Northern Stage director awarded Genius Grant

The Pussycat Foundation, established in the spirit of Cosmopolitan Magazine editor Helen Gurley Brown, has awarded Northern Stage’s Producing Artistic Director Carol Dunne a Genius Grant of $250,000 for her achievements in theater arts, recognizing her as a pioneering artist and artistic director.

The Pussycat Foundation awards Genius Grants to individuals who dedicate their lives to transformative work with bold leadership and vision. The dollars awarded to Dunne are split evenly between Northern Stage and the New London Barn Playhouse, which she led from 2008-2014.

“I am thrilled and humbled to be the recipient of the Helen Gurley Brown Genius Grant,” said Dunne. “My work at the New London Barn Playhouse and Northern Stage has been challenging, fulfilling, and personally so rewarding. Although we have experienced incredible successes with both companies, the not-for-profit theater model presents constant challenges. It is my hope that this grant, which honors us for the work we have created, will help support the success and sustainability of the work yet to come.”

Northern Stage Board of Directors chair Alfred Blum says of this achievement: “The Pussycat Foundation’s Genius Grant to Carol validates in a profound way that she is poised to use her accumulated experiences from many settings to contribute to the improvement of live theater, both at Northern Stage, the New London Barn Playhouse, and in a broader setting.”