Women In The Theater: An Overview

The Tony Awards are incredibly prestigious, and anyone who has ever dreamed of setting foot on a Broadway stage has dreamt of the day they might have a chance to secure that all-important win. However, for women, the chances of actually realizing that dream are relatively slim.

As the infographic below demonstrates, whether it’s Best Play or the director award, women have yet to receive gender parity when it comes to the most desirable theatre awards of all. As concerning as this is, it is perhaps inevitable when you consider the statistics regarding the number of female writers and directors – again, women are vastly outnumbered by men, which – one assumes – contributes to the far smaller number of Tony wins.

Feeling a little downhearted by the above? Well, there’s plenty of good news too! Amongst performers, a woman – Audra McDonald, who starred in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill amongst others – is the all-time record holder for Tony awards by a performer.

What’s more, while female performers are still outnumbered by their male counterparts, the gap is much smaller than is found offstage; there’s room for improvement, but it is at least heartening to see female actors enjoying their chance to shine.

The best news, however, is found in the stats relating to off-Broadway productions. Here, the gender split is far more even; men are still more likely to write and direct plays, but the difference is far more proportional – a tendency that will hopefully be reflected at Broadway theaters in the future.

Curious to find out the exact stats behind the facts above, and more about women in the theater besides? Then this infographic has everything you need to know…