The Rod Parker Playwriting Award
The Rod Parker Playwriting Award and NewFest are both funded by the generous support of Rod Parker ’51. Mr. Parker wrote his first play while an undergraduate at Emerson College, and in 1991 made the Playwrights Festival possible by creating an endowment to fund fellowships for student playwrights and support the first productions of their work. Emerson College has been very fortunate that alumnus Rod Parker has seen the importance of supporting new playwrights as a way of keeping the theatre vibrant.
Winners of the Rod Parker Playwriting Award:
2009
Harold Fall or King Will by George Watsky
There were also 10 minute readings of the following:
Another Kind of Dreamcatcher by Brandon Koons
Beauty by Andres Solorzano
Called Back by Harry Vaughn
Dangerous Curves by Emily Fulop
Duck and Cover by A.J. Knox
Hamlet versus MacBeth by Dan Perrault
Nice Guys Finish Last by Patrick Lord
Shooting the Moon by Emily Graham-Handley
Tin Pan Alley by Justine Spingler
2008
Rubik's Cube by Kimberly Barrante
There were full readings of the following:
Better Home Awaiting by Adam Patterson
The Wonder by Lindsay Soson
Harold’s Fall by George Watsky
2007
Lift by Kelly McCabe
There were short readings from the following:
The Rubik’s Cube by Kimberly Barrante
The Family Room by Josie Campbell
The Rise and Fall of the Sensitive Man by Liam Carnahan
I Don’t Want to be Frankenstein by Anders Nelson
Bound by David Shaw
A Collaboration by Jessie Shaw
2006
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by David Larson
Life in Space by Justin Becker
2005
Blue Cheese Chronicles by Sarah Carey
Runners-up
Halfway Home by Amanda Shank
Monsters by Gail Phaneuf
2004
Goodbye Dolly by Jody Houser
Top Hats and Old Standards by Alison Potoma
2003
Shoot the Bull by Jeffrey VanDreason
Cubicles by Alexander C.P. Danner
2002
a TACK of an American Conscience by Johnmichael Rossi
Runner-up
A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage by Jason Beaubier
2001
People Watching by Alexis Clements
2000
Fiddler's Green by A.J. Mell
Prodigals by Rachel Grissom
1999
The Bug by Julie Christine Phillipps
Runners-up
And Truth by Mary Stanford
Breaking Procedure by Nicole DuFresne
1998
Back Porch by Michell Sylvester
Runners-up
The Ripening by Sage Wells
Gritos Y Chismesitos by Michael Cavazos-Alcacio
1997
Because I Remember You by Julianne Homokay
Runners-up
Instant Life by Amy French
Family Business by Laurie Leftkowitz
1996
When in Duluth by Steven Abrams
Runners-up
Cold Water Flat by Marylou DePietro
Land of the Jane, Home of the Dicked by Thessaly Lerner
1995
Dinner by Lucy Holsteadt
Runner-up
Brave Navigator by David Valdes-Greenwood
1994
Death in Wintertime by Cristina Iovita
Runners-up
Thursday by Sean Graney
Struggle in a World Without Love by Tom Epstein
1993
Ashika by David Frankel
Runner up
Scarcity by Amy Ansara
1992
Love on the Vine by John Cole
Runners Up
Nirvana is Dead by Josh White
Separation Anxiety by Jane Rifkin
1991
Back in Your Own Backyard by Joe Antoun
