The award goes to the playwright, although production of the play is also taken into account. In the case of a musical being awarded the prize, the composer, lyricist and book writer are generally the recipients. An exception to this was the first Pulitzer ever awarded to a musical: when Of Thee I Sing won in 1932, book authors George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, as well as lyricist Ira Gershwin, were cited as the winners, while composer George Gershwin's contribution was overlooked by the committee. The reason given was that the Pulitzer Prize for Drama is a dramatic award, and not a musical one. However, by 1950 the Pulitzer committee included composer Richard Rodgers as a recipient when South Pacific won the award, in recognition of music as an integral and important part of the theatrical experience.Flinn, Denny Martin. Musical! A Grand Tour. Schirmer, first edition (April 17, 1997), pages 230–31.
The award goes to the playwright although production of the play is also taken into account In the case of a musical being awarded the prize the composer lyricist and book writer are generally the recipients An exception to this was the first Pulitzer ever awarded to a musical when Of Thee I Sing won in 1932 book authors George S Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind as well as lyricist Ira Gershwin were cited as the winners while composer George Gershwin's contribution was overlooked by the committee The reason given was that the Pulitzer Prize for Drama is a dramatic award and not a musical one However by 1950 the Pulitzer committee included composer Richard Rodgers as a recipient when South Pacific won the award in recognition of music as an integral and important part of the theatrical experienceFlinn Denny Martin Musical A Grand Tour Schirmer first edition (April 17 1997) pages 230–31