women win few tony awards in TOP production categories
By Marisa Rubin
For Meg Kelly VanLent, a theater professor at Towson University and lifelong actor, following her dreams was easy. It was theater. VanLent went to the University of Delaware for her undergraduate degree in theater and got her masters in performance from Michigan State University. She teaches directing in the classroom and is no novice when it comes to acting.
For women like VanLent who reach the pinnacle in their field, winning a Tony Award can be the culmination of years of hard work. But it's a rarity. An analysis of Tony Award winners from the past 50 years shows that men dominate in production categories like directing, producing, songwriting and lighting. There are, of course, dedicated awards for women (best actress, for instance). But when categories are open to both genders, men tend to dominate.
In the production categories -- that is, people who aren't on stage during performances -- 553 people won awards in the past 50 years. Women won just 92 of those awards.
For women like VanLent who reach the pinnacle in their field, winning a Tony Award can be the culmination of years of hard work. But it's a rarity. An analysis of Tony Award winners from the past 50 years shows that men dominate in production categories like directing, producing, songwriting and lighting. There are, of course, dedicated awards for women (best actress, for instance). But when categories are open to both genders, men tend to dominate.
In the production categories -- that is, people who aren't on stage during performances -- 553 people won awards in the past 50 years. Women won just 92 of those awards.
Gender diversity in tony award wins
VanLent said women have historically been heavily involved in theater -- and in the Tony Awards.
“It’s ironic, the American Theatre Wing (who votes on the Tony Awards) was founded by a group of women including Antoinette Perry, whom the Tony Award is named after, at the beginning of WWII," VanLent said. “Originally it came to be during WWI as an outreach of support for soldiers, but Perry took it into a more theater-focused organization.”
But maybe Broadway still sees women as domesticated? The category for which women won most often: Best Costume Design.
“For a long time women’s fashions were designed by men,” VanLent said. “Women even had to push themselves into that realm, although it was probably a much easier push than into lighting, scenic design or even writing.”
Diane Smith, a middle and high school theater teacher and director, has been involved in theater for 43 years. She said costume design and choreography have always been assumed to be female categories.
"Although it has taken a long time, we have more female designers, directors, musical directors and composers [than ever before]," Smith said, “I think there is a definite disadvantage with auditions and casting. Men certainly have the advantage in numbers. The ratio favors the males. I think with the other areas, directing, production roles, women have to prove themselves in these ‘male’ categories so there proves another disadvantage."
“It’s ironic, the American Theatre Wing (who votes on the Tony Awards) was founded by a group of women including Antoinette Perry, whom the Tony Award is named after, at the beginning of WWII," VanLent said. “Originally it came to be during WWI as an outreach of support for soldiers, but Perry took it into a more theater-focused organization.”
But maybe Broadway still sees women as domesticated? The category for which women won most often: Best Costume Design.
“For a long time women’s fashions were designed by men,” VanLent said. “Women even had to push themselves into that realm, although it was probably a much easier push than into lighting, scenic design or even writing.”
Diane Smith, a middle and high school theater teacher and director, has been involved in theater for 43 years. She said costume design and choreography have always been assumed to be female categories.
"Although it has taken a long time, we have more female designers, directors, musical directors and composers [than ever before]," Smith said, “I think there is a definite disadvantage with auditions and casting. Men certainly have the advantage in numbers. The ratio favors the males. I think with the other areas, directing, production roles, women have to prove themselves in these ‘male’ categories so there proves another disadvantage."
More females winning in the costume design category
Women are increasingly winning production Tony Awards in recent decades. Thirty-six women won such awards from 2007-2017, compared with only 10 from 1967-1976.
VanLent said there is room for recognition of women to increase.
“It is recognized regionally that women need to grow in this industry" she said. “Across the country, there has been a push for regional theaters to have a season, or part of a season, focused on women playwrights and directors. The shows nominated for Tony Awards typically come out of these regional shows. They get moved on sort of a pathway to New York."
Lizzie Jaspan, a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College who majored in playwriting, said she is optimistic because she sees women interested in the field.
“Most people in my program were women, and not just the students, the professors, too," she said. "There were six directing classes per semester and roughly 95 percent were taught by women, all of whom have directed professionally.”
VanLent said there is room for recognition of women to increase.
“It is recognized regionally that women need to grow in this industry" she said. “Across the country, there has been a push for regional theaters to have a season, or part of a season, focused on women playwrights and directors. The shows nominated for Tony Awards typically come out of these regional shows. They get moved on sort of a pathway to New York."
Lizzie Jaspan, a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College who majored in playwriting, said she is optimistic because she sees women interested in the field.
