I find it somewhat strange as well, but at the same time, I would have listed her as well. And I'm a very big fan of Kane's work.
What Slay at Theatreforte mentions in compiling bloggers' responses, is that Sarah Kane must be one of the most influential playwrights of the past decade. At first this does seem odd, but I will agree that Kane is in fact one of the most influential of the past decade.
But it is difficult to mark the last decade of mainstream playwriting, isn't it? To me, it's difficult to mark the last decade with any sort of specific cultural character (9/11? the iPod age? GW Bush?).
When I try to think of the most influential playwrights to me over the last 10 or so years I just end up picking folks that are a bit older, and some that fit the category.........
What I am realizing is that the fact that I have only lived in New York for about a year has a huge effect. For example, many folks named playwrights like Young Jean Lee, Sheila Callaghan, Anne Washburn, Adam Rapp, Adam Bock............... Honestly, I had never heard of these playwrights over a year ago not living in New York and being involved in mostly regional and academic theatre. It doesn't mean they're worse, it just speaks very much to contemporary playwriting and who is getting produced where......... and who knows about it.
What my list would have been (not that Slay didn't ask me. He did. But I was too swamped with moving to be able to answer):
- Caryl Churchill
- Sarah Kane
- Mac Wellman
- Chuck Mee
- Maria Irene Fornes
- Howard Barker
- Michael Frayn
- Christopher Shinn
- Suzan Lori-Parks
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