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For a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Doubt, a parable, by John Patrick Shanley

Lee Bollinger and John Parick Shanley

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger (left) presents John Patrick Shanley with the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

Winning Work

Doubt, a parable

Doubt is the story of a strong-minded woman faced with a difficult decision: should she voice concerns about one of her male colleagues...even if she's not entirely certain of the truth? Set against the backdrop of a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, it makes for a very potent evening, to be sure.

(From www.doubtonbroadway.com)

Biography

John Patrick Shanley has come a long way. He started in The Bronx and now lives in Brooklyn. His plays include Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Savage in Limbo, the dreamer examines his pillow, Beggars in the House of Plenty, Welcome to the Moon, Where's My Money, and Dirty Story. He has two new plays receiving New York productions: Doubt, produced by Manhattan Theatre Club and Sailor's Song, produced by LAByrinth Theater Company.

In the arena of film, Mr. Shanley has had four spec screenplays produced: Five Corners, Moonstruck, The January Man and Joe Versus the Volcano. Five Corners won the Special Jury Prize for its screenplay at the Barcelona Theatre Festival. For Moonstruck, Shanley received both the Academy Award and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay. He also did the film adaptions of both Alive and Congo. Mr. Shanley directs in both theatre and film, but otherwise seems completely clueless.

Finalists

Nominated as finalists in Drama in 2005:

The Jury

Michael Phillips(chair )

drama critic

Fran Dorn

associate chair, department of theater and dance

Robert Hurwitt

drama critic

Charles Isherwood

theater critic

Wendy Wasserstein*

playwright

Winners in Drama

2005 Prize Winners

Staff

For its comprehensive, clear-headed coverage of the resignation of New Jersey's governor after he announced he was gay and confessed to adultery with a male lover.