“Most people in my program were women, and not just the students, the professors, too," she said. "There were six directing classes per semester and roughly 95 percent were taught by women, all of whom have directed professionally.”
Winning trends over the years
Added Jaspan: “There was always a great diversity within the theater, and sometimes there were even so many women that they had to play mens roles, which is not uncommon in middle and high school theatre.”
When asked about the diversity of genders in her high school theater program, Smith said: “At Beth Tfiloh I have a lot of men who want to be onstage rather than on tech crew. I have a young man who is currently the rising star of the basketball team, but decided not to play this year so he can be in the musical, The Addams Family. We are lucky at our school that there is not a negative stigma in place on being in the shows. I also have my definite tech people who have no desire to be onstage but they are both male and female.”
When asked about the diversity of genders in her high school theater program, Smith said: “At Beth Tfiloh I have a lot of men who want to be onstage rather than on tech crew. I have a young man who is currently the rising star of the basketball team, but decided not to play this year so he can be in the musical, The Addams Family. We are lucky at our school that there is not a negative stigma in place on being in the shows. I also have my definite tech people who have no desire to be onstage but they are both male and female.”
Diversity lacking in Broadway Musical Production Crews
By Rachel Hartenstine
To Robyn Quick, a professor and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at Towson University, theater “brings to life complexity and wonder of what it means to be human.” Quick’s passion for the arts led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in English and theater from Western Maryland College, a master’s degree in theater from Kent State University and a Ph.D. in theater studies from the University of Michigan. She went on to Russia to serve as a Senior Fulbright Scholar, where she directed at the Playwright and Director Center in Moscow. Throughout her education, Quick acquired plenty of knowledge about the theater arts -- including the lack of racial and gender diversity in some parts of the theater world. “It is important to note that the commercial Broadway stage is only one place where theater happens in the United States,” Quick said. “Despite ongoing efforts and much progress in recent years, American theater does not yet reflect the diversity of our country.” An analysis of the production teams for currently running Broadway shows illustrates that reality. Broadway Production Teams are 94 Percent White In research conducted on popular musicals currently running on Broadway, there were only two ethnicities represented: white and Latino. There were no African-American or Asian-American individuals in key production roles. Only four Latinos were represented --they were on the production crews for The Book of Mormon, A Bronx Tale, Hamilton, and Waitress. White Males are the Overwhelming Majority Approximately 76.8 percent of people in top production roles were white males, 17.4 percent white females, 4.3 percent consist of Latino males, and which leaves the 1.4 percent of Latino women. Not only do white males make up the majority of the production crews on Broadway, but they make up most of the highest-paying jobs. According to Playbill, white males are hired with higher contractual salaries. Though the salaries vary depending on the show, the director position is the most likely to earn the most. All directors from the shows researched were white males, with the exception Diane Paulus, who is the director of Waitress. The Majority of Tony Awards for Production Categories are Awarded to White Males Many award shows make a point to honor diversity and advocate for equality for all people regardless of gender and race. The Tony Awards also broadcasts speeches regarding diversity, yet statistics show that the awards given to production crew members are predominantly awarded to white men. Out of the 52 awards won by the members of the production crews researched, 42 were awarded to white males (78 percent), eight were awarded to white females, and five were awarded to Latino males. There were no Latino females nominated for categories regarding the production crew. “Despite the achievements of many extraordinary people of color and women in the theater, one finds the same history of inequity and patriarchal hegemony in the recognition of achievement in commercial theater as in other aspects of our society, such as business and government," Quick said. |
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By Ann Moreno
Marsha Becker, a theater professor at Towson University, is a professional actress, playwright and director who enjoys using theatrical opportunities to break stereotypes, call attention to political problems and make heard those who cannot speak out. She also teaches theater for social change. So when Hamilton became a breakout Broadway hit several years back, Becker was thrilled. “Hamilton set the bar so high for social action musical theater by casting people of color,” Becker said. “It was a broad open brush and inclusive, the audience was inclusive.” But this is the exception rather than the norm on Broadway. Even among shows that premiered several decades ago and recently were revived on Broadway, the progress toward diverse casts is slow, according to an analysis of data. The cast of the Les Miserables revival had the most significant change in racial diversity of shows examined. In 1986, Les Miserables included a cast of 30 people, and every actor was white. In 2013, Les Miserables was revived, and included a cast of 32 people, six of whom were black. |
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Twentieth century musicals included mostly white actors and were less diverse than their revival shows
The data show that of musicals done in 20th century (1960-1994), only 5 percent of actors and actresses were minorities (any non-caucasian races) out of 195 people.
