Leah Ryan Prize for Emerging Women Playwrights (Nov09)

Leah Ryan’s Fund for Emerging Women Writers (Leah Ryan’s FEWW) is pleased to announce its first annual Prize for Emerging Women Playwrights.

The Prize will be given each year to one emerging woman playwright in recognition of an outstanding work written for the English-speaking theater. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure. One-acts, two-acts (even four-, five-, six- acts), monologues, adaptations, and any other wild or deceptively tame format will be considered with equal seriousness. The only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater.

The Winner will be chosen by a committee selected by the board members of Leah Ryan’s FEWW. The Fund and the Prize are administered through the Community Foundation of Dutchess County. (See below for more information.)

The Winner will receive a cash award of $1,000 as well as a staged reading of her play hosted by FEWW at a theater in New York City. In addition, a stipend of up to $700 for travel and accommodation may be provided by FEWW if necessary. All finalists will be recognized on the FEWW website, and in any other announcements pertaining to the 2010 Prize.

The 2010 Winner will be announced on May 1st, with the reading to follow on an evening to be determined in mid-June.

All women who consider themselves emerging playwrights (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are encouraged to apply for the Prize. Applications must be received no later than 6pm EST on January 15, 2010 and must include the following:

• An initial submission of up to ten pages excerpted from a fully-developed, completed script. Please note: Finalists will be required to submit the complete script to the FEWW.
• A cover letter of no more than one page describing yourself and your work. Make sure to also include the following contact information: address, daytime telephone number, and email address.
• A resume
• At least one letter of support from someone who knows you and your work well

All applications and supporting materials should be submitted electronically to:
leahryansfeww@gmail.com. Enquiries can also be made to this address.
Hard copies of the application are also accepted, but discouraged, and should be sent to:
Leah Ryan’s FEWW
P.O. Box 287
Amherst, MA 01004-0287

Leah Ryan’s FEWW and its annual prize were established to honor the memory of Leah Ryan, and to encourage and support the work of women writers. It is the purpose of the Prize to perpetuate the integrity, compassion and creativity that Leah herself possessed and inspired in others.

A playwright, essayist, and true woman of letters, Leah Ryan’s plays have been performed all over the United States. Her play Bleach, a dark comedy about the legacy of the Armenian genocide, received the Maibaum Award for plays dealing with issues of social justice. Ryan taught playwriting, English, and creative writing to a wide variety of students, including those at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, where she was a professor in the Arts and Communications department and founder of their Writing Center. She also worked with groups of high school and college students at Vassar and New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater Apprentice Training Program where members of the Apprentice Company have performed several of her plays and adaptations. She received a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts for her work with Epic Theatre Centre, creating modern adaptations of classic plays with groups of middle and high school students.

She graduated with honors from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar, winning the Denis Johnston prize for excellence in playwriting three times, and the Jill Cummins MacLean Prize once. Ms. Ryan went on to earn her Artist Diploma in Playwriting at Juilliard and her MFA from the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop, where she won the Distinguished Teaching award and was twice chosen to take part in the annual Iowa Playwrights Festival.

Her publications include the literary anthology For Here or To Go, and Even More Monologues by Women for Women, essays in The Best of Temp Slave, as well as work in many small magazines. Her play Pigeon was published by Playscripts, Inc. Her short work also appeared in 400 Words, including the debut issue. She was Fiction Editor and a regular columnist at Punk Planet magazine.

Leah Ryan died of leukemia on June 12, 2008 in New York City. Her family and friends believe this prize is the truest and most meaningful way to remember her exemplary life and extraordinary work.

TO SUPPORT LEAH RYAN’S FEWW
It is the intention of Leah Ryan’s FEWW to grow our resources so that in turn, we may expand our support of emerging women writers. To that end, we welcome your generous support of a tax-deductible donation to the FEWW.
Donation by mail:
Please make checks payable to the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, and make sure to write “Leah Ryan’s FEWW” in the memo line. Please mail to:
Community Foundation of Dutchess County
80 Washington Street, Suite 201
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Donation by credit card:
Credit card donations can be made through the website for The Community Foundation of Dutchess County, which manages Leah Ryan’s FEWW:
www.communityfoundationdc.org/page30001.cfm
On this page, please fill out the information as requested, and make sure to type "Leah's FEWW" in the box titled “Fund Name.”
We thank you in advance for your ge

