I've never understood why MacArthur Foundation gives grants to geniuses, shouldn't they give them to the rest of us shlubs who are lucky if we can write a legible grocery list, never mind, pen rapturous plays? Luckily for the rare geniuses, MacArthur Foundation insists on honoring them. Employee of the Month was thrilled to follow MacArthur's lead and honor Suzan-Lori Parks, a playwright, novelist and screenwriter, and interview her about her illustrious career.

Parks has repeatedly re-imaged playwriting, with plays like Top Dog/Underdog, which she won a Tony and Pulitzer, the first for an African-American female playwright. She also created 365 Plays/365 Days, which meant that she'd write a play a day and stage it. Her latest play, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1, 2, and 3, had its debut at The Public Theater and then was equally heralded at The Mark Taper Forum.

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