002–03
* Zoe Cooper 2019-2020
* Kia Corthron 1997–98
* Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig 2014–15, 2019-2020
* Migdalia Cruz 1990–91†, 1996–97
* Alexandra Cunningham 2000–01
* Leigh Curran 1978–79
* Rachel Cusk 2015-16
* Barbara Damashek 1987–88
* Lisa D'Amour 2014–2015
* Francisca Da Silveira 2022-23
* April De Angelis 2005–06, 2023–24
* Daniella De Jesús 2021-22
* Donna de Matteo 1982–83
* Sarah DeLappe 2015-16
* Christian de Lancie 1993–94
* Ruby Dee 1993–94
* Dolly Dhingra 1999-00
* Lydia Diamond 2007–08
* Ann Marie Di Mambro 1994–95
* Elizabeth Diggs 1981–82, 1987–88†
* Nancy Donohue 1979–80
* Katie Douglas 2006–07
* Bathsheba Doran 2005–06
* Fiona Doyle 2017-18
* Rosalyn Drexler 1983–84
* Carol Ann Duffy 1982–83
* Susan Dworkin 1980–81
* Helen Edmundson 1993–94
* Margaret Edson 1993–94
* Elizabeth Egloff 1995–96, 1996–97
* Charlotte Eilenberg 2002–03
* Eve Ensler 1998–99, 2000–01
* Nancy Ewing 2000–01
* Stella Feehily 2006–07
* Lindsey Ferrentino 2014–15
* Barbara Field 1982–83, 1988–89
* Susan Flakes 1996–97
* Kate Fodor 2002–03
* Maria Irene Fornes 1985–86, 1987–88
* Amy Fox 2006–07
* Donna Franceschild 1989–90
* J.E. Franklin 1981–82, 1989–90, 1992–93
* Amy Freed 1993–94, 2001–02
* Mary Gallagher 1979–80, 1986–87*, 1989–90
* Lucy Gannon 1988–89, 1989–90*
* Lillian Garrett 1989–90
* Nancy Fales Garrett 1982–83
* Judy GeBauer 1987–88
* Shirley Gee 1983–84, 1984–85*, 1989–90
* Pam Gems 1978–79, 1985–86, 1996–97†
* Alexandra Gersten 2002–03
* Melissa James Gibson 2005–06
* Rebecca Gilman 1998–99, 1999–00, 2004–05
* Joanna McClelland Glass 1978–79, 1980–81 †, 1983–84, 2004–05
* Sue Glover 1991–92
* Debbie Tucker Green 2002–03, 2005–06, 2018–19
* Linda Marshall Griffiths 2005–06
* Rinne Groff 2002–03
* Miranda Rose Hall 2020-21
* Maryam Hamidi 2022-23
* Sarah Hanly 2021-22
* Nikki Harmon 1988–89
* Aleshea Harris 2017-18
* Zinnie Harris 2000–01†, 2003–04, 2016–17
* Valerie Harris 1978–79
* Karen Hartman 2022-23
* Catherine Hayes 1981–82
* Beth Henley 1979–80†, 1987–88, 2005–06
* Amy Herzog 2016-17
* Ella Hickson 2018-19
* Jacqueline Holborough 1987–88
* Sam Holcroft 2015-16
* Endesha Ida Mae Holland 1992–93
* Katie Holly 2022-23
* Debbie Horsfield 1984–85
* Velina Hasu Houston 1985–86
* Zora Howard 2021-22
* Tina Howe 1979–80, 1983–84, 1997–98
* Rianna Ilube 2023-24
* Charlene James 2016-17
* Noelle Janaczewska 1997–98
* Lenka Janiurek 1978–79
* Ann Jellicoe 1980–81
* Catherine Johnson 1991–92
* Cindy Lou Johnson 1984–85, 1986–87
* Jennifer Johnston 1996–97
* Jasmine Naziha Jones 2023-24
* Marie Jones 1999-00
* Anna Jordan 2015-16
* Julia Jordan 1996–97, 2001–02†, 2006–07
* Yazmine Judd 1998–99
* C. Michèle Kaplan 2006–07
* Shirley Kaplan 1981–82
* Julia Kearsley 1980–81, 1982–83
* Margaret Keilstrup 1981–82
* Sonya Kelly 2021-22
* Adrienne Kennedy 1990–91
* Wendy Kesselman 1980–81*, 1989–90
* Anchuli Felicia King 2019-2020
* Dawn King 2020-21
* Carson Kreitzer 2003–04
* Gail Kriegel 1983–84
* Casey Kurtti 1987–88
* Oni Faida Lampley 2005–06
* Mary Lathrop 1991–92
* Shirley Lauro 1980–81, 1991–92
* Bryony Lavery 1980–81, 2002–03†, 2004–05, 2007–08
* Maureen Lawrence 1990–91, 1994–95
* Barbara Lebow 1985–86, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98
* Kimber Lee 2019-2020, 2020–21, 2022–23
* Young Jean Lee 2009–10
* Rebecca Lenkiewicz 2004–05
* Nell Leyshon 2006–07
* Alex Lin 2023-24
* Liz Lochhead 1998–99
* Rosie Logan 1986–87
* Lisa Loomer 1993–94†, 2003–04
* Claire Luckham 1991–92
* Anne Ludlum 2002–03
* Sharman MacDonald 1984–85†, 1990–91, 1995–96
* Carol Mack 1982–83
