Sarah Ruhl wins 2003-04 Blackburn award

The winner of the 2003-04 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize is THE CLEAN HOUSE by Chicagoan Sarah Ruhl.  American actress Blair Brown, a judge in this year's competition, presented the $10,000 award to the 30-year old Ms. Ruhl in New York on Monday, February 23.  The winning play concerns Mathilda, a woman from Brazil, who is a live-in maid for a middle-aged couple, Lane and Charles, both of whom are busy doctors. Mathilda is unhappy because she hates to clean; she would prefer to be a professional comedienne.  It is a play about cleaning, healing, the importance of laughter and love - abundantly humorous and oddly moving.  "It's very hard to write about love in a way which is muscular, but still tender and not trite. This play manages it," wrote Samuel West, one of the judges.  Not yet produced, THE CLEAN HOUSE has had staged readings at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and the Women's Project & Productions in New York. 

Ms. Ruhl's other plays include MELANCHOLY PLAY, EURYDICE, LATE, ORLANDO, and PASSION PLAY. EURYDICE is currently being presented in San Diego.  Other recent projects include PASSION PLAY, at the Actor's Centre in London, directed by Mark Wing-Davey; and ORLANDO at the Actor's Gang, L.A., directed by Joyce Piven. Her plays have been performed at the Actor's Theatre of Louisville and Trinity Repertory Company among others, and developed at theaters around the country, including the Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, and Playwright's Horizons in New York; Arena Stage, the McCarter Theatre, and Seattle Repertory regionally. She received her M.F.A. from Brown University, where she studied with Paula Vogel.  Originally from Chicago, she currently lives in Santa Monica, CA.  In 2003, she was the recipient of a Helen Merrill award and a Whiting Writers' award.  

The Finalists, who each received $500, are Neena Beber (U.S.) for JUMP/CUT, Jean Betts (New Zealand) for THE COLLECTIVE, Lin Coghlan (U.K.) for MERCY, Zinnie Harris (U.K.) for MIDWINTER, Carson Kreitzer (U.S.) for THE LOVE SONG OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER, Lisa Loomer (U.S.) for LIVING OUT, Abi Morgan (U.K.) for 27, Ann Noble (U.S.) for ARIADNE'S THREAD, Lucy Prebble (U.K.) for THE SUGAR SYNDROME, Polly Teale (U.K.) for AFTER MRS. ROCHESTER, and Karen Zacarias (U.S.) for MARIELA IN THE DESERT.

Judges for the twenty-sixth annual awards, in addition to Blair Brown were Mike Bradwell, Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, London; James Houghton, founder and Artistic Director of Signature Theatre Company, New York; Charles Isherwood, Chief Theatre Critic for Variety, New York; British actress, Janet McTeer; and Samuel West, London actor and director.

This page last updated 9th March 2004