American Fiesta

Last month, Steven Tomlinson's American Fiesta was named one of six finalists for the $25K Harold And Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. Now comes word that the theatre critics have awarded Tomlinson their 2005 M. Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award, presented annually to a writer whose plays have yet to be recognized with major productions or major national awards. Created in memory of American Theatre play editor M. Elizabeth Osborn, the award carries a $1,000 cash prize and earns the play notice in The Best Plays Theater Yearbook. Tomlinson gets his award this Saturday at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Ky. This is the second time in three years for a local writer to win the Osborn: John Walch won for The Dinosaur Within in 2003. Both plays premiered at the State Theatre and were developed during the tenure of artistic director Scott Kanoff. The State will revive Tomlinson's monologue for a summer run July 19-Aug. 6. For more information, visit www.austintheatre.org.