Pulitzer Prize for Drama: The Award-Giving Tendencies 2010-2024

Author : Derya Alim

Abstract :My paper's aim is to examine the trends in the awarding of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama between 2010 and 2024. The fact that, out of fifteen plays, fourteen focus on ethnic, racial, and immigrant minorities and that the majority were written by members of different minority groups can bring new perspectives to the fields of ethnic, theatrical, and American studies. Acknowledged by the Pulitzer Prizes, these plays have the power to reshape the American theatrical landscape. I will focus on how plays written by racial, ethnic, or immigrant minorities tackle themes of marginalization and conflict by portraying the challenges experienced by characters from these groups. By using their own experiences and avoiding stereotypes, misconceptions, and fetishization, these playwrights offer an accurate and nuanced representation of what it means to be part of a minority group. This portrayal of the lives of minorities in the United States of America is a significant and necessary contribution to promoting their acceptance and integration within mainstream culture. The focus on minorities in American theater is significant because it sheds light on underrepresented voices and experiences. In addition to contextualizing the plays in contemporary American society, I will also discuss the common characteristics of contemporary plays and how they appear in the plays brought into discussion. Furthermore, I will address the reasons why American theater has been neglected by the literary canon, therefore not having the chance to properly prove its cultural and social importance and relevance. While often overlooked in literary studies, theater remains the most socially involved and impactful art form. This thesis is intended to demonstrate the major role of theater in publicly highlighting the challenges faced by certain categories of the population and revealing new insights into the relationship between art, culture, and society.

Keywords :American studies, drama, Ethnic studies, minorities, theater.

Conference Name :International Conference on American Literature, Theatre and Drama (ICALTD -25)

Conference Place Copenhagen, Denmark

Conference Date 26th Feb 2025