NATIONWIDE: The American Theatre Critics Association has announced playwright Sharyn Rothstein as the winner of the 2015 Francesca Primus Prize for her play By the Water. Co-sponsored by ATCA and the Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation, the award is given annually to an emerging female playwright and comes with a cash prize of $10,000.
By the Water is set in Staten Island, N.Y., in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, where a family must choose between taking a government buyout and moving away or rebuilding their longtime home. It received its world premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club in 2014.
Rothstein’s other plays include March, Camp Monster, Neglect, and For Abigail Who Drowns Men. Her latest work, All the Days, will play at McCarter Theatre Center April 29–May 29, directed by McCarter artistic director Emily Mann.
The Primus Prize was founded in 1997 in memory of actress and critic Francesca Primus. Previous awardees include Jennifer Haley, Stefanie Zadravec, Karen Zacarias, and Lynn Nottage.
