Written by The Interval.
The Tony Award nominations were announced this morning and, for the third year in a row, we did some counting to see how women fared at getting nominated for theater’s most prestigious award. When we started doing these stats three years ago, we found that we had to do a lot of counting, since so few statistics about women and theater awards existed (which is kind of bonkers) and so many publications left that aspect out of their coverage. And, despite some historic moments (“Fun Home”), the statistics reflect the state of Broadway — because if work by women isn’t in eligible houses, it can’t be nominated.
So here are the statistics for 2017, or: we counted, so you don’t have to.
(Please note that these stats count nominations, not individuals.)
- Since 2000, “Sweat” by Lynn Nottage and “Indecent” by Paula Vogel are the eighth and ninth women-written plays to be nominated for Best Play. Nominations have gone to plays by men 60 times.
- If “Sweat” wins the award for Best Play, it will only be the fourth time a solo-authored play by a woman has won, and Lynn Nottage will be the second American woman and first African-American woman to win.
- If “Indecent” wins the award for Best Play, it will only be the fourth time a solo-authored play by a woman has won, and Paula Vogel will be the second American woman to win.
- This is only the third time the Best Play category has had more than one play authored by a woman. The other two years were 2002 and 1960, which saw two plays by women nominated.
- Out of the nominees for Best Revival of a Play and Best Revival of a Musical, none were directed by women. Because there were no revivals directed by women this season that were eligible for the Tony Awards.
- Since 2000, Rebecca Taichman is the 14th woman to be nominated for for Best Director of a Play. Men have been nominated 62 times.
- Since 2000, Rachel Chavkin is the 16th woman to be nominated for Best Director of a Musical. Men have been nominated 58 times.
- Since 2010, Mimi Lien is the sixth woman to be nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Men have been nominated 26 times.
The Interval is a theater website founded to be a virtual home for female voices of the theater.
The Tony Awards are June 11. Find all the female nominees below. List adapted from Variety.
Best Book of a Musical:
“Come From Away” — Irene Sankoff (with David Hein)
Best Original Score:
“Come From Away” — Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff (with David Hein)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play:
Cate Blanchett, “The Present”
Jennifer Ehle, “Oslo”
Sally Field, “The Glass Menagerie”
Laura Linney, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical:
Denee Benton, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Christine Ebersole, “War Paint”
Patti LuPone, “War Paint”
Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!”
Eva Noblezada, “Miss Saigon”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play:
Johanna Day, “Sweat”
Jayne Houdyshell, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Cynthia Nixon, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Condola Rashad, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Michelle Wilson, “Sweat”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical:
Kate Baldwin, “Hello, Dolly!”
Stephanie J. Block, “Falsettos”
Jenn Colella, “Come From Away”
Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen”
Mary Beth Peil, “Anastasia”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical:
Mimi Lien, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Costume Design of a Play:
Jane Greenwood, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes”
Susan Hilferty, “Present Laughter”
Toni-Leslie James, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Best Costume Design of a Musical:
Linda Cho, “Anastasia”
Paloma Young, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Catherine Zuber, “War Paint”
Best Lighting Design of a Play:
Jane Cox, “August Wilson’s Jitney”
Jennifer Tipton, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical:
Natasha Katz, “Hello, Dolly!”
Best Direction of a Play:
Rebecca Taichman, “Indecent”
Best Direction of a Musical:
Rachel Chavkin, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”
Best Choreography:
Kelly Devine, “Come From Away”
Recipients of Awards and Honors in Non-Competitive Categories
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award:
Baayork Lee
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre:
Nina Lannan (with Alan Wasser)
