-
Lorraine Hansberry was a writer and playwright. She was the first African American female author to have a play performed on Broadway (Lorraine Hansberry). Lorraine sets an excellent example for women in the field of theater and playwriting with her best-known play A Raisin in the Sun, which focuses on the lives of black Americans under racial segregation (Lorraine Hansberry). She provided individuals with something to aspire to despite racism and issues relating to women's rights. -
An American actress, singer, and dancer, Sutton Foster has won several awards. Sutton was born in 1975 and is known for her work on Broadway, for which she has won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical twice (Sutton Foster). She set a wonderful example for women in the field of theater and acting. In 2011, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from Ball State University, where she is also on the faculty as a teacher and academic advisor (Sutton Foster). -
Tina Howe is an American playwright born in 1937 (Brockett et al. 249). Tina's play Museum shows several characters wandering through a museum talking about the exhibits and the role that women have in the arts (Tina Howe Biography). The play lets the audience see what women are actually capable of. This play explores how women contribute to the theater; it serves as an excellent example for women playwrights. -
The first play that Martha Norman wrote was titled Getting Out. American Theatre Critics Association voted it the best new play of 1977 (Brockett et al. 249). The play is about Arlene, an ex-convict who is trying to reconcile her past with the present after serving eight years in prison. She faces environmental forces as she tries to reintegrate into society (Marsha Norman). In this play, Martha Norman really displays her theatrical skills. -
Crimes Of the Heart is Beth Henley's best-known play. This play revolves around the lives of three sisters and begins with the news that the youngest shoots her husband simply because she does not like his appearance (Brockett et al. 249). Beth Henley's play earned the Pulitzer Prize in 1981 (Brockett et al. 249). Plays like Beth Henley's show just what women can accomplish in the world of theater. -
Wendy Wasserstein was born in 1950 and died in 2006. Wendy Wasserstein is best known for that play The Heidi Chronicles. As a result of her play, Wasserstein won the 1989 Pulitzer Prize and became the first woman to win a Tony Award. This set a remarkable example for future female playwrights. The play examines the main character Heidi who learns more about the women's movement, and she becomes aware of how it both has and has not fulfilled its promises (Brockett et al. 249), -
Theresa Rebeck is an American playwright, television writer, and novelist. Her work has been seen on stage, in film, and on television. One of her first plays was Spike Heels. Spike Heels is a contemporary comedy of manners that examines sexual harassment, misplaced amour, and the possibility of a four-sided love triangle (Spike Heels). The Theresa Rebeck play shows the potential as women in the theater world. -
Lisa Loomer is an American playwright and screenwriter who is best known for her play The Waiting Room. The story centers on the meeting of three women from three different eras. They discuss the pains they are facing as a result of altering their bodies to meet societal standards of feminine beauty. Human nature and modern health care challenge the women's search for answers. (The Waiting Room a Play by Lisa Loomer). -
Real Women Have Curves is a play written by Joséfina Lopez. The play revolves around an 18-year-old who tries to balance her desire to attend college with her domineering mother's demands that she marries, have children, and oversee their textile factory. There have been more than 100 productions of the play throughout the United States (Real Women Have Curves). Among the best examples of women's theater, this play shows a young woman's struggles and mindset as she grows into an adult. -
Paula Vogel's play How I Learned to Drive was first produced in 1977. Throughout How I Learned to Drive, the audience is presented with an analogy between learning to drive a car and navigating their way through life from adolescence to adulthood (Brockett et al. 252). Viewers get a glimpse into the mind of a changing girl throughout her early years in this play. The play reveals the struggles of a young woman, making it a wonderful contribution to women's theater. -
Based on Louisa May Alcott's semi-autobiographical two-volume novel, Little Women is a musical with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland (Little women). The play follows the March sisters named Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy (Little women). Sutton Foster, who was nominated for Tony Awards, Outer Critics Circle awards, and Drama Desk awards for her role, was the star of the original production (Little women). -
In 2015, the Washington, D.C. region's professional theaters collaborated to produce the Women's Voices Theater Festival. At the festival, more than 50 companies present world premieres of works by female playwrights. Taking place in Washington, DC, the festival was a success (Women's Voices Theater Festival). This festival allowed females in the theater to demonstrate and embrace their abilities.