NEW HAVEN, CONN.: The Burry Fredrik Foundation has named sound designer Frederick Kennedy as the recipient of the 2018 Burry Fredrik Design Fellowship. Kennedy will receive a $20,000 award and the opportunity to participate as a designer at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference.

The fellowship was established in 2017 by Broadway director and producer Burry Fredrik. The award, which is a collaboration between Yale School of Drama and the O’Neill Theater Center, aims to launch the careers of graduates from the School of Drama’s design departments.

“The Design Fellowship perfectly epitomizes Burry Fredrik’s lifelong commitment to theatre, to design, and to helping young professionals in the field,” said Barbara Pearce, chair of the foundation, in a statement. “We are delighted to honor that legacy as we acknowledge Frederick Kennedy with this honor in Burry’s name.”

Kennedy is a third-year MFA candidate at Yale School of Drama. His credits at the university include If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be a Muhfucka, ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore, and Othello. Prior to his time at Yale, he worked as a musician, producer, and educator in New York City. He will work with set designer Claire DeLiso, the inaugural recipient of the award, this summer at the O’Neill Theater Center.

“I’m incredibly honored to have been selected as this year’s recipient of the Burry Fredrik Fellowship,” said Kennedy in a statement. “This award, as well as the opportunity to spend a month developing new works at the O’Neill provide an amazing chance to meet new collaborators and introduce myself to the wider Connecticut theatre community.”