Aphra Behn Was the Aphra Bomb or (The Underrated Women from Theatre History) By the early 1900’s, women necessary to theatre. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, this hasn’t always been the case. During the Elizabethan era, it was illegal for women to be performers. This was because acting troupes would travel around and would have to sleep in odd places. It was considered inappropriate for women to do this. Because women were banned, the roles of young women were played by prepubescent boys, and the roles of older or not very feminine women were played by older men. One night, while King Charles II was watching a play, the show came to a complete stop. Charles sent a servant to go find out what the problem was. It turns out that one of the
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She served as a literary role model for many women authors. Charles II hired her as a spy in Antwerp. After she returned to London, and spent some time in debtors’ prison, Behn started writing for stage. She is most famously remembered in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own: "All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn which is, most scandalously but rather appropriately, in Westminster Abbey, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds." Agnes de Mille was a dancer and choreographer. De Mille was born into a family of theatre professionals. Her father and uncle were both Hollywood directors, and her Grandparent on her father’s side were famous playwrights. De Mille originally had her heart set on being an actress, but was told that she wasn’t pretty enough, and turned her attentions to dance instead. She began her association with The American Ballet Theatre in 1939. In 1947, De Mille won a Tony for Best Choreography in a Musical for her work on the show Brigadoon. She continued to work on choreography right up to her …show more content…
Too few are represented as writer or directors, and women’s stories don’t often make it on stage.” Since the 1950’s, only three women have been winners of the Tony Award for Best Direction in a Musical. Women only fill 8.8% of positions in sound design, while men hold 91.5%. In lighting design, women are 13.7%, while men make up 87.3%. The only area of technical theatre where women outnumber men is costume design, where women are 68.7%, and men are 31.3%. The best way to show the frustration of the statistics of gender inequality in theatre is in the style of Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers “Saturday Night Live” sketch Really?!
Really? In 1909, the percentage of plays on Broadway written by women was only 12.8%. Now, 100 years later, major Broadway plays written by women is 12.6%. Really?
Really? 50% of the people who enter graduate school for playwriting and apply for a Guild membership are women, but only 17% of the plays produced are written by women. Really?
Really? The Percentage of off-Broadway female directors is only 22%.
She served as a literary role model for many women authors. Charles II hired her as a spy in Antwerp. After she returned to London, and spent some time in debtors’ prison, Behn started writing for stage. She is most famously remembered in Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own: "All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn which is, most scandalously but rather appropriately, in Westminster Abbey, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds." Agnes de Mille was a dancer and choreographer. De Mille was born into a family of theatre professionals. Her father and uncle were both Hollywood directors, and her Grandparent on her father’s side were famous playwrights. De Mille originally had her heart set on being an actress, but was told that she wasn’t pretty enough, and turned her attentions to dance instead. She began her association with The American Ballet Theatre in 1939. In 1947, De Mille won a Tony for Best Choreography in a Musical for her work on the show Brigadoon. She continued to work on choreography right up to her …show more content…
Too few are represented as writer or directors, and women’s stories don’t often make it on stage.” Since the 1950’s, only three women have been winners of the Tony Award for Best Direction in a Musical. Women only fill 8.8% of positions in sound design, while men hold 91.5%. In lighting design, women are 13.7%, while men make up 87.3%. The only area of technical theatre where women outnumber men is costume design, where women are 68.7%, and men are 31.3%. The best way to show the frustration of the statistics of gender inequality in theatre is in the style of Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers “Saturday Night Live” sketch Really?!
Really? In 1909, the percentage of plays on Broadway written by women was only 12.8%. Now, 100 years later, major Broadway plays written by women is 12.6%. Really?
Really? 50% of the people who enter graduate school for playwriting and apply for a Guild membership are women, but only 17% of the plays produced are written by women. Really?
Really? The Percentage of off-Broadway female directors is only 22%.