J.B.: A Play in Verse, The Pulitzer Prize Play, 1959

Based on the story of Job, this drama in verse tells the story of a twentieth-century American banker and millionaire whom God commands be stripped of his family and wealth, but who refuses to turn his back on God. J.B. won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1959 and the Tony Award for best play. More important, the play sparked a national conversation about the nature of God, the meaning of hope, and the role of the artist in society. The drama premiered at the ANTA Theatre in New York City on Dec. 11, 1958, starring Pat Hingle, Raymond Massey, Christopher Plummer, and Nan Martin.