The data show that of musicals done in 20th century (1960-1994), only 5 percent of actors and actresses were minorities (any non-caucasian races) out of 195 people.
Progress is slow: Musical revivals in more recent years still included mostly white actors
Musical revivals done in more recent years (2004-2017) only included 14 percent minorities (any non-caucasian race) out of 220 people.
Becker said that she once interviewed Latino actor John Leguizamo. He told her that when he first came to the United States, he could only get cast as a rapist or as similar criminal-like roles because he was Latino.
Taylor Rieland, a professional musical theater actor in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, said that in his most recent show, Assassins, the assassins are traditionally all white, but his cast included one Asian and one African-American actor in roles as assassins.
Rieland said that when he gets directing opportunities, casting people based on the intended race of a character is not that important to him, unless, of course, the race of the actor is crucial to the plot.
“I cast who is right for the role,” Rieland said.
Added Yakima Rich, a black acting major at Towson University: “All I simply require is an equal playing field, to not live in a reality where so many roles are simply not 'preferred' for me to play because I am a black woman."
Rich, who most recently played the lead in Towson’s Pride and Prejudice as Elizabeth Bennet, said: “I do believe there is naturally more role availability for white actors, simply because of the classic algorithm when it comes to narrative and the method of storytelling. The majority of the storytellers and stories being told are reflected and portrayed by those who traditionally identify with such.”
Rich said that she believes her race absolutely plays a part in the roles she receives, although she has been cast in roles that are not traditionally played by black women.
“But those casting-related choices are not always made. And there is not an even playing field with diversity in narrative,” Rich said. “ Also, with the strong existence of stereotypes, my race plays a major part in how I am perceived, and the types of stories I am deemed suitable to realistically tell."
Musical revivals done in more recent years (2004-2017) only included 14 percent minorities (any non-caucasian race) out of 220 people.
Becker said that she once interviewed Latino actor John Leguizamo. He told her that when he first came to the United States, he could only get cast as a rapist or as similar criminal-like roles because he was Latino.
Taylor Rieland, a professional musical theater actor in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, said that in his most recent show, Assassins, the assassins are traditionally all white, but his cast included one Asian and one African-American actor in roles as assassins.
Rieland said that when he gets directing opportunities, casting people based on the intended race of a character is not that important to him, unless, of course, the race of the actor is crucial to the plot.
“I cast who is right for the role,” Rieland said.
Added Yakima Rich, a black acting major at Towson University: “All I simply require is an equal playing field, to not live in a reality where so many roles are simply not 'preferred' for me to play because I am a black woman."
Rich, who most recently played the lead in Towson’s Pride and Prejudice as Elizabeth Bennet, said: “I do believe there is naturally more role availability for white actors, simply because of the classic algorithm when it comes to narrative and the method of storytelling. The majority of the storytellers and stories being told are reflected and portrayed by those who traditionally identify with such.”
Rich said that she believes her race absolutely plays a part in the roles she receives, although she has been cast in roles that are not traditionally played by black women.
“But those casting-related choices are not always made. And there is not an even playing field with diversity in narrative,” Rich said. “ Also, with the strong existence of stereotypes, my race plays a major part in how I am perceived, and the types of stories I am deemed suitable to realistically tell."
The 20th-century musicals included more actors than actresses, but in more recent years, roughly the same amount of men and women were cast.
On Broadway, it is easier for women to be cast than it used to be. Revivals consisted of roughly 48 percent female and 52 percent male casts. The professional musical theater world from 1960-1994 included roughly 40 percent actresses and 60 percent actors.
Becker said that there may be fewer parts written for women in musical theater, and when it comes to gender, “I’m all about open casting whenever I can.”
Added Rich: “As far as gender, I feel I have received much more opportunity for non-traditional roles."
Rieland said that he feels the competition is more difficult for female actors in the musical theater world, simply because there are fewer men than women who are drawn to the theater.
KEY:
Female= Pink
Male= Blue
Female= Pink
Male= Blue
Of revival shows, the professional musical theater world has only cast 9 percent racial minorities (meaning any non-caucasian race) out of 416 actors
Black actors and actresses make up 78 percent of minorities represented.
Black actors and actresses make up 78 percent of minorities represented.
Rich said that in terms of casting and narrative, we are currently in the midst of a change when it comes to diversity.
"Many more are starting to demand the change they wish to see, for the world they wish to see, and it is only natural that art has to reflect that," Rich said. “Though harmful stereotypes are still being perpetuated that many black actors are still asked to portray. But the changes happening currently are indeed opening up the number of roles available to me."