Questions? Email



	THE LEAH RYAN PRIZE FOR EMERGING WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS 2010 www.leahryansFEWW.com ABOUT THE PRIZE Leah Ryan’s Fund for Emerging Women Writers (Leah Ryan’s FEWW) is pleased to announce its first annual Prize for Emerging Women Playwrights. The Prize will be given each year to one emerging woman playwright in recognition of an outstanding work written for the English-speaking theater. Eligibility does not require that a submitted work adhere to the traditional three-act structure. One-acts, two-acts (even four-, five-, six- acts), monologues, adaptations, and any other wild or deceptively tame format will be considered with equal seriousness. The only absolute requirement is that the submitted text be a completed full-length work for theater. The Winner will be chosen by a committee selected by the board members of Leah Ryan’s FEWW. The Fund and the Prize are administered through the Community Foundation of Dutchess County. (See below for more information.) The Winner will receive a cash award of $1,000 as well as a staged reading of her play hosted by FEWW at a theater in New York City. In addition, a stipend of up to $700 for travel and accommodation may be provided by FEWW if necessary. All finalists will be recognized on the FEWW website, and in any other announcements pertaining to the 2010 Prize. The 2010 Winner will be announced on May 1st, with the reading to follow on an evening to be determined in mid-June. TO APPLY All women who consider themselves emerging playwrights (as distinct from fledgling or mid-career playwrights) are encouraged to apply for the Prize. Applications must be received no later than 6pm EST on January 15, 2010 and must include the following: • An initial submission of up to ten pages excerpted from a fully-developed, completed script. Please note: Finalists will be required to submit the complete script to the FEWW. • A cover letter of no more than one page describing yourself and your work. Make sure to also include the following contact information: address, daytime telephone number, and email address. • A resume • At least one letter of support from someone who knows you and your work well All applications and supporting materials should be submitted electronically to: leahryansfeww@gmail.com. Enquiries can also be made to this address. Hard copies of the application are also accepted, but discouraged, and should be sent to: Leah Ryan’s FEWW P.O. Box 287 Amherst, MA 01004-0287 ABOUT LEAH RYAN AND HER FEWW Leah Ryan’s FEWW and its annual prize were established to honor the memory of Leah Ryan, and to encourage and support the work of women writers. It is the purpose of the Prize to perpetuate the integrity, compassion and creativity that Leah herself possessed and inspired in others. A playwright, essayist, and true woman of letters, Leah Ryan’s plays have been performed all over the United States. Her play Bleach, a dark comedy about the legacy of the Armenian genocide, received the Maibaum Award for plays dealing with issues of social justice. Ryan taught playwriting, English, and creative writing to a wide variety of students, including those at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, where she was a professor in the Arts and Communications department and founder of their Writing Center. She also worked with groups of high school and college students at Vassar and New York Stage and Film's Powerhouse Theater Apprentice Training Program where members of the Apprentice Company have performed several of her plays and adaptations. She received a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts for her work with Epic Theatre Centre, creating modern adaptations of classic plays with groups of middle and high school students. She graduated with honors from Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar, winning the Denis Johnston prize for excellence in playwriting three times, and the Jill Cummins MacLean Prize once. Ms. Ryan went on to earn her Artist Diploma in Playwriting at Juilliard and her MFA from the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop, where she won the Distinguished Teaching award and was twice chosen to take part in the annual Iowa Playwrights Festival. Her publications include the literary anthology For Here or To Go, and Even More Monologues by Women for Women, essays in The Best of Temp Slave, as well as work in many small magazines. Her play Pigeon was published by Playscripts, Inc. Her short work also appeared in 400 Words, including the debut issue. She was Fiction Editor and a regular columnist at Punk Planet magazine. Leah Ryan died of leukemia on June 12, 2008 in New York City. Her family and friends believe this prize is the truest and most meaningful way to remember her exemplary life and extraordinary work. TO SUPPORT LEAH RYAN’S FEWW It is the intention of Leah Ryan’s FEWW to grow our resources so that in turn, we may expand our support of emerging women writers. To that end, we welcome your generous support of a tax-deductible donation to the FEWW. Donation by mail: Please make checks payable to the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, and make sure to write “Leah Ryan’s FEWW” in the memo line. Please mail to: Community Foundation of Dutchess County 80 Washington Street, Suite 201 Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Donation by credit card: Credit card donations can be made through the website for The Community Foundation of Dutchess County, which manages Leah Ryan’s FEWW: www.communityfoundationdc.org/page30001.cfm On this page, please fill out the information as requested, and make sure to type "Leah's FEWW" in the box titled “Fund Name.” We thank you in advance for your ge Home \| News \| Calendar \| Directory \| Plays \| Library/Storefront \| Timeline Copyright 2009, Roger W. Tang Questions? Email

THE LEAH RYAN PRIZE FOR EMERGING WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS 2010 www.leahryansFEWW.com