Press Release: Three Sands College of Performing Arts Faculty Members Earn Prestigious National Musical Theatre Writing Honors

Two 2026 Kleban Prize Winners and One Jonathan Larson Grant Recipient Recognized for National Artistic Excellence

Pace University’s Sands College of Performing Arts faculty members Eric Price, Phillip Christian Smith, and Adam J. Rineer have earned major national recognition in musical theatre writing, with Price and Smith named 2026 Kleban Prize winners and Rineer selected as a 2026 Jonathan Larson Grant recipient.

“To have three faculty members recognized in the same year with two of the most distinguished honors in musical theatre writing is extraordinary,” said Jennifer Holmes, PhD, dean of Sands College of Performing Arts. “These awards reflect the creative leadership and artistic rigor of our faculty and affirm Sands College as a center for innovation in musical theatre.”

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The Kleban Prize

Price received the 2026 Kleban Prize for Most Promising Lyricist in Musical Theatre, and Smith received the 2026 Kleban Prize for Most Promising Librettist in Musical Theatre. Each will receive $100,000, distributed over two years through The Kleban Foundation.

Established in 1988 in the will of A Chorus Line lyricist Edward Kleban, the prize supports writers of extraordinary promise and is awarded in recognition of future artistic achievement. The Kleban Prize is administered by New Dramatists on behalf of The Kleban Foundation.

Phillip Christian Smith teaches verse and heightened language in the BFA Acting program. An award-winning playwright, he has been recognized by the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference, The Dramatists Guild Fellowship, New Dramatists, PlayPenn, and The Playwrights Realm. His play The Chechens received its fourth production at Pace in fall 2022, directed by the playwright.

Smith holds an MFA from Yale School of Drama, an MFA from Hunter College (’23), and a BFA from the University of New Mexico. He has acted at theaters nationwide, including Hartford Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, and is currently developing a Sloan Commission.

“I like to start out by thanking the great Edward Kleban for thinking about the future of the American Theatre in creating this award knowing that lyricists and book writers would probably be working in cafés, and coffee shops, restaurants and bars, office jobs, and also in this case adjuncts,” said Smith.

Eric Price is a lyricist, librettist, director, and educator who previously received the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Writing with collaborator Will Reynolds. His work includes the musicals The Violet Hour, Presto Change-o, Radioactive, Hello Out There, Around the World, and The Sixth Borough, as well as additional material for the stage adaptation of Clue, which has toured nationally and internationally and is among the most produced plays worldwide. The Violet Hour released an all-star studio cast album that was named Best Cast Album of the Year by the Broadway Radio Show.

Price worked for many years alongside 21-time Tony Award–winning director and producer Hal Prince on the development of new musicals. He holds an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has taught musical theatre history, repertoire, and writing at Pace for nine years. He also serves on the faculty of CAP21.

“The work of Edward Kleban has always been an incredible source of inspiration for me,” said Price. “It’s a privilege to be part of his amazing legacy, as well as share this experience with the truly wonderful writers who have received this award before. I’m profoundly grateful.”

Jonathan Larson Grant

The Jonathan Larson Grant, administered by the American Theatre Wing and sustained by the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, is an unconditional annual investment in emerging musical theatre composers, lyricists, and librettists. Named for the Pulitzer Prize–winning creator of Rent, the grant supports artists with the potential to shape contemporary culture and advance the future of the American musical.

Adam J. Rineer is a composer, writer, and music director dedicated to new musical theatre development. Currently an Artist in Residence at Ars Nova and a member of The Civilians’ R&D Group, Rineer has developed work presented at HERE Arts Center, Musical Theatre Factory, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and the Eugene O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference. They are also the co-founder of the UNTITLED Musical Project, supporting marginalized musical theatre writers.

Rineer earned an MFA in Musical Theatre Collaboration from Temple University as part of the inaugural George and Joy Abbott Musical Theatre cohort and holds a BA in music from Millersville University. They are members of The Dramatists Guild and ASCAP.

“It’s an incredible honor to receive this award in the named of one of my musical theatre hero’s, Jonathan Larson — an artist who pushed boundaries in genre and form,” said Rineer. “His legacy continues to inspire writers, including myself, to take creative risks and tell urgent stories. With the help of this grant, I look forward to continuing to explore how I can live up to his legacy.”

Amanda Flynn, Ed.D., program head of musical theatre, noted that the recognition reflects the strength of the program’s faculty and its commitment to new work development.

“Our students are learning directly from artists who are shaping the future of the American musical,” Flynn said. “Having faculty recognized with the Kleban Prize and the Jonathan Larson Grant reinforces the depth of mentorship and artistic excellence embedded in our program.”

Together, the Kleban Prize and the Jonathan Larson Grant represent two of the most significant national honors for musical theatre writers, underscoring Pace University’s leadership in shaping the future of the American musical.

About Pace University

Founded in 1906 and celebrating 120 years of preparing students for success in 2026, Pace University pairs real-life learning with strong academics to launch meaningful careers. With campuses in New York City and Westchester County, Pace serves 13,600 students across a range of bachelor, master, and doctoral programs through the College of Health Professions, Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Elisabeth Haub School of Law, Lubin School of Business, Sands College of Performing Arts, School of Education, and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

About Sands College of Performing Arts

Sands College of Performing Arts at Pace University is a cutting-edge performing arts school that nurtures artistic innovation and develops future leaders and changemakers in the profession. Renowned for its diverse range of highly-ranked programs, Sands College is committed to cultivating top-talent performers, designers, and production professionals. From Hollywood to Broadway, Sands College students and alumni have appeared in major film and television productions and theater performances such as & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, A Strange Loop, Almost Famous, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge, Ohio State Murders, Wicked, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Recognized by Playbill as one of the 10 most represented colleges on Broadway, Sands College continues to inspire the next generation of artists both on stage and screen.