The Donald Windham Sandy M. Campbell Literature Prizes
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (2014) Winner
Kia Corthron
キア・コースロン
Kia Corthron
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1961-05-13 （Cumberland, Maryland, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Cumberland, Maryland, U.S. → New York City, U.S.
Career
- Occupations
- playwright, television writer, novelist, activist
- Active Years
- 1992-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland, College Park | Communications and Film | — | BA | — | United States |
| Columbia University | School of the Arts | Theatre / Playwriting (MFA) | MFA | — | United States |
University of Maryland, College Park
Communications and Film
Degree:
BA
Country:
United States
Undergraduate study in communications and film. Graduation year not specified.
Columbia University
School of the Arts
/ Theatre / Playwriting (MFA)
Degree:
MFA
Year of Graduation:
1992
Country:
United States
Received MFA. Attended after a one-year workshop and studied with noted faculty.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | United States Artists Fellow (Theater) | — | — | United States Artists | 受賞 |
| 2014 | Windham–Campbell Literature Prize (Drama) | — | Drama | Windham–Campbell Literature Prize | 受賞 |
| 2016 | Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter | — | Center for Fiction | 受賞 |
| 2017 | MacDowell Colony Fellowship | — | — | MacDowell | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Writers Guild Award (Outstanding Drama Series) | The Wire (television) | Television | Writers Guild of America | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Edgar Award | The Wire (television) | Television | Mystery Writers of America | 受賞 |
United States Artists Fellow (Theater)
2014
Organization:
United States Artists
Result:
受賞
Windham–Campbell Literature Prize (Drama)
2014
Category:
Drama
Organization:
Windham–Campbell Literature Prize
Result:
受賞
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
2016
Work:
The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter
Organization:
Center for Fiction
Result:
受賞
MacDowell Colony Fellowship
2017
Organization:
MacDowell
Result:
受賞
Writers Guild Award (Outstanding Drama Series)
2006
Work:
The Wire (television)
Category:
Television
Organization:
Writers Guild of America
Result:
受賞
Edgar Award
2006
Work:
The Wire (television)
Category:
Television
Organization:
Mystery Writers of America
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 11 (2016) Winner
Works
Major Works
Force Continuum
2000 playCenters on an African-American police officer who struggles with contradictions of race and profession while confronting police brutality and community tensions.
racepolice brutalityjustice and responsibility
A Cool Dip in the Barren Saharan Crick
2010 playFollows Abebe, a preacher-in-training who arrives in a drought-stricken American town and becomes involved with a grieving mother and daughter, exploring faith and ecological struggle.
environmentreligioncommunity
Adaptations
- [theatre] A Cool Dip in the Barren Saharan Crick (2010)
The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter
2016 novelA multi-generational novel tracing family and social histories across America, exploring race, violence, and memory.
racehistoryviolence
Moon and the Mars
2021 novelA 2021 novel dealing with contemporary themes; detailed summaries are limited in public sources.
contemporary societyhuman relationships
Seeking the Genesis
1992 play (commission)A Goodman Theatre commission addressing issues such as medicating children (Ritalin) and proposals to drug urban youth to control violence.
medicalizationurban issueschildren and society
Tap the Leopard
play (in development / historical)A play chronicling historical ties between Liberia and the United States; developed after Corthron's travel to post-war Liberia.
migration historyinternational relationsviolence and reconciliation
Bibliography
- Force Continuum
- A Cool Dip in the Barren Saharan Crick
- Seeking the Genesis
- Tap the Leopard
- The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter
- Moon and the Mars
Adaptations
- Television writing: The Jury (episode 'Lamentation on the Reservation')
- Television writing: The Wire (episode 'Know Your Place')
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- poetic, rhythmic languagerealist approach that engages socio-political issues
- Recurring Motifs
- race and its contradictionspolice and violenceenvironmentwar and veteranscapital punishment
Legacy
Kia Corthron has addressed broad socio-political issues across plays, television, and novels, earning major recognition such as the 2014 Windham–Campbell Prize and United States Artists Fellowship, and winning the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize for her debut novel.
Archives
- Yale LUX collection (person page)
Quotes
-
“When it came time to do scenes from our plays, I was embarrassed when mine lasted 30 minutes when everyone else's was only five... I was soon gratified when the lights came up and I saw how my writing affected the other students.”
Source: Sightlines (Theater Development Fund interview)
Trivia
- She is the second of three sisters; her younger sister Kara Corthron is also a playwright and novelist.
- In 2014 she won the Windham–Campbell Prize (Drama) and was named a United States Artists Fellow.
- She wrote an episode for season 4 of The Wire.