The New School for Drama was recently awarded a $90,000 grant from the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for support of Drama’s playwriting program.  The grant, which will be distributed over a period of three years, will provide the basis of two substantial annual student playwriting fellowships, as well as fund the annual Final Draft Playwright Showcase. 

A past supporter of Drama’s playwriting program, the trust has awarded a similar fellowship last year to students Elizabeth Calvert (’10) and Victor Lesniewski (’10); this year’s recipients are Joshua Beerman (’11) and Judith Goudsmit (’11).  "It is because of staunch supporters such as the Steinberg Charitable Trust that we have opportunities to grow and thrive here at Drama,” remarked Drama Director Robert LuPone.

Created by Harold Steinberg in 1986, the Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust’s mission is to support and promote the American theater as a vital part of our culture by nurturing American playwrights, encouraging the development and production of new plays, and providing significant support to theaters across the country.  In its more than 20 years, the trust has distributed over $40 million to more than 100 theatre organizations throughout America.  The trust funds the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, presented annually at the Humana Festival.  Recently, the trust created two new awards honoring American playwrights: the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award and the Steinberg Emerging Playwright Award.