ATCA awards third annual Edward Medina Prize for Excellence in Cultural Criticism to Christian Lewis

ATCA awards third annual Edward Medina Prize for Excellence in Cultural Criticism to Christian Lewis

NEW YORK – The American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association will award critic and journalist Christian Lewis (they/them) the third annual Edward Medina Prize for Excellence in Cultural Criticism at its November 2024 conference in New York.

ATCA created this new award in 2022 to honor their late colleague and recognize United States theater critics and journalists from historically underrepresented groups who write about theater and its role in highlighting people from various cultures, backgrounds and experiences. The prize also aims to increase readership of cultural criticism by these writers.

“We are thrilled to have Christian Lewis as the third-ever winner of the Medina Prize, an award that has provided a cash prize and recognition for the leading BIPOC critics in the country in honor of our dear friend Ed Medina, whom we miss every day,” said David John Chávez, ATCA’s executive chair. “Ed was passionate about providing opportunities to the next generation of critics in our industry, and we are proud to add Lewis to the prize named in honor of Ed’s remarkable life and legacy.” 

Lewis (they/them) is a New York-based trans nonbinary, queer, disabled freelance critic with bylines in Variety, American Theatre, Theatermania, Theatrely, Out, INTO, Queerty, Playbill, Did They Like It? and more. They have co-hosted podcasts with the Broadway Podcast Network, spoken on panels at the Prelude Festival and the International Society for the Study of Musical Theater conference, and covered red carpets and awards.

“It was such a delightful surprise,” said Lewis, who has applied for the Medina Prize every year since its inception with the encouragement of editors. “I’m very proud to represent the queer, trans, and disabled communities. I’m also happy this prize is highlighting the writers whose work needs to be spotlighted — especially when writing about art and representation.”  

Lewis will receive a cash award, a complimentary annual ATCA membership, and a stipend to help offset attendance costs for the November 2024 ATCA conference in New York City. During the 2024 ATCA conference, Belonging, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Committee members, including Medina’s widow, Nate Hinkle, will present Lewis with the award.

The Edward Medina Prize is sponsored, in part, by Foundation ATCA, and by Critical Minded, an initiative to invest in cultural critics of color, cofounded by The Nathan Cummings Foundation and The Ford Foundation.

The judges who reviewed applications included theater, journalism and communications professionals. One of them was Steven Vargas (he/him), a Los Angeles-based multimedia journalist, dancer and actor who has written for many publications including The Los Angeles Times and USA Today. 

“Lewis’s rhythmic writing guides you through their critical interrogations of theater, specifically unpacking LGBTQ+ representation on stage,” Vargas said. “They bring a level of knowledge and expertise to each piece of writing that puts the subject of their work in context with current events and the art form at large. They engage and wrangle with the work on stage in a caring way, seeking to advance theater for the better.”

“Lewis has a gift for crafting words that linger on the mind like a fine wine. Their thought process is both engaging and intelligent,” said Dorothy Lennon, (she/her), a theater teacher and the project manager for the Zora Neale Hurston Trust. “I appreciated how they passionately discussed the decline of representation, blending emotion with solid facts.”

Other 2024 prize judges were Wei Huan Chen (he/him), freelance writer and administrator at Clemson University; Jamie Gahlon (she/her), director and co-founder HowlRound Theatre Commons, a communications platform for theater makers; and Jacquinn Sinclair (she/her), a widely published Boston-based critic and journalist who frequently contributes to WBUR.

ATCA established the prize in honor of Edward Medina, a proud Nuyorican, whose well-established life within the arts and entertainment industry included work as a recognized and award-winning producer, director and author. Medina was a critic and member of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association and served on the Executive, Membership, and Belonging, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity committees. He emphasized the need for increasing diversity within theatrical production and criticism and sought to provide fresh opportunities and support for new critics finding their calling in this vital field.

Founded in 1974, the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association is the only national association of professional theater critics and journalists in the United States. ATCA champions greater communication among theater critics and journalists; provides training and networking opportunities and programs to foster emerging writers; advocates for freedom of expression; maintains ethical standards; responds to the continued evolution of the profession; and increases public awareness of theater criticism as an important national resource. Our members work nationwide for newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and online services.

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Read Christian Lewis’s work at muckrack.com/christianlewis/articles and x.com/clewisreviews
Learn more about the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association at americantheatrecritics.org
Learn more about the Medina Prize at americantheatrecritics.org/edward-medina-prize/
Learn more about Edward Medina at EdwardMedina.nyc