NEW YORK CITY: The Pulitzer committee has announced the recipients of the 2021 Pulitzer Prizes after postponing the awards, originally slated for April 19, so deliberations could happen in person rather than remotely. The Pulitzer Prize for drama, which includes a $15,000 cash prize, was awarded to Katori Hall for The Hot Wing King. Finalists for this year’s prize include Circle Jerk by Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, and Stew by Zora Howard.

A statement from the Pulitzer committee called The Hot Wing King “a funny, deeply felt consideration of Black masculinity and how it is perceived, filtered through the experiences of a loving gay couple and their extended family as they prepare for a culinary competition.” Hall’s play was running at Pershing Square Signature Center in early 2020 when its run was cut short by the pandemic.

Hall’s previous awards includes a Laurence Olivier Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Award, Lark Play Development Center Playwrights of New York (PONY) Fellowship, two Lecompte du Nouy Prizes from Lincoln Center, Fellowship of Southern Writers Bryan Family Award in Drama, NYFA Fellowship, the Columbia University John Jay Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement, National Black Theatre’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, and the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award. Hall is also known for her work as the executive producer and showrunner of P-VALLEY as well as for writing The Mountaintop and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.

The Pulitzer Prize was established in 1917 by Joseph Pulitzer and recognizes achievements in journalism, literature, drama, and music composition. The award is administered by Columbia University. This year’s awards luncheon, typically held at Columbia, is delayed until the fall. A full list of this year’s Pulitzer winners is available here.