When the 2017 Tony nominations were announced this morning, women’s names appeared in every single writing and directing category. Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe this has ever happened before. And if I am correct, this marks a new milestone for women in the arts!
Here is the list of women nominated for Tony Awards for writing and/or directing in 2017:
In the Best Play category, the nominees include “Indecent” by playwright Paula Vogel and “Sweat” by playwright Lynn Nottage.
In the Best Musical category, the nominees include “Come From Away” by Irene Sankoff & David Hein for Best Book AND for Best Original Score. (1 joint nomination in each of these 2 separate categories)
In the Best Revival of a Play category, the nominees include “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” written by (d’uh) playwright Lillian Hellman.
In the Direction of a Play category, the nominees include Rebecca Taichman for “Indecent.”
In the Best Direction of a Musical category, the nominees include Rachel Chavkin for “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.”
Congratulation to each and every woman on this list. Surely they will not all win Tony Awards — in fact none of them may actual win — but whatever happens on June 11th, there are now SEVEN new cracks in the Glass Ceiling. Brava, Ladies: Brava 🙂
© Jan Lisa Huttner (5/2/17) FF2 Media
FEEDBACK LOOP: Since I am mostly a film person, I reached out to several women I know who are much closer to the theatre scene than I am to ask if I am right about this… So far, no one has told me otherwise, so I hope the answer is yes. Lord protect me from being a purveyor of “fake news” 🙁
