PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) announced that James Ijames would receive this year’s Terrence McNally New Play Award for the development of White, a “modern Frankenstein story” that explores issues of gender, race, and sexuality in art.

“We are so pleased to honor an adventurous new voice in the fourth year of this award,” said McNally, the Tony Award–winning playwright after whom the honor was named in 2011. “Ijames’s exploration of artists and art enthusiasts is both funny and bold.  There is enormous promise with this particular piece, and we anticipate great things out of its continued development,”

Established to recognize new plays that “celebrate the transformative power of art,” the award includes a $10,000 cash prize and a year of development support at PTC. Ijames is the first Philadelphia playwright to receive the award.

PTC also offered its first Special Citation for Continuing Development to Philadelphia-based playwright Jacqueline Goldfinger for Fresh, in recognition of the technological mystery-drama’s innovative storytelling.  A stipend of $1,000 will be provided to support the future development of Goldfinger’s work-in-progress.