RepGuardian

Lynn Nottage won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for drama, with her play Ruined. In 2007 she won the MacArthur Genius Grant and in 2005 was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. She is an American playwright whose work often deals with issues facing women and African Americans. Ruined explores the circumstances faced by Congolese women who are survivors of civil war. One can only wonder about and eagerly anticipate the future works of this acclaimed writer.

Nottage was born in 1964, in Brooklyn, New York. She wrote her first play at the age of eight, the inspiration for which came from the women in her family who were primarily nurses and teachers, all of whom were political activists. This early orientation would dominate the themes of much of her adult work. After graduation from New York’s High School of Music and Art she attended Brown University, where she received her BA. From there she went on to study at the Yale School of Drama where she has also served as a guest lecturer on playwrighting. She worked as the National Press Officer for Amnesty International before deciding to pursue playwrighting full-time. Her short play Poof! won the Heideman Award after its premiere at the Actors Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ruined is currently playing at Manhattan Theatre Club’s New York City Center Stage 1. The play explores the chaos, trauma and strength displayed by the Congolese women and has been compared to German playwright Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children. It was popular prior to the award but now it is certainly going to be sold out for every performance through its run. New York is usually packed with out of town visitors who are interested in seeing a play. Many stay at the best Manhattan hotel available during their visit and hope to catch something as exciting as the latest Pulitzer Prize winning play.

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