She is among Time magazine’s “100 Innovators for the Next New Wave.” Suzan-Lori Parks is a published author and “one of the most acclaimed playwrights in American drama today” (“Biography”). She is the first African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her 2002 play Topdog/Underdog which was a Broadway success. In the following years, she has met much more praise from audiences with not only plays, but also musicals, screenplays, a novel and a television program. Parks is a fascinating artist because of her colorful upbringing, her accomplishments and her origins as a writer. To begin with, Parks was born on May 10, 1963 in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Her father was an officer in the United States Army, so for Parks’ family, this meant
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After high school, she continued her education at Mount Holyoke College. There, she was fortunate enough to be apart of a small creative writing class that was taught by the famous American author and civil rights activist, James Baldwin (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”). It was during this time she began writing plays because of Mr. Baldwin’s encouragement. Even with the short amount of time they knew each other, Baldwin ultimately referred to Parks as “an utterly astounding and beautiful creature who may become one of the most valuable artists of our time” (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”). Receiving such a compliment from her literary hero inspired her to continue to write plays that she was proud of and persisted against rejection early on in her career (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”).
In conclusion, it’s been fifteen years since Suzan Lori-Parks won her Pulitzer Prize, and she continues to impress audiences with her unique voice. She has since written her first novel, a Tony award winning musical; and screenplays for likes of Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Brad Pitt (“Suzan-Lori Parks: Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright”). As of 2017; Parks is working on her second novel, writing a scripted, Amazon original series, live-streaming a free, weekly writer’s workshop and teaching playwrighting at the Tisch School of Arts at New York University
After high school, she continued her education at Mount Holyoke College. There, she was fortunate enough to be apart of a small creative writing class that was taught by the famous American author and civil rights activist, James Baldwin (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”). It was during this time she began writing plays because of Mr. Baldwin’s encouragement. Even with the short amount of time they knew each other, Baldwin ultimately referred to Parks as “an utterly astounding and beautiful creature who may become one of the most valuable artists of our time” (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”). Receiving such a compliment from her literary hero inspired her to continue to write plays that she was proud of and persisted against rejection early on in her career (“Suzan-Lori Parks Biography”).
In conclusion, it’s been fifteen years since Suzan Lori-Parks won her Pulitzer Prize, and she continues to impress audiences with her unique voice. She has since written her first novel, a Tony award winning musical; and screenplays for likes of Denzel Washington, Spike Lee and Brad Pitt (“Suzan-Lori Parks: Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright”). As of 2017; Parks is working on her second novel, writing a scripted, Amazon original series, live-streaming a free, weekly writer’s workshop and teaching playwrighting at the Tisch School of Arts at New York University