The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA) is proud to announce the Honorary Jury for the 2016 cycle of the biennial Saroyan/Paul $10,000 Human Rights Prize in Playwriting. 

ADAA has been running this competition since 2008. 

The judges are: Rob Drummer, Associate Dramaturg and Director from the Bush Theatre in London; Neil McPherson, Artistic Director of the Finborough Theatre in London; Simon Levy, Artistic Director of The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. 

All three judges will preside over the three finalist scripts in 2016. 

Preliminary evaluation of scripts has begun, as synopses have been pouring in from around the globe. The synopsis submission period for the contest has been extended to February 7, 2016. Playwrights whose submitted synopses meet ADAA’s guideline specifications will be chosen by the selection committee to submit their full scripts between March 1 and April 24. 

Scores will be awarded to each script based on excellence of writing and in furthering the theme of "human rights/social justice." 

In addition, to further its mission to support Armenian story writing, the ADAA is pleased to also host a special $2,500 prize - The Kondazian Playwriting Award for Armenian Stories 

 It will be awarded to an outstanding play focusing on an Armenian theme. 

The Saroyan Prize is made possible by a donation from The William Saroyan Foundation, which inaugurated the award at ADAA in 2007, and has been joined by The Lillian and Varnum Paul Fund, a longtime supporter of ADAA’s Paul Screenwriting Award.    

For more information, please visit ADAA's newly redesigned website, http://www.armeniandrama.org or email [email protected].