LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA) is proud to announce that its biennial $10,000 prize for playwriting is now named the Saroyan/Paul Playwriting Prize for Human Rights/Social Justice, and will begin accepting submissions in January 2016.
The inaugural sponsor and longtime supporter of the prize, the William Saroyan Foundation, has been joined by the Lillian and Varnum Paul Fund, longtime supporter of ADAA’s Paul Screenwriting Award, to complete the funding of the biennial playwriting prize, which has become known as one of the world’s most reputable playwriting awards.
ADAA’s board decided to merge the competitions and focus solely on playwriting, which was ADAA’s original programming focus and which has given ADAA writers their most far-reaching success and opportunities at theaters and arts institutions around the world.
In the prize’s last cycle in 2014, ADAA launched a Human Rights/Social Justice focus, opening the competition to plays that engage audiences with social and political issues and/or promote peace, social justice, and human rights (not only Armenian themes). This has enhanced the outreach of the prize even further around the world.
In continuing with the work of previous years to support Armenian stories and artists, a special $2,500 prize, the Kondazian Playwriting Award for Armenian Stories, will be awarded to an outstanding play on an Armenian theme. Karen Kondazian, actress, ADAA Board Member and daughter of Lillian and Varnum Paul, is sponsor of this special prize within the competition.
“I am extremely happy to have my parentsʼ The Paul Award join hands with the extraordinary Saroyan Foundation to inspire and encourage human justice and dignity through the eyes of the playwright with the Saroyan/Paul Playwriting Prize,” said Kondazian, adding, “It is also my honor to present the Kondazian Playwriting Award for Armenian Stories—through my parents’ fund—to encourage playwrights of any nationality, to explore the Armenian heart.”
The Saroyan/Paul Prize for Playwriting in Human Rights/Social Justice and the Kondazian Playwriting Award for Armenian Stories will be awarded in December 2016, in honor of Human Rights Day, at ADAA’s annual awards event in Los Angeles.
The contest administrator will be ADAA President Bianca Bagatourian and the Contest Manager will be Elizabeth Malone, MFA actor, comedian and teaching artist committed to sharing stories that break down cultural barriers.
Scripts can tackle topics as diverse as homelessness, genocide, and human exploitation; the conflicts may be international, among groups and individuals, or through political participation. Scripts may also seek to create understanding of how conflicts can be resolved nonviolently. Other themes may include minority issues that focus on racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination both in the United States and abroad, with writers making real and relevant the impact of human rights issues on everyday life. ADAA hopes this widened scope of the competition will help shed new light on spiritual, political, and cultural differences and issues, as well as build respect for cultural expression and identity in a world that is experiencing rapid globalization and chaos.
Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1, playwrights must submit a half-page synopsis of their play for the committee’s consideration—and to confirm that it is a play dealing with human rights/social justice, whether Armenian or non-Armenian themed. By March 1, writers will be invited to submit their full-length script and $20 entry fee for consideration. Scripts with Armenian themes are automatically considered for both prizes. Full scripts must be submitted by April 24.
The Saroyan/Paul Playwriting Prize for Human Rights/Social Justice is supported with grants from the William Saroyan Foundation, the Lillian and Varnum Paul Fund, Gagosian Galleries, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
For more details and submission guidelines, visit: http://www.armeniandrama.org. Submissions for the prize must be made electronically to adaa@armeniandrama.org.
Guest Contributor
Latest posts by Guest Contributor (see all)
- Nora Armani to perform Mercedes and Zaruhi in Boston - April 24, 2024
- Message on the occasion of the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide - April 23, 2024
- St. Gregory Church in Indian Orchard celebrates 90th anniversary - April 23, 2024
Talking about William Saroyan ,a few month ago I walked into a Barns and Nobles trying to find a book by William Saroyan ,’my name is Aram’ and ‘The Human Comedy ‘,I couldn t find it.There wasn t one book about Him as if he wasn t an American Writer.I had to order The Human comedy ,but as for My name is Aram , they told me that it was out of print. I think that if there is a William Saroyan society they should make sure that all the book stores in America should carry all of his work. After all he was an American writer. Now a days its like William Saroyan never existed.
I am interested in submitting my work to the Saroyan Human Rights Playwriting Award. When will the next cycle begin?