Virginia Grise’s "blu" wins 2010 Yale Drama Series competition

Virginia Grise’s blu is the winner of the 2010 Yale Drama Series competition. In honor of her achievement, Grise will receive $10,000 from the David C. Horn Foundation, and her play will be published by Yale University Press and performed as a staged reading at the Yale Repertory Theatre.

The story of a Mexican American family's response to the loss of their oldest son in Iraq, blu was selected from among 960 submissions by contest judge David Hare. It is the second consecutive prize to be awarded to a woman, following Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig's Lidless in 2009. As the New York Times reported today, Hare noted that, "Of the 12 plays on this year’s shortlist, nine were written by women."

Grise, a native of San Antonio, is a Chicana cultural worker, writer, performer, and teacher. Hare—whose many works for stage and screen include Plenty, Amy’s View, Stuff Happens, The Blue Room, The Vertical Hour, The Reader, and The Hours—has served as judge of the competition for the past two years.

For more information about the Yale Drama Series and to view past winners, visit its homepage on yalebooks.com.

Comments

[Chris]

It must be a great honor to have your play not only recognised by Yale, but to have it published and staged.

Well done to Virginia Grise!