Pulitzer Prize for Drama facts for kids
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is a super important award given each year in the United States. It's one of seven Pulitzer Prizes given for amazing work in writing, theater, and music. This award started way back in 1917, making it one of the very first Pulitzer Prizes.
The prize celebrates a play or musical that was shown in the U.S. during the past year. Imagine a play that makes you think, laugh, or feel deeply – that's the kind of work this award looks for!
A special group of people, called the drama jury, decides which plays are the best. This group includes professors and theater critics. They watch plays in New York and other cities. Sometimes, the main Pulitzer board can disagree with the jury's choice. For example, in 1986, the board didn't agree with the jury's pick, so no award was given that year. Also, in 1963, a play called Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was chosen by the jury, but the board decided against it.
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What is the Pulitzer Prize for Drama?
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is a big deal in the world of theater. It highlights plays and musicals that are truly special and make a lasting impact. Winning this award means a play is recognized as one of the best in the country.
How Many Prizes Are Given?
From 1917 to 2022, the Drama Pulitzer was given out 91 times. There were 15 years when no prize was awarded. The award has never been shared between different plays in the same year.
The most people to win the prize for one play was five! This happened in 1976 for the musical A Chorus Line. The winners were Michael Bennett, James Kirkwood, Jr., Nicholas Dante, Marvin Hamlisch, and Edward Kleban.
Award Winners by Decade
Here's a look at some of the amazing plays and their authors who have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama over the years.
1910s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1917 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1918 | ||
| Why Marry? | Jesse Lynch Williams | |
| 1919 | ||
| no award | N/A |
1920s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | ||
| Beyond the Horizon | Eugene O'Neill | |
| 1921 | ||
| Miss Lulu Bett | Zona Gale | |
| 1922 | ||
| Anna Christie | Eugene O'Neill | |
| 1923 | ||
| Icebound | Owen Davis | |
| 1924 | ||
| Hell-Bent Fer Heaven | Hatcher Hughes | |
| 1925 | ||
| They Knew What They Wanted | Sidney Howard | |
| 1926 | ||
| Craig's Wife | George Kelly | |
| 1927 | ||
| In Abraham's Bosom | Paul Green | |
| 1928 | ||
| Strange Interlude | Eugene O'Neill | |
| 1929 | ||
| Street Scene | Elmer Rice |
1930s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | ||
| The Green Pastures | Marc Connelly | |
| 1931 | ||
| Alison's House | Susan Glaspell | |
| 1932 | ||
| Of Thee I Sing | George S. Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Ira Gershwin | |
| 1933 | ||
| Both Your Houses | Maxwell Anderson | |
| 1934 | ||
| Men in White | Sidney Kingsley | |
| 1935 | ||
| The Old Maid | Zoë Akins | |
| 1936 | ||
| Idiot's Delight | Robert E. Sherwood | |
| 1937 | ||
| You Can't Take It with You | Moss Hart, George S. Kaufman | |
| 1938 | ||
| Our Town | Thornton Wilder | |
| 1939 | ||
| Abe Lincoln in Illinois | Robert E. Sherwood |
1940s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | ||
| The Time of Your Life | William Saroyan | |
| 1941 | ||
| There Shall Be No Night | Robert E. Sherwood | |
| 1942 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1943 | ||
| The Skin of Our Teeth | Thornton Wilder | |
| 1944 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1945 | ||
| Harvey | Mary Coyle Chase | |
| 1946 | ||
| State of the Union | Russel Crouse, Howard Lindsay | |
| 1947 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1948 | ||
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Tennessee Williams | |
| 1949 | ||
| Death of a Salesman† | Arthur Miller |
1950s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | ||
| South Pacific* | Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Joshua Logan | |
| 1951 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1952 | ||
| The Shrike | Joseph Kramm | |
| 1953 | ||
| Picnic | William Inge | |
| 1954 | ||
| The Teahouse of the August Moon† | John Patrick | |
| 1955 | ||
| Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ≠ | Tennessee Williams | |
| 1956 | ||
| The Diary of Anne Frank† | Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich | |
