Playwright Anne Washburn Wins Prestigious Hermitage Theater Award

Playwright Anne Washburn Scoops Prestigious Hermitage Major Theater Award

New York-based writer receives $35,000 prize, residency, and developmental workshop for her impactful contributions to contemporary theater.

Ryan Kowalski

Feb 27, 2026, 1:31 AM PT · 2 min read

Anne Washburn — Photo: PEN American Center / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

THE RUNDOWN

Anne Washburn named sixth recipient of Hermitage Major Theater Award.
Award includes $35,000 cash prize, residency, and workshop.
Workshop for new work anticipated for fall 2027 in New York.
Washburn is known for plays like Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play.
Award established in 2021 by Hermitage Artist Retreat.

New York-based playwright Anne Washburn has been named the sixth recipient of the esteemed Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA). This significant recognition, announced by the Hermitage Artist Retreat on February 26, includes a generous $35,000 cash prize, a valuable residency at the Hermitage's Florida campus, and a developmental workshop for her upcoming theatrical work, slated for New York in fall 2027.

Established in 2021 with support from Flora Major and the Kutya Major Foundation, the HMTA stands as one of the largest unrestricted nonprofit theater commissions in the United States. Washburn, known for her innovative storytelling, expressed her delight, stating, “I was delighted to receive the Hermitage Major Theater Award and residency. This is a demanding project I've been thinking about for years, and this award with the residency time at the Hermitage (at what looks like a dreamy stretch of this good earth) makes it all possible.”

Washburn's impressive body of work includes the critically acclaimed Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play, which was a New York Times Critic's Pick, along with plays like 10 Out of 12 and Shipwreck. Her previous accolades include an Alpert Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a PEN/Laura Pels Award, and a Whiting Award. Andy Sandberg, Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, praised Washburn's selection, noting, “Amidst four extraordinary and deserving finalists, Anne Washburn confirmed herself to be one of America's most compelling playwrights as she impressed us all with her inventive and ambitious proposal.”