* Martyna Majok 2018-19
* Emily Mann 1981–82, 1984–85, 1996–97, 1999–00
* Melanie Marnich 2004–05
* Nicola McCartney 1997–98
* Mia McCullough 2004–05
* Heather McDonald 2002–03
* Lisa McGee 2007–08†
* Anne McGravie 1984–85
* Grace McKeaney 1981–82
* Ellen McLaughlin 1986–87*, 1989–90
* Linda McLean 2007–08
* Jenny McLeod 1999-00
* Clare Mclntyre 1992–93
* Cassandra Medley 1988–89
* Charley Miles 2016-17
* Susan Miller 1979–80, 1988–89, 1994–95§, 2001–02*
* Lois Meredith 1993–94
* Marlane Meyer 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93*
* Ann Mitchell 1981–82
* Lenelle Moïse 2023-24
* Abi Morgan 2003–04
* Dominique Morisseau 2015-16, 2016–17, 2019-2020
* Hannah Moscovitch 2023-24
* Lavonne Mueller 1980–81, 1986–87
* Philomena Muinzer 1979–80
* Colleen Murphy 2017-18
* Melissa Murray 1985–86, 1986–87
* Joanna Murray-Smith 2021-22
* Julie Marie Myatt 2007–08
* Sally Nemeth 1994–95
* Ann Noble 2003–04
* Marsha Norman 1978–79†, 1982–83*, 1983–84
* Lynn Nottage 1997–98
* Lizzie Nunnery 2016-17
* Antoinette Nwandu 2017-18
* Zodwa Nyoni 2014–15
* Meredith Oakes 2000–01
* Kira Obolensky 1998–99, 2005–06
* Edna O'Brien 1979–80
* Tamsin Oglesby 1995–96, 2006–07
* Janice Okoh 2020-21
* Ife Olujobi 2020-21†
* Mary O'Malley 1978–79*, 1985–86†
* Lily Padilla 2018-19
* Louise Page 1982–83, 1984–85
* Jihae Park 2020-21
* Suzan-Lori Parks 1996–97, 1999–00, 2015–16
* a.k. payne 2022-23, 2023–24
* Sybille Pearson 1980–81
* Carey Perloff 2001–02
* Winsome Pinnock 1989–90†, 1991–92
* Frances Poet 2020-21
* Lucy Prebble 2003–04
* Nu Quang 1992–93
* Heather Raffo 2004–05†
* Aishah Rahman 1985–86
* Nina Raine 2017-18, 2018–19
* Theresa Rebeck 1994–95, 2002–03
* Christina Reid 1984–85
* Jacquelyn Reingold 1994–95
* Anna Reynolds 1992–93
* Gillian Richmond 1990–91
* Susan Rivers 1984–85
* Ella Road 2018-19
* Bea Roberts 2015-16
* Anusree Roy 2017-18
* Kate Moira Ryan 1996–97
* Tori Sampson 2017-18
* Milcha Sanchez-Scott 1986–87
* Barbara Schneider 1979–80*, 1980–81
* Julia Schofield 1987–88
* Heidi Schreck 2014–15, 2018–19
* Rose Scollard 1995–96
* Somalia Seaton 2016-17
* Adele Edling Shank 1981–82, 1982–83
* Jen Silverman 2016-17
* Penelope Skinner 2016-17
* Anna Deavere Smith 1992–93, 1993–94
* Stef Smith 2019-2020
* Zadie Smith 2022-23
* Diana Son 1998–99
* Celine Song 2019-2020
* Susan Sontag 1992–93
* Abbie Spallen 2006–07
* Ruby Rae Spiegel 2014–15
* Noni Stapleton 2015-16
* Beth Steel 2020-21
* Shelagh Stephenson 1997–98†
* Polly Stenham 2007–08
* Victoria Stewart 2007–08
* Tena Stivicic 2014–15
* Kelly Stuart 2001–02
* Karen Duke Sturges 1979–80
* Elizabeth Swados 1991–92
* Polly Teale 2003–04
* Kae Tempest 2021-22
* Kristine Thatcher 1985–86, 1994–95§
* Freyda Thomas 1999-00
* Ruby Thomas 2022-23
* Judith Thompson 2002–03, 2007–08*
* Katherine Thomson 2004–05
* Jane Thornton 1985–86
* Leonora Thuna 1986–87†
* Susan Todd 1981–82
* Kathleen Tolan 1997–98
* Kay Trainor 1992–93
* Paula Vogel 1991–92, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96
* Francine Volpe 2006–07
* Terri Wagener 1978–79, 1983–84
* Celeste Bedford Walker 1999-00
* Anne Washburn 2019-2020
* Wendy Wasserstein 1978–79, 1981–82, 1992–93
* Alison Watson 1980–81
* Annie Weisman 2000–01
* Patricia Wettig 2004–05
* Amanda Wilkin 2021-22
* Erin Cressida Wilson 1995–96
* Tracey Scott Wilson 2001–02
* Lauren Whitehead 2021-22
* Victoria Wood 1979–80
* Sarah Woods 2000–01
* Elizabeth Wyatt 1988–89
* Olwen Wymark 1978–79, 1979–80
* Lauren Yee 2017-18, 2018–19
* Sheila Yeger 1988–89, 1990–91
* Shay Youngblood 1989–90
* Karen Zacarias 2003–04