| 1957 | ||
| Long Day's Journey into Night† | Eugene O'Neill | |
| 1958 | ||
| Look Homeward, Angel≠ | Ketti Frings | |
| 1959 | ||
| J.B.† | Archibald MacLeish |
1960s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | ||
| Fiorello!* | Jerome Weidman, George Abbott, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick | |
| 1961 | ||
| All the Way Home≠ | Tad Mosel | |
| 1962 | ||
| How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying* | Frank Loesser and Abe Burrows | |
| 1963 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1964 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1965 | ||
| The Subject Was Roses† | Frank D. Gilroy | |
| 1966 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1967 | ||
| A Delicate Balance≠ | Edward Albee | |
| 1968 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1969 | ||
| The Great White Hope† | Howard Sackler |
1970s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | ||
| No Place to Be Somebody | Charles Gordone | |
| 1971 | ||
| The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds | Paul Zindel | |
| 1972 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1973 | ||
| That Championship Season† | Jason Miller | |
| 1974 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| 1975 | ||
| Seascape≠ | Edward Albee | |
| 1976 | ||
| A Chorus Line* | Michael Bennett, Nicholas Dante and James Kirkwood, Jr., Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban | |
| 1977 | ||
| The Shadow Box† | Michael Cristofer | |
| 1978 | ||
| The Gin Game≠ | Donald L. Coburn | |
| 1979 | ||
| Buried Child | Sam Shepard |
1980s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | ||
| Talley's Folly≠ | Lanford Wilson | |
| 1981 | ||
| Crimes of the Heart≠ | Beth Henley | |
| 1982 | ||
| A Soldier's Play | Charles Fuller | |
| 1983 | ||
| 'night, Mother≠ | Marsha Norman | |
| True West | Sam Shepard | |
| 1984 | ||
| Glengarry Glen Ross≠ | David Mamet | |
| Fool for Love | Sam Shepard | |
| Painting Churches | Tina Howe | |
| 1985 | ||
| Sunday in the Park with George≠ | James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim | |
| The Dining Room | A. R. Gurney | |
| The Gospel at Colonus | Lee Breuer, Bob Telson | |
| 1986 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| the CIVIL warS: a tree is best measured when it is down | Robert Wilson | |
| 1987 | ||
| Fences† | August Wilson | |
| Broadway Bound≠ | Neil Simon | |
| A Walk in the Woods | Lee Blessing | |
| 1988 | ||
| Driving Miss Daisy | Alfred Uhry | |
| Boys' Life | Howard Korder | |
| Talk Radio | Eric Bogosian | |
| 1989 | ||
| The Heidi Chronicles† | Wendy Wasserstein | |
| The Piano Lesson≠ | August Wilson | |
| M. Butterfly† | David Henry Hwang |
1990s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| The Piano Lesson≠ | August Wilson | |
| And What of the Night? | María Irene Fornés | |
| Love Letters | A. R. Gurney | |
| 1991 | ||
| Lost in Yonkers† | Neil Simon | |
| Prelude to a Kiss≠ | Craig Lucas | |
| Six Degrees of Separation≠ | John Guare | |
| 1992 | ||
| The Kentucky Cycle≠ | Robert Schenkkan | |
| Conversations with My Father | Herb Gardner | |
| Miss Evers' Boys | David Feldshuh | |
| Two Trains Running≠ | August Wilson | |
| Sight Unseen | Donald Margulies | |
| 1993 | ||
| Angels in America: Millennium Approaches† | Tony Kushner | |
| The Destiny of Me | Larry Kramer | |
| Fires in the Mirror | Anna Deavere Smith | |
| 1994 | ||
| Three Tall Women | Edward Albee | |
| Keely and Du | Jane Martin | |
| A Perfect Ganesh | Terrence McNally | |
| 1995 | ||
| The Young Man from Atlanta | Horton Foote | |
| The Cryptogram | David Mamet | |
| Seven Guitars≠ | August Wilson | |
| 1996 | ||
| Rent* | Jonathan Larson | |
| A Fair Country | Jon Robin Baitz | |
| Old Wicked Songs | Jon Marans | |
| 1997 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| Collected Stories | Donald Margulies | |
| The Last Night of Ballyhoo† | Alfred Uhry | |
| Pride's Crossing | Tina Howe | |
| 1998 | ||
| How I Learned to Drive | Paula Vogel | |
| Freedomland | Amy Freed | |
| Three Days of Rain | Richard Greenberg | |
| 1999 | ||
| Wit | Margaret Edson | |
| Running Man | Cornelius Eady and Diedre Murray | |
| Side Man† | Warren Leight |
2000s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| Dinner with Friends | Donald Margulies | |
| In the Blood | Suzan-Lori Parks | |
| King Hedley II≠ | August Wilson | |
| 2001 | ||
| Proof† | David Auburn | |
