Playwrights Guild of Canada is pleased to announce that as of 2010, it will be assuming the administration of the Carol Bolt Award for Playwrights. Playwrights Guild of Canada, Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and Playwrights Canada Press will each be contributing to this year’s award. The prize will include $3,000 plus an opportunity to be published by Playwrights Canada Press.
Florence Gibson MacDonald, past winner of the Carol Bolt Award and current Chair of the Jury said, “I am thrilled to see this award increase in both stature and profile. Having the Playwrights Guild administer the award will increase the visibility and importance of playwrights within the theatre community, providing an excellent base from which to advocate for the vital role of playwriting in the cultural sector.”
The Carol Bolt Award for Drama was administered by the Canadian Authors Association (CAA) between 2002 and 2010 within the CAA Literary Awards Program. During this time Playwrights Guild of Canada and Playwrights Canada Press financially supported it.
Playwrights Guild of Canada, Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and Playwrights Canada Press are mandated to strengthen the Canadian theatre sector and celebrate its excellence. Through this new administration, the Carol Bolt Award for Playwrights will now focus on plays that have been professionally produced within the theatre season that precedes the submission deadline.
This year’s award will be accepting submissions from the July 2010 to June 2011 theatre season. The shortlist of finalists will be announced in October 2011.
Full details of the guidelines and submission form will be made available through Playwrights Guild of Canada’s website in January 2011.