For the first ten years of the Dramatist Guild Lifetime Achievement Awards, Marsha Norman wrote citations for the winners. (April 2006) When August Wilson was born, no theatrical tradition was there to greet him, there was no path,  there were no stairs by which he might become the August Wilson we are celebrating tonight.  He […]

Dear August On behalf of the Council of the Dramatists Guild We read with great sadness of your illness.  As your fellow writers, we wanted to make sure you knew how valuable you are to us, and how immeasurable your contribution has been both to the American theatre and the American culture as a whole. […]

Given at her memorial, 2007 Hi.  I’m Marsha Norman.  I loved Anne Pitoniak.  I would not be half the human I am now, or maybe not even a writer now if it weren’t for Annie.  I certainly wouldn’t have written ‘night, Mother if I hadn’t had her to write it for.  I might even have […]

June 2011 Every year, preparing to write these lifetime achievement award citations, I read bios and interviews with our honoree, I make lists of my favorite lines and lyrics.   But I also think about the idea of lifetime achievement, about what it is.  Is it the lifetime we’re honoring  – the stamina required to do […]

Given in 2007 Of all the contests we hold in America – American Idol, Miss America, National Book Awards, Soapbox Derby, Survivor, Great Race, Best Bagel, the World Series, the Indy 500, on and on – do other countries to this?  What is wrong with us?  Let me start again. The one contest we have […]

The first Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Dramatists Guild The Dramatists Guild of America has never given a Lifetime Achievement award before.  Not that our members haven’t had both lifetimes…and achievements, but no American playwright has had a whole lifetime of achievement like Arthur Miller. And while other groups have honored his achievements, giving […]