| The Play About the Baby | Edward Albee | |
| The Waverly Gallery | Kenneth Lonergan | |
| 2002 | ||
| Topdog/Underdog≠ | Suzan-Lori Parks | |
| The Glory of Living | Rebecca Gilman | |
| Yellowman | Dael Orlandersmith | |
| 2003 | ||
| Anna in the Tropics≠ | Nilo Cruz | |
| The Goat or Who Is Sylvia?† | Edward Albee | |
| Take Me Out† | Richard Greenberg | |
| 2004 | ||
| I Am My Own Wife† | Doug Wright | |
| Man from Nebraska | Tracy Letts | |
| Omnium Gatherum | Theresa Rebeck and Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros | |
| 2005 | ||
| Doubt: A Parable† | John Patrick Shanley | |
| The Clean House | Sarah Ruhl | |
| Thom Pain (based on nothing) | Will Eno | |
| 2006 | ||
| no award | N/A | |
| Miss Witherspoon | Christopher Durang | |
| The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow | Rolin Jones | |
| Red Light Winter | Adam Rapp | |
| 2007 | ||
| Rabbit Hole≠ | David Lindsay-Abaire | |
| Bulrusher | Eisa Davis | |
| Orpheus X | Rinde Eckert | |
| Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue | Quiara Alegría Hudes | |
| 2008 | ||
| August: Osage County† | Tracy Letts | |
| Dying City | Christopher Shinn | |
| Yellow Face | David Henry Hwang | |
| 2009 | ||
| Ruined | Lynn Nottage | |
| Becky Shaw | Gina Gionfriddo | |
| In the Heights* | Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes |
2010s Winners
| Year | Production | Author |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Next to Normal≠ | Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey | |
| Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo | Rajiv Joseph | |
| The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity | Kristoffer Diaz | |
| In the Next Room (or The ... Play)≠ | Sarah Ruhl | |
| 2011 | ||
| Clybourne Park† | Bruce Norris | |
| Detroit | Lisa D'Amour | |
| A Free Man of Color | John Guare | |
| 2012 | ||
| Water by the Spoonful | Quiara Alegría Hudes | |
| Other Desert Cities≠ | Jon Robin Baitz | |
| Sons of the Prophet | Stephen Karam | |
| 2013 | ||
| Disgraced≠ | Ayad Akhtar | |
| Rapture, Blister, Burn | Gina Gionfriddo | |
| 4000 Miles | Amy Herzog | |
| 2014 | ||
| The Flick | Annie Baker | |
| The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence | Madeleine George | |
| Fun Home* | Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron | |
| 2015 | ||
| Between Riverside and Crazy≠ | Stephen Adly Guirgis | |
| Marjorie Prime | Jordan Harrison | |
| Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2, 3) | Suzan-Lori Parks | |
| 2016 | ||
| Hamilton* | Lin-Manuel Miranda | |
| The Humans† | Stephen Karam | |
| Gloria | Branden Jacobs-Jenkins | |
| 2017 | ||
| Sweat≠ | Lynn Nottage | |
| A 24-Decade History of Popular Music | Taylor Mac | |
| The Wolves | Sarah DeLappe | |
| 2018 | ||
| Cost of Living≠ | Martyna Majok | |
| Everybody | Branden Jacobs-Jenkins | |
| The Minutes≠ | Tracy Letts | |
| 2019 | ||
| Fairview | Jackie Sibblies Drury | |
| Dance Nation | Clare Barron | |
| What the Constitution Means to Me≠ | Heidi Schreck |
2020s Winners
| Year | Production | Author | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | |||
| A Strange Loop* | Michael R. Jackson | ||
| Heroes of the Fourth Turning | Will Arbery | ||
| Soft Power | David Henry Hwang Jeanine Tesori |
||
| 2021 | |||
| The Hot Wing King | Katori Hall | ||
| Circle Jerk | Michael Breslin Patrick Foley |
||
| Stew | Zora Howard | ||
| 2022 | |||
| Fat Ham≠ | James Ijames | ||
| Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord | Kristina Wong | ||
| Selling Kabul | Sylvia Khoury | ||
| 2023 | |||
| English | Sanaz Toossi | ||
| On Sugarland | Aleshea Harris | ||
| The Far Country | Lloyd Suh | ||
| 2024 | |||
| Primary Trust | Eboni Booth | ||
| Here There Are Blueberries | Amanda Gronich Moises Kaufman |
||
| Public Obscenities | Shayok Misha Chowdhury |
Playwrights with Multiple Wins
Some amazing playwrights have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama more than once!
| Wins | Playwright | Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Eugene O'Neill | 4 |
| 3 | Edward Albee | 5 |
| Robert E. Sherwood | 3 | |
| 2 | August Wilson | 6 |
| George S. Kaufman | 2 | |
| Lynn Nottage | ||
| Thornton Wilder | ||
| Tennessee Williams |
Lynn Nottage is the only female playwright to win the prize twice. She and August Wilson are the only playwrights of color to win this award more than once.
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Pulitzer Prize for Drama Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.