We’re happy to announce that Susan Swavely’s Helen of the West has been chosen as the winner of the 2026 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award competition. A rich re-imagining of the fabled story of Helen of Troy, now seen as a mail-order bride in the American West, Swavely’s play will be given its World Premiere as part of the 2026 Essential Theatre Play Festival, running from August 7-23 at 7 Stages.

The Essential Theatre Playwriting Award, given out annually since 2001, is the only prize of its kind, exclusively dedicated to the work of Georgia playwrights with the winner receiving both a $1,000 cash prize and a full professional production.

The submission deadline for the 2027 competition is April 23, 2026. Learn more or submit your play today!