Female Trouble

Maybe uninvited, but I attended the playwrights townhall at ND this week. It was incredible and powerful - the hundreds of women who turned out. Oddly, it seems that too many ADs had their annual Board Dinner that night. But other than some 'teaching' that a couple of ADs engaged in, the dialogue was inspired, if a bit defensive. However, I was most disheartened by the good deal of talk about Submissions - as if these major theaters chose their next season from anything that arrived in their mailbox. I just don't see it happening that way. Networking, community participation, introductions, and other off-the-clock gatherings seems to me the most likely routes to their mainstages.

I am reminded of my days as an intern at Playwrights Horizons, attending post-show parties, and seeing this frumpy wallflower of a young woman named Wendy. Although I couldn’t see why at the time, Andre championed Wendy W., like he did Chris D., Albert I. and a few others at a time when I doubt if she would have lasted long in this biz without such an angel. The opportunity for her craft and business skills to blossom proved me wrong. And I worry that this is what is missing in today’s tough times - more ADs who take it upon themselves to find the talent and see them through, credibly introduce them and share them with their professional community - women, minorities, or just damn talented writers. I hope that more women will demand such investment. That’s how I see it happen.

The depth and width of this problem need to be examined too. I suspect some of the causes may be found in the composition of the boards of directors of theaters (artistic directors have to answer to them). Also, how many male and how many female playwrights are signed by the shrinking number of agents who handle playwrights? Are these agents interested only in representing writers with proven track records? Uh oh, those are mostly men. To submit scripts to LORT theaters, you must have an agent. The problem is circular and rife with Catch 22s. Female playwrights are represented at the O'Neill and Humana, but then rarely go on to major productions. I understand they also do well with grants, fellowships, and winning prizes. Yet -- few or no productions. What's the story there? Clearly female-authored plays aren't inferior. It's a bear. - Robin Rice Lichtig (playwright, NYC)

Great to hear about Echo. Here in Philadelphia there's a company called Gas and Electric Arts that's also dedicated to women's work (there's a term you rarely see in this context!). I didn't include them in the list--though I loved their production of Anna Bella Eema this season--because they are not quite as established as the others, but for sure, companies like yours and theirs are out there refusing to allow the dramatic voice of half the population to be silenced.

Want to make sure you know about Echo Theatre in Dallas TX. Echo produces only plays written by women and has been doing so for over 10 years.

Well Mr. Bishop, thanks for being a regular reader (so nice to know it's not just my mom on here) and I'm really pleased to be wrong in this case. Now please, no more humility and self-flagellation or you'll leave those of us given to chronic cynicism with a really bad case of introspection.

Dear Ms. Rosenfield:
I happened to read your blog today (I always enjoy it) and was horrified to read that you felt I "scoffed" at the problem of women having trouble being produced. I feel the opposite of "scoffed" and cannot imagine what I said in the interview that made you think this. I think it is a real problem; I said I hoped it was not because many artistic directors are men, and I realize full well that I should have been paying more attention to this issue than I have -- being a pathetic mortal, I said. I am someone who tends to get down on himself alot. I was NOT being ironic. I am very sad that you would have thought that. Anybody who knows me, including Patti Cohen whom I talked to for half an hour, would know that I would never scoff at anything in the theatre that was important to discuss.
Andre Bishop