Daniel Kraus’ 'Angel Down' and Bess Wohl's 'Liberation' are among Pulitzer winners in the arts

Pulitzer Prize judges have awarded the fiction prize to Daniel Kraus for “Angel Down,” a World War I narrative told in one long sentence
Pulitzer Prize officials awarded the fiction prize to an author with a long history in fantasy, horror and young adult novels: Daniel Kraus, cited for “Angel Down,” a World War I narrative that unfolds in one long sentence.

“Liberation,” Bess Wohl's look back at the feminist consciousness-raising groups of the 1970s received the drama prize.

The poetry prize went to Juliana Spahr's “Ars Poeticas,” and the music award was given to Gabriela Lena Frank for “Picaflor: A Future Myth,” a symphonic work inspired by Andean legend and California wildfires.

The 50-year-old Kraus has had a diverse and prolific career that includes collaborations with filmmakers George Romero and Guillermo del Toro.

Pulitzer officials praised “Angel Down” as “a stylistic tour-de-force that blends such genres as allegory, magical realism, and science fiction into a cohesive whole, told in a single sentence.”
Wohl’s memory play collects second-wave feminists from all walks of life as they tackle misogyny, internalized homophobia, domestic abuse and gender roles.

The play navigates between past and present, and six of the actors disrobe for the Act 2 opening scene.

The win comes a day before the Tony Award nominations, when “Liberation” is expected to be named in the best new play category.

Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy contributed.