Relentless Award
| Relentless Award | |
|---|---|
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| Awarded for | Annual awards for unproduced plays and musicals |
| Location | New York City, U.S. |
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| Presented by | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Reward(s) | $50,000 (plays, as of 2024), $65,000 (musicals) |
| First awarded | 2015 (plays), 2022 (musicals) |
| Currently held by | Dave Harris (2024, plays) |
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The Relentless Award is an annual American theater prize presented by the American Playwriting Foundation to recognize outstanding unproduced plays and musicals. Established in 2015 in honor of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, the playwriting award celebrates works that are challenging, fearless, passionate, and relentlessly truthful, reflecting Hoffman's commitment to truth in theater. It offers the largest cash prize in American theater for an unproduced play, providing $50,000 as of 2024, along with developmental support.[1]
The Relentless Musical Award, introduced in 2022 to honor both Hoffman and composer Adam Schlesinger, extends similar recognition to unproduced musicals with a $65,000 prize. Since its inception the award has been instrumental in launching careers, with winners achieving Pulitzer Prize finals, Obie Awards, and major productions.
History
The Relentless Award and the American Playwriting Foundation were founded in 2015 by writer David Bar Katz, using funds he won in a settlement of his libel lawsuit against The National Enquirer. The tabloid, discovering that Katz was the last friend Hoffman had texted and was the person to discover him, became the target of their mistaken reporting, since they had contacted the wrong 'David Katz' who made false claims about their sexual relationship and drug use.[2][3] Katz channeled the settlement into creating the award to honor Hoffman's legacy of supporting playwrights and pursuing truthful storytelling in theater.
The Relentless Musical Award was launched in 2022, honoring Adam Schlesinger, (known for his work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Fountains of Wayne) who had been an Artistic Advisor for the founding of the initial award in honor of Hoffman. Shayok Misha Chowdhury and Laura Grill Jaye won the inaugural 2022 Relentless Musical Award for their work, “How the White Girl Got Her Spots and Other 90s Trivia.”[4]
Selection process
The process is blind - Entries are evaluated anonymously by a committee of distinguished theater professionals. The criteria emphasize works that challenge conventions, exhibit fearlessness, exude passion, and pursue relentless truth, mirroring Hoffman's artistic ethos.[5]
The selection committee consists of prominent theater artists, chosen because of their connection to either Hoffman or Schlesinger. Past and current judges for the playwriting award include
| Year | Judges |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, John Ortiz, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz, John Patrick Shanley, Lucy Thurber |
| 2016 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz, Lucy Thurber, John Ortiz |
| 2017 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz |
| 2018 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz, Lucy Thurber |
| 2019 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz, Lucy Thurber |
| 2024 | Eric Bogosian, Thomas Bradshaw, Lynn Nottage, Jonathan Marc Sherman, David Bar Katz, Aleshea Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins |
For the musical award, the 2022 panel included Rachel Bloom, James Iha, David Bar Katz, Stephin Merritt, Brontez Purnell and David Javerbaum.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Relentless Award for Playwriting
Recipients
| Year | Winner | Play | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Sarah DeLappe | The Wolves | Shared award |
| 2015 | Clare Barron | Dance Nation | Shared award |
| 2016 | Aleshea Harris | Is God Is | |
| 2017 | Gracie Gardner | Pussy Sludge | |
| 2018 | Harrison David Rivers | The Bandaged Place | |
| 2019 | Max Yu | Nightwatch | |
| 2022 | Shayok Misha Chowdhury and Laura Grill Jaye (as Grill and Chowder) | How the White Girl Got Her Spots and Other 90s Trivia | |
| 2023 | Special edition: Picket Plays (see below) | ||
| 2024 | Dave Harris | Manakin | |
Picket Plays (2023 Special Edition)
In 2023, the award shifted to "Picket Plays," a one-time initiative soliciting ten-minute plays on labor themes to support the Writers Guild of America strike. Winners shared a $45,000 prize pool and had their works performed at Theatre Row in New York by the Relentless Theater Company, featuring actors such as David Corenswet, Vincent D'Onofrio, Tavi Gevinson, and Hari Nef.[14]
Impact
The New York Times has highlighted the awards role in fostering "relentlessly truthful" works. “People on the lookout for fierce talent and boldly adventuresome plays have learned to take a cue from the Relentless Award.”[15] Lynn Nottage, a judge, noted: “At a moment when the impulse of young writers is to craft plays that are small, tidy and producible, the Relentless Award celebrates writing that disrupts, that is messy, that is ambitious and that reaches for the impossible.”[16] [17] Aleshea Harris, the 2016 winner for Is God Is, has speaking on the award's personal impact: "The Relentless Award gave me the confidence to continue writing in my unique voice, knowing that there are people who value bold, truthful storytelling." [18] Notable accomplishments of Relentless Winners:
- Sarah DeLappe's The Wolves (2015): Pulitzer finalist, Obie for ensemble, over 500 productions worldwide, premiered at Lincoln Center.[19][20]
- Clare Barron's Dance Nation (2015): Pulitzer finalist, premiered at Playwrights Horizons, praised for its bold exploration of adolescence.[21]
- Aleshea Harris's Is God Is (2016): Four Obie Awards, productions at Soho Rep and Royal Court Theatre, upcoming feature film.[22]
- Harrison David Rivers' The Bandaged Place (2018): Premiered at Roundabout Theatre Company, addressing trauma and healing.[23]
References
- ↑ "Philip Seymour Hoffman Playwriting Award Created". The New York Times. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ Weber, Bruce (2014-02-02). "Philip Seymour Hoffman, Actor of Depth, Dies at 46". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Truth and a Prize Emerge From Lies About Hoffman". The New York Times. 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Shayok Misha Chowdhury and Laura Grill Jaye Win 2022 Relentless Award". The New York Times. 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "The Relentless Award". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Submissions Now Open for the Relentless Musical Award". BroadwayWorld. 2022-01-25. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Dave Harris Named Winner of the 2024 Relentless Award". BroadwayWorld. 2024-09-24. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Two Playwrights Will Share Prize in Honor of Philip Seymour Hoffman". The New York Times. 2015-11-08. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2016 Relentless Award Winner". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2017 Relentless Award Winner". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2018 Relentless Award Winner". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2019 Relentless Award Winner". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Winners - Full List". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Photos: Go Inside the Relentless Award's PICKET PLAYS Reading". BroadwayWorld. 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Harrison David Rivers Wins 2018 Relentless Award". The New York Times. 2018-12-13. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "The Relentless Award". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Philip Seymour Hoffman Playwriting Award Created". The New York Times. 2015-03-02. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2016 Relentless Award Winner". American Playwriting Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Pulitzer Prize Finalists 2017". The New York Times. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2017 Obie Award Winners Announced". BroadwayWorld. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Pulitzer Prize Finalists 2019". The New York Times. 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "2018 Obie Awards Winners Announced". BroadwayWorld. 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Harrison David Rivers Wins 2018 Relentless Award". The New York Times. 2018-12-13. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
- ↑ "Relentless Award Winners Announced". BroadwayWorld. 2015-11-10. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
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