Francesca Primus Prize

About this program

The Francesca Primus Prize, administered by the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association (ATCA) and funded by Barry Primus and the Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation, provides a $10,000 annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to American theater by an emerging female-identifying playwright who has not yet achieved national prominence. The prize accepts open submissions and nominations (including self-submission), with ATCA members eligible to nominate or submit letters of recommendation and the committee typically announcing multiple finalists before selecting a winner. Eligible applicants must have had a fully staged, professional production of a script within the previous year, and the selection committee also reviews the applicant’s broader body of work; as of January 2024 ATCA is reviewing the prize’s future and any plans to resume will be posted on the ATCA website.